Odd East Coast Formation

[Searle]

Just been on East Coast's 1N35 2200 London Kings Cross to Newcastle (half an hour late ), and there was an extremely odd East Coast formation on it. It was something like:

Power Car B C M E F G H J K L M Power Car

Does anyone know what the formation actually was and why it was in such an odd formation? I sat in the first coach M, and it actually said coach L on the inside, then had a Scotrail Coach C sticker on the window, very odd. At least the guard didn't mind me using the free wifi :P

Thanks!

 

[Jonny]

I'm guessing it was a 'switched' coach that has been put in at short notice, possibly to move it about or to fill in for a faulty coach. It might also be that the set is being moved for some reason...

Especially since that service is running as a one-off http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/Y50131/2013/11/20/advanced

PS are you sure it has 11 coaches? That's pretty long given that they're full-length C3 profile...

 

[Eagle]

It's also gone via Ferrybridge, which is interesting.

 

[ryan125hst]

I doubt that it had 11 coaches and two power card. Surely it would struggle to accelerate and would be too long for the platforms?

Also, only 225's have a coach H (buffet car with standard class seats) and a coach K (first class coach and former restaurant car). HST's have a standard class coach G and a first class/buffet/kitchen coach J instead.

It's weird if it had different labels inside. I can understand a first class coach M substituting for a standard coach D, but that is one strange formation from East Coast if you are correct Searle.

 

[Searle]

Oh, well it was something like that, but yeah it wasn't 11 coaches haha. I just put down what I could remember for effect!

It seems to be quite regular, even if it does say that it was just a one off!

Here are a couple of pictures which I took on my mobile :P

 

[OLJR]

I saw something like this years and years ago on GNER ex-King's Cross.

It was something like:

NORTH ENGINE STD 1ST 1ST STD STD REST 1ST 1ST 1ST ENGINE SOUTH

Only the carriages highlighted in bold were designated 1ST accommodation. Some STD passengers were lucky to be seated in a 1ST carriage within the STD sets and those with reservations in a missing carriage were seated in a second coach M at the south end.

Very strange!

Then another time I was on oneanglia when there was a random 1ST carriage (designated as 1ST) in the middle of the STD set!

 

[Eagle]

I don't get what the Scotrail sticker is doing there. Only guess is that a mischievous passenger has relocated it from its rightful place on a Mk3 sleeper coach.

 

[Michael.Y]

Had an A H C D E F G H once on FGW.

 

[shedman]

I don't get what the Scotrail sticker is doing there. Only guess is that a mischievous passenger has relocated it from its rightful place on a Mk3 sleeper coach.

It happens regular. The set will have worked up to Aberdeen/Inverness where someone will have noticed the coach needed labelling. Its not unknown for the seat reservations to be Scotrail when they've run out of East Coast ones

 

[sprinterguy]

Just been on East Coast's 1N35 2200 London Kings Cross to Newcastle (half an hour late ), and there was an extremely odd East Coast formation on it. It was something like:

Power Car B C M E F G H J K L M Power Car

Does anyone know what the formation actually was and why it was in such an odd formation?

It was the usual 9-car HST formation (Power Car - TGS - TSOx5 - TRFB - FOx2 - Power Car), except for one declassified first class carriage inserted in place of Coach D: Vehicle 41190 deputising for 42192.

 

[Deerfold]

It's also gone via Ferrybridge, which is interesting.

Is the 2200 from Kings Cross diverted to retain drivers' route knowledge in the same way the 2330 to Leeds is?

 

[yorkie]

Yes, the 2200 has been regularly booked via Ferrybridge for several years now. Before that, it used to be booked via Hertford.

If a delay occurs before the routes diverge, then the train will typically take the main line to make up time.

It takes roughly twice as long to do York-Doncaster via Ferrybridge, compared to via the main line.

The timetable also allows for single line working between Durham & Newcastle.

 

[SeanG]

The timetable also allows for single line working between Durham & Newcastle.

Took this service the other month after a drinking day in York.
This explains the wrong line working north of Durham, thought it was just my inebriation that made me think it was happening!

 

[DarloRich]

I traveled on this set recently from kings Cross to York. I assumed it to be a swap out to allow the service to run to near capacity. It was nice to get a free first class seat upgrade!

 

[142094]

Not sure what the speed restriction is for wrong direction moves but I did this a few years back and it was very noticeable how slow the train went between Darlington and Newcastle compared to normal. Still, the vast majority of those on the train were asleep so they didn't care much.

 

[DaveNewcastle]

Not sure what the speed restriction is for wrong direction moves but . . . . .

50mph I believe.

I experienced the same recently on a late running 21:00 from Edinburgh (the last train south) which went over the Plessey Crossovers and continued at around 50mph into Newcastle during night time works on the Up line.

 

[Searle]

An update on this, I'm back in this coach! The sticker on the window has gone (but you can still see the remains). They've stuck new stickers up saying coach D, with 1st class below it. Also there's a new sticker on the door that says this is a Scotrail Coach D!

Service is packed so I'm glad that this is here for me again! :P