Elizabeth Line seemingly pointless ECS movement?

[Benjwri]

Was wondering why a Class 345 was running into Paddington High level in the middle of the day today and discovered what is a seemingly pointless WTT scheduled ECS movement. 5G30 is a service from Old Oak Depot to Paddington Platform 12, arriving at 1048, however it then proceeds to form the 5G31 at 1107, where the service is them immediately shunted back into Old Oak Depot. Does anyone know what the point of this is? It seems an extraordinary waste of resources, especially given I watched it delay another train today coming into Paddington.

 

[Agent_Squash]

Was wondering why a Class 345 was running into Paddington High level in the middle of the day today and discovered what is a seemingly pointless WTT scheduled ECS movement. 5G30 is a service from Old Oak Depot to Paddington Platform 12, arriving at 1048, however it then proceeds to form the 5G31 at 1107, where the service is them immediately shunted back into Old Oak Depot. Does anyone know what the point of this is? It seems an extraordinary waste of resources, especially given I watched it delay another train today coming into Paddington.

Taking a stab in the dark, but potentially route knowledge retention into Paddington High Level?

 

[Benjwri]

Taking a stab in the dark, but potentially route knowledge retention into Paddington High Level?

Does seem the only explanation, but why are the regularly scheduled workings (In early morning and late evening) not enough for this? There are at least 30 movements into/out of High Level every day.

Looking further there are actually 4 of these exact ECS movements per day, this does seem like quite the waste of money, considering other TOCs are cutting services, while the Elizabeth Line seems to be quite happy to cart round fresh air and use paths into an already busy terminus for it.

 

[800001]

Was wondering why a Class 345 was running into Paddington High level in the middle of the day today and discovered what is a seemingly pointless WTT scheduled ECS movement. 5G30 is a service from Old Oak Depot to Paddington Platform 12, arriving at 1048, however it then proceeds to form the 5G31 at 1107, where the service is them immediately shunted back into Old Oak Depot. Does anyone know what the point of this is? It seems an extraordinary waste of resources, especially given I watched it delay another train today coming into Paddington.

Testing a train after maintenance?

 

[306024]

Taking a stab in the dark, but potentially route knowledge retention into Paddington High Level?

Is the right answer. They are in the middle of the day to make it easier for East based drivers to get on them. The very early or very late trips aren't suitable.

 

[swt_passenger]

Is the right answer. They are in the middle of the day to make it easier for East based drivers to get on them. The very early or very late trips aren't suitable.

Perhaps it‘s also allowing for eastern drivers to keep themselves familiar with the various routes in and out of Old Oak Common depot, not just Paddington mainline platforms.

 

[craigybagel]

Is the right answer. They are in the middle of the day to make it easier for East based drivers to get on them. The very early or very late trips aren't suitable.

I was told in the drivers route knowledge thread the East based drivers were losing their Paddington High Level knowledge, and similarly the West drivers were losing Liverpool Street? Unless I misunderstood something ....

 

[iphone76]

I was told in the drivers route knowledge thread the East based drivers were losing their Paddington High Level knowledge, and similarly the West drivers were losing Liverpool Street? Unless I misunderstood something ....

Yes - we are having them taken off our licenses. I'd imagine it'll happen at the same time the 315s are removed and once driver accommodation is completed at Ealing Broadway and Stratford stations to host standby drivers in the event a train has to be diverted into either mainline terminal, and the driver doesn't have the knowledge.

There are a number of diagrams on the East side between Shenfield, Gidea Park, Chadwell Heath Turnback, Ilford Depot and Liverpool Street High Level for route retention under 5GXX head codes. These started yesterday, however, I noticed they didn't run, presumably as the drivers have recent knowledge of those moves.

 

[306024]

I was told in the drivers route knowledge thread the East based drivers were losing their Paddington High Level knowledge, and similarly the West drivers were losing Liverpool Street? Unless I misunderstood something ....

I missed that, probably because I wasn't expecting it. No your source is certainly more recent than mine, but that does represent a change to previous policy.