Okehampton - Paddington Special on 16 March 2017

[221129]

Then what is it? Charter train, private train, special train?

It's a charter.

 

[AnthonyRail]

Wonder what the power cars will be??

 

[221129]

Wonder what the power cars will be??

2 from the GWR fleet.

 

[AnthonyRail]

Green set maybe

 

[Crossover]

The last HST to Okehampton was Tuesday 21st Feb 2017. Albeit an ECS and not in passenger use.

Was this a proving run or some such?

Here are the runs - hopefully the actual service doesn't get quite so held up!
5Z77 1133 Exeter St Davids to Okehampton
5Z78 1340 Okehampton to Exeter St Davids

 

[LordCreed]

Was this a proving run or some such?

Here are the runs - hopefully the actual service doesn't get quite so held up!
5Z77 1133 Exeter St Davids to Okehampton
5Z78 1340 Okehampton to Exeter St Davids

That service was formed with a 143, not a HST. It was a gauging run, and I'm led to believe that the delays were due to the engineer onboard wanting to take measurements of bridges etc.

 

[Roast Veg]

Never seen a gauging run on RTT before, interesting stuff.

 

[83G/84D]

1Z18 has encountered problems this morning, 43194 developed severe wheel flats on Okehampton / Meldon branch and was taken out of service at Exeter St David's.
A replacement HST was provided and train is now around 53 minutes late.

 

[PHILIPE]

Not a very good start. 1Z18 Left Okehampton 3 L but 42L at Credition and 54L Exeter St Davids. This was due to Wheelflats (Set number not known at the moment) following slippery rail conditions. 1A15 0918 Paignton to Paddington HST "grabbed", running ECS to Exeter to work 1Z18 forward. 1A15 re-started Bristol Temple Meads

 

[Cowley]

Oh dear. That's unfortunate, well done to GWR for their speedy response to the problem though. Hoping to see it coming back later.

 

[PHILIPE]

Formed by LA15 with new GWR Liveried Power Cars, 43194 and 43188 (Y Cymro The Welshman)

 

[83G/84D]

The green set (43188/194) was faulty and taken off at Exeter St David's to be replaced by 43143 / 020.

 

[83G/84D]

A report from the BBC (enough said!) on the difficulties encountered this morning here:-

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-devon-39314849

A historic train journey had to be abandoned minutes after setting off when the train slipped from the rails.

Shortly after leaving Okehampton the 500 passengers were transferred to a different train at Exeter....

...GWR which owns the train said the damage was caused by 'poor railhead conditions'.

The OkeRAIL Forum says it has been reassured that the return journey from London Paddington direct to Okehampton will still go ahead.

 

[HowardGWR]

This special train has had bad luck.
http://www.okehampton-today.co.uk/article.cfm?id=420046

THE much-anticipated direct train from Okehampton to London — the first in 50 years — hit a stumbling block this morning as the engine slid down a bank on its way out of Okehampton, damaging the wheels and deeming it unsuitable for the rest of the journey.
The wet weather overnight and this morning had caused the tracks to be slippery and as the train, organised by OkeRail, left Okehampton Station this morning just before 8am, it slipped on its tracks causing ‘flats on the wheels’ — where the wheel wears away and causes flat areas. An engineer confirmed the damage was too much to continue and the train was directed to Exeter, St David’s where another train was waiting for passengers to continue their journey.]

Still the organiser's name may encourage people to spell the name of the town properly. I understand a train from Paignton subbed at Exeter. I just wonder what happened to the 'fine dining' Pullman service some would have been enjoying up to that moment.

Here's another link
http://www.plymouthherald.co.uk/his...s-down-rails/story-30212643-detail/story.html

Update: Having looked at RTT it looks like the engine was subbed as the train is shewing only a 38 minute late arrival at Pad. Not bad!

 

[HowardGWR]

The green set (43188/194) was faulty and taken off at Exeter St David's to be replaced by 43143 / 020.

Thanks -RTT doesn't shew that.

 

[yorkie]

Thanks -RTT doesn't shew that.

That sort of information isn't in the open data feed used by sites such as Open Train Times (OTT) or Real Time Trains (RTT).

By the way your quote tag is broken in post #44...

 

[HowardGWR]

That sort of information isn't in the open data feed used by sites such as Open Train Times (OTT) or Real Time Trains (RTT).

By the way your quote tag is broken in post #44...

Thanks, fixed, and for moving this post. I had no idea this sub forum existed!!

