Penzance Sleeper

[72C]

I saw a photo very recently of the Cornish sleeper returning to Plymouth at mid day. I have always understood that the stock was serviced at PZ. Can anybody up date me please. Thanks

 

[EltonRoad]

I saw this; was it in the Railway Herald? Think it was a Saturday morning, maybe it goes to Laira at weekends. Don't know for sure.

 

[noddy1878]

There has been engineering works on the Cornish mainline during the times the sleeper would run in the evening so they have bought it back from Penzance as ECS and started the service from Plymouth.

 

[richw]

There has been engineering works on the Cornish mainline during the times the sleeper would run in the evening so they have bought it back from Penzance as ECS and started the service from Plymouth.

this is only the case on sunday evenings, no sleeper on a saturday so maybe stored at laira saturday morning, to sunday evening,

weekdays the service is still starting from pz, there was an occasion recently where there was an hst failure on a morning service,around 10am kind of time and the sleeper loco and carriages were used as far as plymouth where a hst took over! this is the probable time of the photo thinking about it!,

 

[TEW]

That was an additional relief train to Plymouth because the 1000 London service was fully reserved, and running with an additional coach. All the seated stock (5 coaches) were put together and ran with a 57 just behind the 1000 London service as far as Plymouth, and then ran empty back to Penzance. On Saturdays at the moment the sleeper runs ECS to Laira to stable as the mainline is closed on Sundays, so the sleeper starts at Plymouth.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

Out of curiosity, is the Sleeper running throughout at the moment bearing in mind the severe speed restriction between Bodmin Parkway and Lostwithiel?

 

[TEW]

Yes, it has plenty of recovery time at parts of the journey so it isn't affected too badly.

 

[D6975]

A few weeks ago the 57 failed prior to departure from Penzance and the sleeper was replaced by a HST all the way to Padd! Nice little surprise if you'd booked a berth....

 

[12CSVT]

A few weeks ago the 57 failed prior to departure from Penzance and the sleeper was replaced by a HST all the way to Padd! Nice little surprise if you'd booked a berth....

Thats nothing new. The 57/6s never have been the most reliable locos.
Perhaps they should take the 57/3s which VWC have just stood down or use the skips which have just been displaced from the Paignton / Taunton - Cardiff diagrams.

 

[37401]

57/3s, reliable hahaha

Not with Virgin mate!

 

[TEW]

57/3s are used if there aren't enough 57/6s' available and it is feasible to get it to London/Penzance in time.