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Caledonian Sleeper discussion

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route101

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First electric loco in Queen St High level? Not that ive heard one being in the low level?
 
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Scotrail84

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bonzawe said:
Is not a dead engine on the rear the equivalent of another two coaches.
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Shouldn't matter, a 47 should be more capable hauling a load 7 plus a dead loco up cowlairs bank. Its only around 450 tonnes including the 47.
 
najaB

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route101 said:
First electric loco in Queen St High level? Not that ive heard one being in the low level?
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Definitely the first in High Level, it's not inconceivable that there would have been one through the Low Level platforms at some point.
 
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route101

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najaB said:
Definitely the first in High Level, it's not inconceivable that there would have been one through the Low Level platforms at some point.
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Cant remember any on lower level at Queen st or Central low level.
 
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adrock1976

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What's it called? It's called Cumbernauld
I am surprised that the 47 was struggling to get up Cowlairs last night.

I can remember the days when they were a regular sight at Birmingham New Street on the South West - North West/ Glasgow and Edinburgh Intercity XC services (with a loco change at Birmingham to an 86 or 87 to continue north). I did a few runs on IC125s and 47s to and from Cheltenham Spa, and when the northbound was a 47, it managed the Lickey Incline (which is slightly steeper than Cowlairs) with relative ease.

Perhaps the 47s nowadays do not want to do anything too strenuous owing to their age?
 
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thaitransit

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Wouldn't be easier just to diesel locomotive haul it right from London thus saving a lot of fuss changing from electric locomotive to diesel.

This was something that used to be done in Australia but now it diesel the whole way. In fact one Victorian line was de electrified in the early 2000s and replaced with more frequent DMU railcars. Only Queensland has long distance electrified lines but only 2 electric passenger trains a day use it. Everything else is diesel hauled despite 600km of wires. Diesel is seen as more reliable and far cheaper than long distance electric in Australia.
 
marks87

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adrock1976 said:
Perhaps the 47s nowadays do not want to do anything too strenuous owing to their age?
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I guess that's most likely the reason, and what I meant by not using a single 47 - i.e. the 47 at CS's disposal isn't up to getting up Cowlairs anymore.

I assume that the 73 struggling doesn't come as a surprise? Isn't Cowlairs steeper than the steepest gradient on the Highland Main Line, and that's due to get 2x73s as standard.
 
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thaitransit said:
Wouldn't be easier just to diesel locomotive haul it right from London thus saving a lot of fuss changing from electric locomotive to diesel.

This was something that used to be done in Australia but now it diesel the whole way. In fact one Victorian line was de electrified in the early 2000s and replaced with more frequent DMU railcars. Only Queensland has long distance electrified lines but only 2 electric passenger trains a day use it. Everything else is diesel hauled despite 600km of wires. Diesel is seen as more reliable and far cheaper than long distance electric in Australia.
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Under normal operations, there's no need to change from electric to diesel for the Lowlander - it's wired throughout from Euston to both Glasgow and Edinburgh. Last night also didn't require a change of traction type; it's just there weren't any available electrics to go from Queen Street to Waverley.

The Highlander needs to split three ways at Waverley anyway, with each portion leaving back out the way the whole train came in. So even if a diesel brought it up from London, you'd still need another two plus a run around. It would make no sense whatsoever.

And that's all without considering there isn't a diesel with a suitable ETH index for the new stock (in fact, is there even one for load 16 with the current stock?).
 
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Mag_seven

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marks87 said:
I guess that's most likely the reason, and what I meant by not using a single 47 - i.e. the 47 at CS's disposal isn't up to getting up Cowlairs anymore.
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Also don't forget that a lot of the driving knowledge about how to handle a 47 up Cowlairs Incline was all lost when units took over from proper trains.
 
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gsnedders

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marks87 said:
And that's all without considering there isn't a diesel with a suitable ETH index for the new stock (in fact, is there even one for load 16 with the current stock?).
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I think the 57/3 and 57/6s might, for the current stock?
 
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Scotrail84

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Mag_seven said:
Also don't forget that a lot of the driving knowledge about how to handle a 47 up Cowlairs Incline was all lost when units took over from proper trains.
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It's GB freight drivers that drive the sleeper, most of them have probably driven a passenger train up Cowlairs bank in their life, unit or loco and coaches.
 
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Sarahs_Railway

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Good evening everyone. I forgot that all this excitement was ongoing at Queens Street this weekend! Sounds like fun all round!

I was out last night to capture the Up Highlander sections using the East Coast line down through Fife. I was rather surprised to see that the Aberdeen section (behind 73969) only had two sleeper coaches plus lounge and brake coach whilst the Inverness section (behind 67007) had its full complement of 8 coaches. I know that the Aberdeen section loses a coach to the Fort William section during the peak summer season. Is there a reason for the ABD section working one coach short at this time of year? I am assuming either maintenance or creeping decrepitude?

Vids of both movements at link below.

Regards
S.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/149563882@N07/41178150361/in/dateposted-public/
 
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Chrism20

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Could an extra one have went to Fort William on Friday with it being the holiday weekend?
 
47271

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We're getting off topic I know but I'm reliably informed that, never mind 47s, Class 40s used to take seven or eight mk2s through the Queen Street tunnel towards Aberdeen or Inverness on a daily basis until the early 1980s, and likewise Class 27s would manage six mk1s on West Highland trains.
 
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Scotrail84

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47271 said:
We're getting off topic I know but I'm reliably informed that, never mind 47s, Class 40s used to take seven or eight mk2s through the Queen Street tunnel towards Aberdeen or Inverness on a daily basis until the early 1980s, and likewise Class 27s would manage six mk1s on West Highland trains.
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That 47 should have been more than capable of hauling that load up Cowlairs bank but the guvernor is gubbed, the loco is clapped out. You can polish a turd but its still a turd underneath.
 
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