XC HST at Potters Bar

[jon0844]

Any idea why there was an XC liveried HST on the fast line towards London King's Cross at Potters Bar at 18:10 tonight?

Had plenty of people on board, so it wasn't running empty.

 

[MCR247]

On hire to EC, its happened before

 

[Aictos]

According to the guys at Northern Railways, it's in place until the 12th March as it's to cover for a unavailable East Coast HST.

http://northernrailways.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=5926

East Coast is hiring an HST set from Cross Country trains for around 6 weeks due to the IEP project requiring us of one of the exisiting East Coast HST's in connection with development of the new train. The HST is being hired to allow East Coast to run its advertised services.

Diagrams will be as follows

Mon- Fri:

0900 NCL to KX
1310 KGX to LDS
1605 LDS to KGX
1900 KGX to NCl ( EDB on Fridays)

Saturdays :

Set at depot for maintenance

Sundays:
1300 EDB to KGX
1900 KGX to NCL

The train will be formed with the spare EC buffet car and a spare EC 1st class coach to provide a tad of normality, with reservations etc

 

[2030720310]

Thats interesting, so what exactly is the EC HST doing at the moment?

 

[Aictos]

Thats interesting, so what exactly is the EC HST doing at the moment?

No idea but it's to do with the IEP project much like a number of FCC 313s are currently running around with large grey boxes on the secondman side at the bottom of the window which are to do with the GSM-R trials.

 

[Mojo]

A diesel train all that way - totally under the wires, and it's not the only one!

Remind me, why are we bothering to wire up more lines again when we can't even use electric trains on wired routes?

 

[Daniel]

A diesel train all that way - totally under the wires, and it's not the only one!

Remind me, why are we bothering to wire up more lines again when we can't even use electric trains on wired routes?

Because it sounds good for the papers.

 

[Royston Vasey]

According to the guys at Northern Railways, it's in place until the 12th March as it's to cover for a unavailable East Coast HST.

http://northernrailways.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=5926

East Coast is hiring an HST set from Cross Country trains for around 6 weeks due to the IEP project requiring us of one of the exisiting East Coast HST's in connection with development of the new train. The HST is being hired to allow East Coast to run its advertised services.

Diagrams will be as follows

Mon- Fri:

0900 NCL to KX
1310 KGX to LDS
1605 LDS to KGX
1900 KGX to NCl ( EDB on Fridays)

Saturdays :

Set at depot for maintenance

Sundays:
1300 EDB to KGX
1900 KGX to NCL

The train will be formed with the spare EC buffet car and a spare EC 1st class coach to provide a tad of normality, with reservations etc

Suggests that whatever purpose they need it for is cosmetic, i.e. to do with either the livery or interior, otherwise they could use the XC HST for the non-service use. But what could it be??

 

[matt]

Suggests that whatever purpose they need it for is cosmetic, i.e. to do with either the livery or interior, otherwise they could use the XC HST for the non-service use. But what could it be??

I think IEP may actually be using a 225 so an EC HST is covering a 225 diagram.

 

[Darandio]

It isnt a full set, or at least it wasnt last week. The EC stock is at Wabtec, or again, it was last week.

[youtube]Fyj-C58acZQ[/youtube]

 

[MCR247]

Its probably not a full set because XC have shorter HSTs

 

[Darandio]

Its probably not a full set because XC have shorter HSTs

That is a very good point.

 

[43167]

It isnt a full set, or at least it wasnt last week. The EC stock is at Wabtec, or again, it was last week.

[youtube]Fyj-C58acZQ[/youtube]

A throw back to the old days that set. 3 different liveries on one set.

NXEC/EC on lead PC & Buffet
GNER/EC on leading TF
XC the rest of the set and rear PC.

