Conwy Valley line - Tuesday & Thursday mornings

[splashoutradio]

A question for someone in the know...

Over the past few weeks, I've noticed the first train of the day between Cyffordd Llandudno Jn & Blaenau Ffestiniog (2D10) has been bustituted on Tuesdays and Thursdays. The diagram itself still runs, but empty, as 5D10, and returns as normal in passenger service.

Does anyone know why this happens? Presumably there'd be a guard on board the empty coaching stock due to returning in passenger service - wasn't sure if the stock was perhaps being used to test rail adhesion as it has been an issues on the line of late.

 

[Lewisham2221]

<snip> wasn't sure if the stock was perhaps being used to test rail adhesion as it has been an issues on the line of late.

Yes AFAIK that is the exact reason why

 

[splashoutradio]

Many thanks for the clarification @Lewisham2221.
Thought this may be the case, but hadn't seen anything to suggest one way or the other.

 

[Krokodil]

It appears to be an experiment to see if the service is more reliable if it runs empty (and departs 10 minutes earlier). 197s haven't been coping well on the line during autumn.

 

[Baxenden Bank]

A question for someone in the know...

Over the past few weeks, I've noticed the first train of the day between Cyffordd Llandudno Jn & Blaenau Ffestiniog (2D10) has been bustituted on Tuesdays and Thursdays. The diagram itself still runs, but empty, as 5D10, and returns as normal in passenger service.

Does anyone know why this happens? Presumably there'd be a guard on board the empty coaching stock due to returning in passenger service - wasn't sure if the stock was perhaps being used to test rail adhesion as it has been an issues on the line of late.

The same thing happens with the first Shrewsbury to Llandrindod service. Buses on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.

 

[williamn]

Why only on certain days if they’re worried about rail adhesion?

 

[Krokodil]

Why only on certain days if they’re worried about rail adhesion?

Presumably it allows performance to be compared or something, to see if running 2D10 ECS is worthwhile

 

[moonarrow458]

One thing i'm struggling to understand is, if performance on the line has been poor due to rail adhesion isssues with the cl197s, how does running them empty solve the issue? What exactly can be done that improves adhesion when the train runs empty vs in passenger service?

 

[Krokodil]

One thing i'm struggling to understand is, if performance on the line has been poor due to rail adhesion isssues with the cl197s, how does running them empty solve the issue? What exactly can be done that improves adhesion when the train runs empty vs in passenger service?

Firstly the ECS departs 10 minutes earlier. It's not so straightforward to retime a passenger train to depart early. That 10 minutes buys some time for crawling up the bank at 5mph.

Skipping two stations also saves time, as does the fact that if you don't stop at Betws you hit the bank at line speed rather than from a standing start.