Okehampton - Paddington Special on 16 March 2017

[richw]

A hst went in and out of Okehampton ECS not long ago in a test train in anticipation of this event

 

[SpacePhoenix]

Do all TOCs use that section for skid pan training or will each TOC have a section of their own network that they use for skid pan training for their own drivers?

 

[Cowley]

Do all TOCs use that section for skid pan training or will each TOC have a section of their own network that they use for skid pan training for their own drivers?

Pretty sure it's only local FGW that use it for training SP (a couple of people I know have had sessions on it), I don't think any other companies do although I may be wrong.

 

[embers25]

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.

Actually the XC arrived at Bristol in time to catch 1A15 so apart from maybe struggling to get a seat on XC to Bristol all the passengers would have arrived on time except those from Weston who would have been 30 mins late.

 

[BestWestern]

Actually the XC arrived at Bristol in time to catch 1A15 so apart from maybe struggling to get a seat on XC to Bristol all the passengers would have arrived on time except those from Weston who would have been 30 mins late.

Ah, booked to overtake at Weston then? That isn't a bad recovery after all, then!

 

[Mark62]

I presume the HST that lost traction at Oakhampton was a 253. Surely a locomotive of that age would have sanders. Or were they removed?
I'm not sure that sanders would have held the train back but they'd certainty help restore adhesion.

 

[Ash Bridge]

Just as a matter of interest, that downward gradient shortly after departing Okehampton in the Up direction appears to be at 1:77, the DRSA website informs that the HST was halted at the closed former station of Bow whilst a wheel set inspection took place.

 

[AnthonyRail]

Hope they do another one soon.

 

[LordCreed]

A hst went in and out of Okehampton ECS not long ago in a test train in anticipation of this event

No, it didn't... A 143 went as a test train a few weeks ago, but this is the first time a HST has been down this line in a considerable number of years (19 years ago was the last HST service train I believe.)

The wheel flats occurred between Okehampton and Bow to the rear power car. The front power car had minor flats, but nothing like the rear one.

 

[bnm]

Actually the XC arrived at Bristol in time to catch 1A15 so apart from maybe struggling to get a seat on XC to Bristol all the passengers would have arrived on time except those from Weston who would have been 30 mins late.

Would passengers have been advised to make such a connection though, given that the time between the XC timetabled arrival and timetabled 1A15 departure was less than the minimum allowed connection at Bristol TM?

Anyone who'd intended travelling on 1A15 from Paignton, and stations up the line, who had sought information on their options may not have been told to connect from XC to 1A15 at Bristol TM as industry systems wouldn't show such a connection as valid.

Whatever actually happened on the ground, I don't think it right that a scheduled service should be cancelled to provide rolling stock for a charter.

 

[HowardGWR]

I presume the HST that lost traction at Oakhampton was a 253. Surely a locomotive of that age would have sanders. Or were they removed?
I'm not sure that sanders would have held the train back but they'd certainty help restore adhesion.

Earlier I made a joke about the organisers attempting to get folk to spell Okehampton. Failed miserably.

 

[PHILIPE]

Would passengers have been advised to make such a connection though, given that the time between the XC timetabled arrival and timetabled 1A15 departure was less than the minimum allowed connection at Bristol TM?

Anyone who'd intended travelling on 1A15 from Paignton, and stations up the line, who had sought information on their options may not have been told to connect from XC to 1A15 at Bristol TM as industry systems wouldn't show such a connection as valid.

Whatever actually happened on the ground, I don't think it right that a scheduled service should be cancelled to provide rolling stock for a charter.

Imagine the fall out and compensation if GWR hadn't done anything apart from 500 passengers dumped at Exeter Sr Davids

 

[richw]

Imagine the fall out and compensation if GWR hadn't done anything apart from 500 passengers dumped at Exeter Sr Davids

500 cancelled or probably less than 100 inconvenienced by a 30 delay, and some extra changes.

 

[yorkie]

Well done GWR. It is refreshing to see this sort of thing, to minimise the overall impact.

If the passengers had been left to get the next service train from Exeter it would have had far more negatve impact than the very minimal impact to the part-cancellation of the Paignton-Paddington train as far as Bristol.

 

[455driver]

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

It was actually the rear power car which suffered the flats.

 

[455driver]

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

What effect would chip fat sprayed on the track in September have on the railhead in March bearing in mind quite a few trains have run up there in between?

 

[455driver]

I presume the HST that lost traction at Oakhampton was a 253. Surely a locomotive of that age would have sanders. Or were they removed?
I'm not sure that sanders would have held the train back but they'd certainty help restore adhesion.

253 never fitted with sanders, sanders only work on the front loco anyway and it was the rear one which suffered the flats.

 

[Crossover]

What effect would chip fat sprayed on the track in September have on the railhead in March bearing in mind quite a few trains have run up there in between?

I don't know - I posed it as a question, not a statement!

 

[Deepgreen]

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

I hadn't been aware that the route was used in this way. It reminds me of the incident at Shepperton on 21 April 1982, when grease was spread on the rails overnight (I think to test 455s) and was left in situ - the first train arriving in the morning went through the buffers and out over the road!

 

[Ash Bridge]

I hadn't been aware that the route was used in this way. It reminds me of the incident at Shepperton on 21 April 1982, when grease was spread on the rails overnight (I think to test 455s) and was left in situ - the first train arriving in the morning went through the buffers and out over the road!

I believe another spin off (no pun intended) for the Dartmoor Railway when GWR crews are up at Okehampton is the extra out of season revenue they provide for the station buffet, regarding Shepperton I seem to recall it was a 508 EMU that came to grief with its front bogie overhanging the street.

 

[221129]

I have to say all the GWR staff on the train were excellent and I didn't hear a single complaint about the delay from any of the passengers on board, 43194 suffered severe wheelflats as stated, (90mm for anyone interested) and had to run as 8Z74 back to SPM with a 35mph top speed.