Scotrail North Highland line traction failures

[ruaival]

Any ideas what causes traction equipment failure on two trains simultaneously many miles apart?

2H60 Wick to Inverness
and
2H61 Inverness to Wick

have both cancelled mid journey with that explanation on Real Time Trains. (one at Georgemas Junction and the other at Lairg)

(my interest is family member travelling North from Inverness this evening after a long flight)

Alistair

 

[43096]

Any ideas what causes traction equipment failure on two trains simultaneously many miles apart?

2H60 Wick to Inverness
and
2H61 Inverness to Wick

have both cancelled mid journey with that explanation on Real Time Trains. (one at Georgemas Junction and the other at Lairg)

(my interest is family member travelling North from Inverness this evening after a long flight)

Alistair

It looks to me like 2H60 failed and 2H61 was terminated at Lairg to form a replacement for 2H60 south to Inverness: there’s a 2Z60 showing starting from Lairg. So, one failure.

 

[Twingo37175]

Any ideas what causes traction equipment failure on two trains simultaneously many miles apart?

2H60 Wick to Inverness
and
2H61 Inverness to Wick

have both cancelled mid journey with that explanation on Real Time Trains. (one at Georgemas Junction and the other at Lairg)

(my interest is family member travelling North from Inverness this evening after a long flight)

Alistair

My guess is the unit from the North had the problem. Crew change done mid journey at Lairg. If you look, the unit from Inverness is now running south in the times of 2H60, but from Lairg. Journeycheck.com probably referenced the original issue, as that is correct

 

[ruaival]

My guess is the unit from the North had the problem. Crew change done mid journey at Lairg. If you look, the unit from Inverness is now running south in the times of 2H60, but from Lairg. Journeycheck.com probably referenced the original issue, as that is correct

OK. That suggests taken out of service and driven empty to Lairg?

or is the line in the far North effectively blocked for Thurso and Wick?

 

[cf111]

OK. That suggests taken out of service and driven empty to Lairg?

or is the line in the far North effectively blocked for Thurso and Wick?

The line is open, the 1041 from Inverness departed right time. As for this evening, as long as 2H62, the 1234 from Wick (https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:Y58644/2022-07-04#allox_id=0) makes it to Inverness then the 1831 from Inverness to Wick will run as the crew for it are the crew on 2H62.

 

[ruaival]

The line is open, the 1041 from Inverness departed right time. As for this evening, as long as 2H62, the 1234 from Wick (https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:Y58644/2022-07-04#allox_id=0) makes it to Inverness then the 1831 from Inverness to Wick will run as the crew for it are the crew on 2H62.

Thanks for that confidence, the 1234 has set off from Wick so looks like problem resolved

 

[Twingo37175]

OK. That suggests taken out of service and driven empty to Lairg?

or is the line in the far North effectively blocked for Thurso and Wick?

Just to complete the loop, unit 1 (that started at Wick) seems to have gone back to Wick to have the fault fixed (and is now returning as the 12.34).
Unit 2 (that started at Inverness) returned to Inverness (just running in the times that unit 1 would have done had nothing happened) https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:54001/2022-07-04/detailed running as 2Z60, not 2H60.
Not sure with the current timetable, but I think certain trains have the same crew all the way (who then return on the next service), whereas other times the crews change part way (Lairg) which explains 2H61 terminating short this morning.

 

[cf111]

Just to complete the loop, unit 1 (that started at Wick) seems to have gone back to Wick to have the fault fixed (and is now returning as the 12.34).
Unit 2 (that started at Inverness) returned to Inverness (just running in the times that unit 1 would have done had nothing happened) https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:54001/2022-07-04/detailed running as 2Z60, not 2H60.
Not sure with the current timetable, but I think certain trains have the same crew all the way (who then return on the next service), whereas other times the crews change part way (Lairg) which explains 2H61 terminating short this morning.

During the usual timetable the only swap these days is between the 0618 from Wick and the 0700 from Inverness where the crew swap at Lairg. The rest are worked through end to end.