Route knowledge for rare-ish ECS maintenance moves

[MrJeeves]

I saw that an Overground service went from Wembley up to Widnes today: https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:K41230/2025-07-26/detailed

I've wondered for a while now, but I'll finally ask: how does route knowledge for these kinds of moves work?

Does the train run with a route conductor that signs the whole journey along with a driver trained on that unit?

Or does it work the other way around, where someone that signs the whole route will be trained on that traction so that they can perform maintenance runs like this?

Im not really looking for an answer for this exact occurrence, but more about the general processes for something like this. The same question could be asked about IETs going to Eastleigh for cracks, as an example.

 

[dk1]

Aren’t such moves normally just dragged by the likes of GBRf?

 

[MrJeeves]

Aren’t such moves normally just dragged by the likes of GBRf?

The Overground ones in particular normally are, but this time it was timed as a 378 rather than a loco with a trailing load.

If that was a mistake and it was dragged anyway, it's not always like that, such as my example with IETs.

Or even the Class 799 heading to Derby the other day, albeit not for maintenance!

 

[Segedunum]

Funnily enough I saw that 378 at Crewe and did a double take It was 378228 and very much under its own power.

 

[godfreycomplex]

If it’s going to be a contract of moving a great many of the same class freight drivers will usually be given traction training on that particular class to operate them under their own power

 

[m0ffy]

I thought I was hallucinating when I saw it pass through Atherstone.

 

[childwallblues]

The first 378s to Widnes were indeed dragged but more recently they travel under their own power. If it is the intention to send dc only 378135-154 to Widnes they will need to be dragged.

 

[P156KWJ]

This was operated by ROG going off the TS code, so it could be a driver of theirs who happens to sign the traction (or has recently trained on it, if there's a long ongoing contract), or it could be a day trip for a LO driver with a route conductor. Or a mix of the above!

 

[Class15]

The first 378s to Widnes were indeed dragged but more recently they travel under their own power. If it is the intention to send dc only 378135-154 to Widnes they will need to be dragged.

Unless they can be sent as a 10-car with a 378/2?

 

[endofthetunnel]

Of course as with many long distance moves, the drivers (/route conductors if required) changeover en route, rather than them needing 1 person who knows the entire journey.

 

[transportphoto]

X user @Andym13 (https://x.com/andym13) is one such driver. He often tweets photos of the various trains he is driving including 378s to/from Widnes. He has also just completed training on class 93 locomotives.

 

[Gonzoiku]

X user @Andym13 (https://x.com/andym13) is one such driver. He often tweets photos of the various trains he is driving including 378s to/from Widnes. He has also just completed training on class 93 locomotives.

Thanks for the link - a very capable photographer with a wide variety of compliant subjects!

GZ