 

[DaveNewcastle]

Yes. I think it began on 17th Feb. with an EC restaurant & kitchen stuck in the middle. Crew were complaining about it "that nothing works" and of course it doesn't have WiFi which was prob the only function the pax noticed (apart from the non-locking toilet door).
Also worked a slightly different diagram, rather than stabling at Heaton it returned ECS from Newcastle to York around 23:00

 

[jopsuk]

as I understand it, it's covering for an electric set whilst they trial a rake of mark 4s with a 91 at both ends, to simulate the proposed configuration of the Super Express. Yes, trains in other countries run with multiple pans up just as fast and even faster (Japanese shinkansen can often have four pans up on coupled sets) but the East Coast wiring is "special".

Why do we have diesels under wires? Because we have the diesels (built before the wires), and we haven't built enough electrics.

 

[Darandio]

as I understand it, it's covering for an electric set whilst they trial a rake of mark 4s with a 91 at both ends, to simulate the proposed configuration of the Super Express. Yes, trains in other countries run with multiple pans up just as fast and even faster (Japanese shinkansen can often have four pans up on coupled sets) but the East Coast wiring is "special".

Why do we have diesels under wires? Because we have the diesels (built before the wires), and we haven't built enough electrics.

Imagine opening the taps on that on Stoke Bank! That would appeal to our very own speed fanatic "Death".

As for the set, it is causing absolute chaos. I used it twice last week and had to have a little chuckle as nearly everyone who had a reservation in a XC coach couldn't find their seat due to the different configuration, in the end, the train manager just stayed clear.

 

[leedstraindude]

East Coast have hired that HST set till 10th May according to a brief issued to XC staff two weeks ago.

XC get it back just in time for the summer timetable to kick in.

 

[NSE]

Well, First post
This might be completely unrelated, but on the 27th Feb I passed an empty 225 on the slow north line of the ECML just south of Hitchin. I never got to see anymore as I then branched off toward Cambridge.

 

[DaveNewcastle]

East Coast have hired that HST set till 10th May according to a brief issued to XC staff two weeks ago.

I'm slightly confused then, because a note has been put up in the mess room at Kings Cross today saying that the hired-in set goes back this Friday.
This news has been received with pleasure by the crews that work it, on account of the many faults in the hybrid set of XC+EC+unrefurbed NXEC coaches and Power cars which has led to it being despised by crews.

 

[43167]

Will find out sunday if its gone back if it works its Edin-Kx/Kx-Newcastle diagram.

 

[WillPS]

I'm slightly confused then, because a note has been put up in the mess room at Kings Cross today saying that the hired-in set goes back this Friday.
This news has been received with pleasure by the crews that work it, on account of the many faults in the hybrid set of XC+EC+unrefurbed NXEC coaches and Power cars which has led to it being despised by crews.

I though NXEC finished off the Mallard program?

 

[DaveNewcastle]

I though NXEC finished off the Mallard program?

Yes. I think so too.

Are you assuming that the 225 set taken out might have being in for some interior refurbishment? Post #15 suggests otherwise.

 

[43167]

I though NXEC finished off the Mallard program?

Think he referres to the TF still GNER livery as you are right, the Mallard Programme was finished.

 

[MCR247]

They finished refurbishing them, but didn't finish painting them. They were two seperate programs

 

[NXEA!]

I've heard its substituting for a Mark4 set as there's a backlog of maintenance?

 

[43167]

I've heard its substituting for a Mark4 set as there's a backlog of maintenance?

And it was out today starting in Edinburgh and picking up its normal diagram in London. 254023 providing the power

 

[jon0844]

Out today, heading north at Potters Bar (ish) around 0950. It really is a mish mash of carriages and liveries isn't it!

 

[DaveNewcastle]

Yep, its still in service (as best it can!) with EC while the two 91's are still away & unavailable.
Its diagram has changed tho' - just to spread the misery over a greater number of crew!
05:25 Newcastle - Kings Cross
09:30 Kings Cross - Newcastle
14:55 Newcastle - Kings Cross
18:30 Kings Cross - Newcastle

 

[DaveNewcastle]

Just to wrap up this thread . . . .

The hired-in XC set was split up in Edinburgh this week, with the temp EC cars being taken out after working a northbound service on Wed. Its been reformed as a complete XC rake and handed back to XC.