Special "snow" timetables

[DaveNewcastle]

Due to the impact of the snow and freezing conditions, which may last into next week, National Rail have published draft timetables which will operate throughout this period.

Here are the East Coast timetables :
Northbound
Southbound

(Note that the services printed on a grey background WILL NOT BE RUNNING.
Aberdeen services dep. KGX 30minutes earlier than usual and Inverness service dep. KGX 1hour earlier than usual.)

ScotRail news:
Trains are not running on the following routes:
Between Edinburgh and Glasgow Central via Shotts
Between Dalmuir and Springburn
Bewteen Milngavie and High Street
Between Dalmuir and Larkhall
Between Motherwell and Cumbernauld
Between Edinburgh to Dunbar
Reduced services between Edinburgh - Glasgow Queen St
Trains between Edinburgh / Glasgow Queen Street and Dunblane will not run between Stirlng and Dunblane.
Glasgow Queen Street - Cumbernauld services are not running.
And many reduced or re-timed services.

Other operators will presumably have similar plans.

 

[142094]

There was some talk the other day that 225s were going to be dragged by 67s due to the bad weather and ice on the overheads, but haven't heard of anything else since.

 

[DaveNewcastle]

Yes, some 91's failed yesterday (Sunday) and were being hauled away by the 'thunderbirds' and a 37.

 

[EltonRoad]

See the front cover of the latest Railway Herald.

 

[90019]

Getting back to Stirling today will be a laugh...

 

[jamie_k]

91s struggle to draw power with ice on the ole

 

[crewmeal]

How are the sleepers doing? Are they still running?

 

[DarloRich]

I got the train from Northallerton this morning, aiming for the 0746 GC service to York (as part one of my journey to NK) I was late because of the snow and got to the station at c.8am. An East Coast 91 pulled in and let people on and off. However it wasn’t on the information boards (which said stand clear -fast train approaching!) It doesn’t seem to be in the timetable! It pulled away very gingerly and the intake vents on the side of the 91 were coated in ice!

The TPE were all over the place and the GC turned up (180!) over an hour late

The TPE were all over the place and the GC turned up (180!) over an hour late

 

[sprinterguy]

How are the sleepers doing? Are they still running?

One of the Thursday night southbounds was very late arriving into Euston so I've heard, don't know anything more, I assume they're faring alright.

Given that the revised EC timetable is scheduling 80mph running north of York then not only will it improve current pick up for the 91s but it also provides plenty of contingency for the electrics to be dragged by 67s if needs be.

Are the 86/9s running as ice breakers on the East Coast again at the moment?

 

[DarloRich]

Sprinter - i have not seen them in the York area this year. The EC 91's were running sloewer than that this morning!

 

[Royston Vasey]

Late yesterday afternoon was chaos on the ECML, most trains into Kings Cross from Newcastle or Scotland yesterday afternoon were between 1-2 hours late. The difficulties seemed to have been mainly between Newcastle and Darlington. I was on the 1342 GC southbound from Sunderland and was almost on time into Kings Cross. We picked up some passengers from an EC 225 at York which was in the process of being taken out of service and dragged away. On arrival at KGX only 2 EC trains were present and several train loads were being held back by barriers and police on the concourse. The backlog had cleared by about 8.

Yet the NRE website was reporting no problems on the ECML other than a pre-planned weather warning advising of possible minor delays!

 

[MacCookie]

One of the Thursday night southbounds was very late arriving into Euston so I've heard, don't know anything more, I assume they're faring alright.

Given that the revised EC timetable is scheduling 80mph running north of York then not only will it improve current pick up for the 91s but it also provides plenty of contingency for the electrics to be dragged by 67s if needs be.

Are the 86/9s running as ice breakers on the East Coast again at the moment?

According to gen on scot-rail, 86901 is at Millerhill at the moment for loadbank testing on Airdrie-Bathgate this week while 86701 and 86702 are heading to Carlisle to do overnight icebreaking runs on the WCML.

There are also reports on North-East-Gen of a DRS 37 working up and down the ECML between Edinburgh and Newcastle.

Ewan

 

[YorkshireBear]

sorry for the simple question why are the 86's okay but 91's fail?

 

[sprinterguy]

According to gen on scot-rail, 86901 is at Millerhill at the moment for loadbank testing on Airdrie-Bathgate this week while 86701 and 86702 are heading to Carlisle to do overnight icebreaking runs on the WCML.

There are also reports on North-East-Gen of a DRS 37 working up and down the ECML between Edinburgh and Newcastle.

Ewan

Cheers for the info, so it seems most of the usual suspects for ice breaking are already tied up with other duties.

sorry for the simple question why are the 86's okay but 91's fail?

The 86s run slower, ensuring better conductivity with the overhead wire, and tbh are far more of a basic design, with many less complex electrical systems than 90s and 91s, which have always been prone to difficulties with snowfall due to their sensitivities.

 

[Lampshade]

sorry for the simple question why are the 86's okay but 91's fail?

The old ones are the best

 

[YorkshireBear]

ah fair enough cheers

Girlfriend went home from sheffield to newcastle on 91 yesterday (obviously changed at doncaster) Said it was sparking almost constantly and lighting up snow. I told her that it was knocking ice off wires (because if i dont have an answer when she asks something to do with railways she takes mik out of me)
Was i right or is it more complex?

