XC HST

[Bayum]

Does anyone know when these will enter service? I heard it was supposed to be some time this month... But, will it be later, or are they on time??

 

[theblackwatch]

Supposed to be this coming weekend.

 

[djw1981]

Not sue why they would be late. The training runs seemed to go fine, and this is the unrefurbed stock, last used by MML in November.

 

[yorkie]

First one is Saturday 0805 EDB-PLY as a one-off. Then 2 in service from Sunday. Normal weekday diagrams begin from Monday with the 0830 PNZ-DEE

 

[Gizmogle]

HSTs from Penzance to Dundee?

I was just talking about this to someone! Saying how amazingly stupid but cool it would be to do it on a Voyager...then he said they should put HSTs on it...and yeah...

I'm totally up for doing the whole journey!

 

[37412]

First one is Saturday 0805 EDB-PLY as a one-off. Then 2 in service from Sunday. Normal weekday diagrams begin from Monday with the 0830 PNZ-DEE

Arn't they just on selected days though, Mon, Thurs & Fri as well as the Saturday diagrams and sometimes just the up one and other times the down or something, I have had it explained to me about 3 times by Mr Potter but still fail to understand 8)

 

[djw1981]

Yes..... because 2 of the sets are in brush for refurb, so the other ones need maintenance days or something........

 

[37412]

Yes..... because 2 of the sets are in brush for refurb, so the other ones need maintenance days or something........

Two sets are some crap out of store i believe which needs refurbing before they can do anything, the others are ex MMl sets which were rendered surplus at the change from MML to EMT last year, so there a re two coaching rakes and PC's 007, 104, 166, 178 and 184 which will be used on the summer Saturday diagrams and this midweek thing, although what the diagrams are I dunno, maybe someone with 'the gen' could post em?

 

[djw1981]

The first non-refurbished XC HSTs will enter service on Saturday 17 May on the 0850
Edinburgh-Penzance, and will also be used on Sundays on the same service and the
1025 Plymouth-Glasgow. From Monday 19 May they will be used on selected weekday
services to make more seats available.

By converting the Press release into something resembling a diagram.......

Thursdays
ECS EC-Dunbar
0641 Dunbar-Glasgow,
0900 Glasgow-Penzance; [Set 2]

Fridays
0830 Penzance-Dundee,
ECS Dundee to EC [Set 2]

1205 Edinburgh-Plymouth. [Set 1]

Saturdays
ECS EC-Newcastle
0941 Newcastle-Newquay,
1955 Newquay-Plymouth [Set 2]

0653 Plymouth-Newquay
0940 Newquay-Newcastle
ECS Newcastle to EC[Set 1]

Sunday
0850 Edinburgh-Penzance [Set 1]

1025 Plymouth-Glasgow
ECS Glasgow-EC[Set 2]

Mondays
0830 Penzance-Dundee
ECS Dundee - EC [Set 1]

Tues & Wed at EC.

HSTs will also be used on the Summer Saturday services on 24 and 31 May and from 5
July through to 6 September. The four diagrams will be covered by a combination of
XC and National Express East Coast HSTs.

The two XC sets will be formed 2+7, withNXEC providing two 2+9 sets. ‘On hire to CrossCountry’ labels will be displayed in the NXEC sets. It is intended that each train will leave Birmingham with the TGS, the part of the train providing luggage storage, leading. There will be two additional members of staff at Newquay to help with the turnaround and loading.

There will also be one additional member of staff on board to assist with luggage
management for each Newquay starter. The other services will have an additional crew
member between Bristol and Plymouth. Prior to refurbishment, the XC HST services will
have at-seat trolley catering, with up to three catering staff on board over the core
routes. The buffets on the NXEC sets will be in use.

The two XC sets will be used on the
0941 Newcastle-Newquay,
1955 Newquay-Plymouth,

0653 Plymouth-Newquay and the
0940 Newquay-Newcastle services.

The NXEC sets will be used on the
0735 Bristol-Paignton,
1032 Paignton-Newcastle,

0724 Manchester-Newquay and the
1522 return.

 

[37412]

Cheers, actually makes some sense now.

 

[me123]

Does anyone know what locos from NXEC are going to be? And will they be refurbished carriages or not or a mixture of both, or Valentas or MTUs or...

Or is it just whatever's in the right place at the right time?

 

[37402]

Two sets are some crap out of store ...

