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TfW Class 67+Mk4 sets: trip planning/experiences, diagram updates etc

Philip Roberts

Philip Roberts

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sd0733 said:
At this time of year a lot of the time its been one on exam and one on tyre turning so effectively 5 from 5, this also means that the 5 serviceable sets run out of exam miles quicker as they're never spare.

There's also the Leominster incident which although a reformed rake is back, has impacted things quite a lot, using resources to get HD02 back out but also losing half of HD08, which should have been out around now but will now be around 10 months yet, this set is cover for the heavy overhaul programme which has also subsequently been knocked back by a similar amount of time awaiting HD08. There's also been animal strikes which knocked HD05 out for a long period, tree strikes which damaged a few sets and other incidents like HD03s severe wheel damage which, whilst they're back (HD03 should be back mid week) they've all impacted maintenance and exam schedules by losing sets for relatively long periods.
Loads of work has gone into keeping availability good and for quite a few periods, diagram coverage has been in excess of 90%. Obviously as a caveat there's been a bit of a wobble the last few weeks prior to this week due in the most part to some of the above issues. Compared to other small fleets, such as AT or 230s they generally hold up pretty well. The big difference is its far more obvious when a 2 car 197 rolls in vice a Mk4 than a 2 car 150 vice an Active Travel unit so is far more noticeable and affects far more people.

Comparing them to the 197/1 fleet which has 22 diagrams for a 26 strong fleet but generally only manage cover around 15-17 diagrams a day, a fleet thats causing shortforms its certainly not restricted to Mk4s.
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Thanks for the update on HD08. Like you say, it's such a shame part of it had to be sacrificed to get HD02 back out. In the end though, it meant HD02 was back sooner
 
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LNW-GW Joint

LNW-GW Joint

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FrodshamJnct said:
Looks like no LHCS today due to flooding between Hereford and Newport.
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And the only trains at Hereford appear to be those to/from Worcester/Birmingham/Paddington, so nothing towards Shrewsbury either.
Also nothing yet between Wrexham and Shrewsbury, and very limited between Chester and Wrexham.
Chester-Crewe-Shrewsbury is open so Holyhead-Shrewsbury-Birmingham trains could go that way, but none have so far.
 
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S

sd0733

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Philip Roberts said:
Thanks for the update on HD08. Like you say, it's such a shame part of it had to be sacrificed to get HD02 back out. In the end though, it meant HD02 was back sooner
Click to expand...
Yes it was good fortune in that way that meant the 3 replacement vehicles could be re-activated a lot more quickly than would normally be the case.
 
Topological

Topological

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FrodshamJnct said:
Looks like no LHCS today due to flooding between Hereford and Newport.
Click to expand...
Off topic a little, but maybe none for a while?

G5yMW9jWwAAPxVB

ALT TEXT: Image showing washing away of ballast on the line between Hereford and Newport.

This may be the location where there was "flying track" a couple of years ago. In which case this is definitely an improvement. It would just feel unlikely that they can fix this today. Although I do see my journeys as important, there are clearly much more important sections of track requiring attention than this one.

Image is from Network Rail X post: HERE
 
L

Lewisham2221

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LNW-GW Joint said:
And the only trains at Hereford appear to be those to/from Worcester/Birmingham/Paddington, so nothing towards Shrewsbury either.
Also nothing yet between Wrexham and Shrewsbury, and very limited between Chester and Wrexham.
Chester-Crewe-Shrewsbury is open so Holyhead-Shrewsbury-Birmingham trains could go that way, but none have so far.
Click to expand...
I believe there was further flooding towards the North end of the Marches, so he whole lot is shut between Shrewsbury and Newport.

There's flooding near Gobowen, hence the lack of Shrewsbury - Wrexham - Chester trains.

Chester - Crewe is shut for engineering works, so there won't be anything going that way all weekend.
 
LNW-GW Joint

LNW-GW Joint

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Lewisham2221 said:
Chester - Crewe is shut for engineering works, so there won't be anything going that way all weekend.
Click to expand...
Yes, I hadn't appreciated that Avanti sent their Everos to Crewe/Euston via Delamere and Middlewich today and tomorrow.
Possibly the first time 805s have gone this way in passenger service?
 