 

[DarloRich]

Late yesterday afternoon was chaos on the ECML, most trains into Kings Cross from Newcastle or Scotland yesterday afternoon were between 1-2 hours late. The difficulties seemed to have been mainly between Newcastle and Darlington. I was on the 1342 GC southbound from Sunderland and was almost on time into Kings Cross. We picked up some passengers from an EC 225 at York which was in the process of being taken out of service and dragged away. On arrival at KGX only 2 EC trains were present and several train loads were being held back by barriers and police on the concourse. The backlog had cleared by about 8.

Yet the NRE website was reporting no problems on the ECML other than a pre-planned weather warning advising of possible minor delays!

I was at home in Darlo over the weekend and we had quite bit of snow but the worst of it was in the Newcastle/Durham area and up the coast from Boro

 

[imagination]

Interesting - the 9:52 ABD-KGX is being given additional stops at Durham, Darlington and Northallerton, but yet that combined with 80mph working north of York doesnt seem to have had much of an impact on its arrival time at KGX.

 

[sprinterguy]

Interesting - the 9:52 ABD-KGX is being given additional stops at Durham, Darlington and Northallerton, but yet that combined with 80mph working north of York doesnt seem to have had much of an impact on its arrival time at KGX.

Almost an hour extra? I wouldn’t call that a minor difference!

 

[imagination]

My mistake. I was getting my train up to Aberdeen (10:30 from KGX - arrives 17:38) confused with my train back down again (9:52). Maybe because my train ticket down for christmas gives me 1 hour 9 minutes to get from King's Cross to Paddington for some stupid reason...

 

[sprinterguy]

My mistake. I was getting my train up to Aberdeen (10:30 from KGX - arrives 17:38) confused with my train back down again (9:52). Maybe because my train ticket down for christmas gives me 1 hour 9 minutes to get from King's Cross to Paddington for some stupid reason...

Fair enough. Well, with a connection time that large you should have no problems making it anyway (Dependent on snow of course)!

 

[northwichcat]

Special snow timetables - yet TOCs like Northern and LM frequently claim leaves are like ice to trains and trains aren't really affected by snow.

 

[route:oxford]

Getting back to Stirling today will be a laugh...

Should be ok getting back to Stirling.

Be prepared to walk if you're going to BofA.

 

[Failed Unit]

I tried to get to Leeds today. My set failed at Alnmouth so gave up at Newcastle and returned north. Scotrail surprised me. I think they are either having problems getting train crew which is understandable considering the conditions. But the amount of short sets is my shock. Either they have a lot of failures or some bad planning. Many 3 coach sets on the reduced Edinburgh - Glasgow line. 2 cars on the Stirling line following cancelations are both resulting in severe overcrowding. Surely the can keep Edinburgh to Glasgow 6 car.

I had some bad luck. Went for 1515 glasgow but was only 3 car so could physically board. Went for the 1534 stirling service 2 car 158 last 2 cancelled. Got passed between Waverley and Haymarket by empty 6 car 1545. I guess it was empty as by then it was only 10 minutes behind the 1515.

 

[90019]

Should be ok getting back to Stirling.

Be prepared to walk if you're going to BofA.

Train was about 30 mins late into Stirling, and was terminated there, but a bus had already been arranged to Bridge of Allan and Dunblane.
I was getting back from Stirling on the bus today rather than going from BofA as I wasn't on my bike.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

I had some bad luck. Went for 1515 glasgow but was only 3 car so could physically board. Went for the 1534 stirling service 2 car 158 last 2 cancelled. Got passed between Waverley and Haymarket by empty 6 car 1545. I guess it was empty as by then it was only 10 minutes behind the 1515.

I was on the 1533 Dunblane train, and it was a 3 car Turbostar.
I noticed the next one was cancelled at Larbert where I could see the platform info boards from the train.

 

[Failed Unit]

Train was about 30 mins late into Stirling, and was terminated there, but a bus had already been arranged to Bridge of Allan and Dunblane.
I was getting back from Stirling on the bus today rather than going from BofA as I wasn't on my bike.

I see your buddy 90019 was in Edinburgh last Thursday.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Train was about 30 mins late into Stirling, and was terminated there, but a bus had already been arranged to Bridge of Allan and Dunblane.
I was getting back from Stirling on the bus today rather than going from BofA as I wasn't on my bike.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---


I was on the 1533 Dunblane train, and it was a 3 car Turbostar.
I noticed the next one was cancelled at Larbert where I could see the platform info boards from the train.

I must be going mad then as it was a Richmond seated 158 when it left Waverley at 1542.

 

[90019]

I see your buddy 90019 was in Edinburgh last Thursday.

Eh? :?
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

I must be going mad then as it was a Richmond seated 158 when it left Waverley at 1542.

I think you may have been looking at something else, as it was defintately a Turbostar. It left from platform 13.

 

[Failed Unit]

Eh? :?

The loco

 

[TGV]

I know a delay of between 1 and 2 hours is bad, but comparing it to alternatives in that weather - it's not too bad. I mean if you had to drive to Scotland that would normally take you 6 hours on a warm summer day, and it took you 7.5 hours today with the snow - I'd call that a pretty good rate - considering many car journeys at the moment aren't even getting to their destinations at all.

So to look at it as a delay compared to the printed time, it's still not bad for a 400-600 mile journey through areas with nearly 2 feet of snow, and ice on overhead lines.

 

[90019]

The loco

Oh right.
I last saw it when it hauled a charter at the end of last month.