 

[LordCreed]

As you've gathered, set swap at Exeter after developing bad flats on 43194. The new set was taken off 1A15, and had a micro buffet.

 

[HowardGWR]

As you've gathered, set swap at Exeter after developing bad flats on 43194. The new set was taken off 1A15, and had a micro buffet.

Yes, after I chased my moved post around UKRail, I caught up with it here and then went through RTT to see how many 'normal' pax were inconvenienced. In fact the scheduling people did very well. The cancelled Paignton goes via Bristol and I was able to see they put on an extra at Bristol, which ran to time. The stations between Exeter and Taunton were catered for by the following ex-Plymouth (also picking up the ones from a local from Paignton to Exmouth) so only pax at Weston could have been left. They could have got a local to Parkway and picked up the Carmarthen,and indeed, it looks as thoough it was held for them specially.

Well done GWR!

 

[HowardGWR]

Update: I see that the return trip got away at 1805. I wonder if they had time to sort out the Pullman catering? Hope so, as it was bad luck what happened. A lesson learned on the track upkeep on the Okehampton stretch, I imagine.

 

[BestWestern]

Yes, after I chased my moved post around UKRail, I caught up with it here and then went through RTT to see how many 'normal' pax were inconvenienced. In fact the scheduling people did very well. The cancelled Paignton goes via Bristol and I was able to see they put on an extra at Bristol, which ran to time. The stations between Exeter and Taunton were catered for by the following ex-Plymouth (also picking up the ones from a local from Paignton to Exmouth) so only pax at Weston could have been left. They could have got a local to Parkway and picked up the Carmarthen,and indeed, it looks as thoough it was held for them specially.

Well done GWR!

If the extra from Bristol ran to 1A15's booked time, and those turfed out of 1A15 at Exeter were conveyed to Bristol on a following XC, then presumably the entire trainload were inconvenienced by at least half an hour, having arrived at Bristol after the continuation of their service had gone? In addition to loss of reserved seats etc and the general issues of carrying a double loading on whichever Paddington service they caught from Temple Meads.

 

[Cowley]

Just saw the special take a left and head towards Crediton. Hope things go a bit better this evening. Does anyone know where the main trouble spots were?

 

[SpacePhoenix]

Was it both power cars that suffered flat spots or just the lead power car?

 

[Ash Bridge]

Just saw the special take a left and head towards Crediton. Hope things go a bit better this evening. Does anyone know where the main trouble spots were?

I always imagined that the grades would be more favourable departing Okehampton in the direction of Coleford junction and onwards towards Crediton so I too would be interested to learn.

 

[Crossover]

The Okehampton branch is used for skid pan training with a healthy dose of washing up liquid, is it not? Maybe no-one thought to give a good clean before he trains ran?

The return went better anyway - arrived at Okehampton 4L

 

[PHILIPE]

I always imagined that the grades would be more favourable departing Okehampton in the direction of Coleford junction and onwards towards Crediton so I too would be interested to learn.

Post #39 shows the bulk of the delay was between Okehampton and Crediton.

 

[richw]

Update: I see that the return trip got away at 1805. I wonder if they had time to sort out the Pullman catering? Hope so, as it was bad luck what happened. A lesson learned on the track upkeep on the Okehampton stretch, I imagine.

The Okehampton branch is used for skid pan training with a healthy dose of washing up liquid, is it not? Maybe no-one thought to give a good clean before he trains ran?

The return went better anyway - arrived at Okehampton 4L

The return working nabbed the other green set, with the blue set that worked it up swapping diagrams with that green set at Paddington.

From where the line leaves the Barnstaple line through to okehampton it's significantly overgrown, so I imagine a lot of leafy residue, in addition to any uncleaned line from skid practice.

 

[Cowley]

I'd wondered if it was the section from Crediton through Yeoford to Sampford Courtenay. I guess this being the lesser used part of the line? I hadn't thought about the skid training areas.

 

[richw]

Apparently it was the downhill section Immediatly after okehampton that caused the problem. It's so long since I've been to okehampton i can't picture it.

 

[Crossover]

I think it's that end of the line they use for skid pan training too - the TV prog the other year showed them departing from Okehampton towards Crediton (doing it in a downhill stretch would make sense). Of course, the test train they put up there indeed was a (lightweight) DMU - could the HST may be not have coped quite so well? Maybe they could have done to have actually tested a HST on there given how long it will have been since one went