Topological

Topological

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Topological said:
Off topic a little, but maybe none for a while?

G5yMW9jWwAAPxVB

ALT TEXT: Image showing washing away of ballast on the line between Hereford and Newport.

This may be the location where there was "flying track" a couple of years ago. In which case this is definitely an improvement. It would just feel unlikely that they can fix this today. Although I do see my journeys as important, there are clearly much more important sections of track requiring attention than this one.

Image is from Network Rail X post: HERE
Click to expand...
Indeed will not be open tomorrow. All the trains have disappeared from RTT. Timed it so that each refresh saw another one deleted.
 
BillStampy

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Just out of curiosity, they used HD02 in service between Cardiff and Newport yesterday. Looking at TfW's journeycheck, it states disruption is expected until the end of the day on 17/11/25, which is tomorrow. So since the Marches looks to be shut tomorrow too, is there any possible chance they could use a spare set between places such as Cardiff and Swansea, or is there some sort of restriction stopping them from doing so? Considering units are now all displaced, it could be useful if there's not a unit available at certain points.
 
M

MP393

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BillStampy said:
Just out of curiosity, they used HD02 in service between Cardiff and Newport yesterday. Looking at TfW's journeycheck, it states disruption is expected until the end of the day on 17/11/25, which is tomorrow. So since the Marches looks to be shut tomorrow too, is there any possible chance they could use a spare set between places such as Cardiff and Swansea, or is there some sort of restriction stopping them from doing so? Considering units are now all displaced, it could be useful if there's not a unit available at certain points.
Click to expand...

Whilst it’s not impossible, you’d have to be very careful to which services it does and doesn’t do. Not all Cardiff drivers and guards sign them, and no Carmarthen crew do at all. Would probably be more of a headache to get it out on trains it can. Very fair play for getting it out on Newport shuttles yesterday though I think it has to be said.
 
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craigybagel

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MP393 said:
Whilst it’s not impossible, you’d have to be very careful to which services it does and doesn’t do. Not all Cardiff drivers and guards sign them, and no Carmarthen crew do at all. Would probably be more of a headache to get it out on trains it can. Very fair play for getting it out on Newport shuttles yesterday though I think it has to be said.
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Which is why there are 3 sets in Crewe that are likely remain there until the line reopens. Normally during major disruption the MKIVs get sent back to depot as soon as is practicable; it's hard enough trying to diagram an emergency timetable as it is without using stock that has severe restrictions on where it can go and who can work it.
 
37052 xb mr

37052 xb mr

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Fun day again
Tree blocking line near Cwmbran

1V31, 1V33, 1W13 all heavily delayed
1V91 ran ecs Chester to Shrewsbury
Now running 1Z91 also delayed

1W55 now a unit because
Of 1V31 arriving 2 hours late.

1W13 turned at Crewe
1 hour late.
 
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Rhydgaled

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craigybagel said:
stock that has severe restrictions on where it can go and who can work it.
Click to expand...
In the case of the TfW mark 4s, I'm assuming the latter is the bigger issue: 67s and mark 3s (being C3 guage same as mark 4s) have ventured fairly widely across the Welsh network so presumably the mark 4s would fit but there isn't the crew who would sign them?
 
C

craigybagel

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Rhydgaled said:
In the case of the TfW mark 4s, I'm assuming the latter is the bigger issue: 67s and mark 3s (being C3 guage same as mark 4s) have ventured fairly widely across the Welsh network so presumably the mark 4s would fit but there isn't the crew who would sign them?
Click to expand...
There's also a paperwork issue.
Take Shrewsbury - Birmingham, for example. There are plenty of traincrew who sign both the route and MKIVs (1 out of 3 drivers depots and 2 out of 3 guards depots who sign the route sign MKIVs). Physically, it's likely they would fit without breaking anything. But they've not been tested, and beyond physically fitting you'd also need to check platform stopping points and SDO and things like that, so as it stands they can't go.
 
37052 xb mr

37052 xb mr

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1V91 67025 set 6
1W13 67017 set 2
1V33 67015 set 5
1V31 Unit
From Crewe 1W11 67010 set 1

67008 set 3 on test run

67012 Set 4 B exam
67022 Set 7 Z exam
 
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