Mystery Train (ATW DMU with 1st class)

[Rhydgaled]

What's going on with this train?

As far as I can make out a service from Manchester was terminated at Crewe and restarted due to an issue with train crew. The restarted service was terminated again at Cardiff and restarted again. It says the train was pathed as a diesel multiple unit but with first and standard class seating, and it doesn't seem to show on the list of trains passing Carmarthen, yet is recorded as having stopped there.

Strangely my father has just got in saying he had to change onto a second IC125 at Swansea on the Carmarthen service, but real time trains isn't showing as seperate services.

 

[causton]

VSTP usually comes up with trains having first and standard seating.

I believe this is down to the lack of information entered with a VSTP: I believe the standard for the schedule is that "if it doesn't say it's standard class only in the file, it's first class" so therefore, as the VSTP entry won't mention it at all, it defaults to saying it has both. This can be confirmed with the recent LO VSTPs relating to the Camden Road events.

This is also why it will just say Diesel or Electric multiple unit, with no class, or maximum speed or (IIRC?) load weight. Once again, only the basics are added.

 

[Greenback]

We were waiting at the level crossing at the east end of Llanelli station at just after 2110 last night. The train that crossed in the Carmarthen direction sound slike the train in question. I can confirm it was a two car 175 with no first class accommodation.

 

[Rhydgaled]

Thanks for the information, I wasn't aware of the system limitation.

That still leaves the question of why that service seems to have been canceled and restarted at least twice (due to train crew issues), was it actually a unit fault and they changed sets at Crewe and again at Cardiff? Also why the FirstGW Carmarthen service wasn't shown as being canceled and restarted despite my father saying they hd to change sets at Swansea.

 

[PHILIPE]

If Marches trains from Manchester are running late, it is normal practice to restart Right Time from Cardiff.

 

[High Dyke]

Train was orignally cancelled at Wilmslow, due to the conductor being taken ill. The train went forward as ECS to Crewe where an ambulance attended the train. The train then went forward from Crewe - Cardiff, again as ECS. The onward working from Cardiff being started there with a spare / available traincrew and unit.

As for the IC125 change mentioned the only info i can find is that the inward working to London suffered traction problems, one 43 shutting down and the second 43 only managing notches 1 - 4. The Carmarthen service also ran via Kemble, Gloucester and Chepstow - and not via Bristol P.way due to engineering work. The OP doesn't specify where their father commenced his journey. There's no mention of a change of unit at Swansea. Train arrived Swansea 20:59 and departed again 21:06 - booked standing time at Swansea is 24 minutes.

 

[Rhydgaled]

Train was orignally cancelled at Wilmslow, due to the conductor being taken ill. The train went forward as ECS to Crewe where an ambulance attended the train. The train then went forward from Crewe - Cardiff, again as ECS. The onward working from Cardiff being started there with a spare / available traincrew and unit.

As for the IC125 change mentioned the only info i can find is that the inward working to London suffered traction problems, one 43 shutting down and the second 43 only managing notches 1 - 4. The Carmarthen service also ran via Kemble, Gloucester and Chepstow - and not via Bristol P.way due to engineering work. The OP doesn't specify where their father commenced his journey. There's no mention of a change of unit at Swansea. Train arrived Swansea 20:59 and departed again 21:06 - booked standing time at Swansea is 24 minutes.

Thanks for the information. The power car problems would explain why it was so late into Swansea and why they had to change sets.

I was aware of the diversion via Gloucester as I looked up the train for my father in advance of his trip. I had noticed the Swansea District Line service, which to my supprise didn't call at all-stops to Bridgend, and mentioned it to my father but I guess he forgot about it. He boarded the FirstGW train at Reading as he was coming from Heathrow, probably a good thing he didn't get off at Cardiff as he may have missed the ATW unit which from looking at real times trains last night appears to have left just 6 minutes after the PAD - Carmarthen train arrived.

 

[High Dyke]

Thanks for the information. The power car problems would explain why it was so late into Swansea and why they had to change sets.

If i'd looked into the working in a bit more detail i would've spotted the stock change at Swansea. Considering the timings shown it was all achieved in a remarkable amount of time... I'm guessing there wouldn't be many passengers left on for stations after Swansea, which explains how a 16 minute late arrival became a 1 minute early departure.