'Two sets of some crap' as you put it used to be proper West Coast trains hauled mostly by proper loco's (i.e. not skoda rubbish). :roll:

...but yes the stuff at being refurbed at the moment is mostly ex-West Coast LH stock being 'mallard-xc-ised' at Wabtec Donny along with a couple of TGS's.

 

[djw1981]

Umm the latter varies from week to week. IIRC it becomes an extra weekend diagram (or two) and the HST sets are allocated as if it were a normal HST diagram.

 

[87015]

'Two sets of some crap' as you put it used to be proper West Coast trains hauled mostly by proper loco's (i.e. not skoda rubbish). :roll:

...but yes the stuff at being refurbed at the moment is mostly ex-West Coast LH stock being 'mallard-xc-ised' at Wabtec Donny along with a couple of TGS's.

Someone should have some fingers crossed the power cars arn't as useless as the GC ones!!

 

[me123]

Cool... Thanks Now that I've left school, i think a few Thursday morning trips to Edinburgh are in order

 

[djw1981]

' ex-West Coast LH stock being 'mallard-xc-ised' at Wabtec Donny

XC claimed it was to be Voyagerised... Mallardised will be much nicer.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Someone should have some fingers crossed the power cars arn't as useless as the GC ones!!

The PC's for the Summer runs are the ex MML ones, with the MTU'd sets introduced as they get released from Brush. Then the ex MML ones go to Brush. So reliability should be pretty good.

 

[devon_metro]

XC claimed it was to be Voyagerised... Mallardised will be much nicer.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---


The PC's for the Summer runs are the ex MML ones, with the MTU'd sets introduced as they get released from Brush. Then the ex MML ones go to Brush. So reliability should be pretty good.

Things are to be mallardised

 

[37412]

'Two sets of some crap' as you put it used to be proper West Coast trains hauled mostly by proper loco's (i.e. not skoda rubbish). :roll:

I was referring to the fact that they had been dumped at some depot getting musty for the past few years, not that the coaches were crap when well maintained.

Hows the HAA by the way?

8)

 

[Bayum]

Are they all going to be in XC Livery then? Or are they "on loan"?

 

[djw1981]

THE NXEC ones are 'on loan' the ex MML oens are in debranded MML livery.

Once the refurbed XC ones come from Brush/Wabtec they should be in XC livery

 

[theblackwatch]

Some of the MML ones looked a bit of a state when I went past EC earlier this month - lots of gaps where the air con equipment should be!

 

[yorkie]

The 0850 EDB-PNZ on Sundays does not seem to run in August, there is then a 0850 EDB-PLY and a 0933 EDB-PNZ.

Is it safe to assume that the HST will therefore work the 0933 and NOT the 0850 on those Sundays and thus still go to Penzance?

Imagine booking on the 0850 expecting it to be a HST and ending up with a Voyager

or getting the 0933 to Penzance and suffering a Voyager there AND back....

any 'gen' would be very much appreciated!!!

 

[The Planner]

Rumour has it that this weekends HST is having trouble and is unlikely to run.

 

[devon_metro]

The 0850 EDB-PNZ on Sundays does not seem to run in August, there is then a 0850 EDB-PLY and a 0933 EDB-PNZ.

Is it safe to assume that the HST will therefore work the 0933 and NOT the 0850 on those Sundays and thus still go to Penzance?

Imagine booking on the 0850 expecting it to be a HST and ending up with a Voyager

or getting the 0933 to Penzance and suffering a Voyager there AND back....

any 'gen' would be very much appreciated!!!

Booking advance on such an expensive journey is utter foolishness in my eyes. Fair play to XC if they actually manage to get an HST out, considering the state they are in!

 

[yorkie]

Booking advance on such an expensive journey is utter foolishness in my eyes. Fair play to XC if they actually manage to get an HST out, considering the state they are in!

i checked and 0933 is booked HST, you can tell by the quiet coach being A instead of F. and we can get tickets for £20 for York-Penzance and Plymouth-Dundee! Yes, it's a risk, but £20 is not expensive for the distance. On the other hand a £60 Belfast ticket is safer...

 

[TEW]

Rumour has it that this weekends HST is having trouble and is unlikely to run.

Ran as I was on it.

007 and 184 were powercars.
Was 20 late by Exeter as they were crap at despatch, TM just sat in TGS all the time and ulocked doors had a look out, locked the doors and went, no help at all.

 

[devon_metro]

Ran as I was on it.

007 and 184 were powercars.
Was 20 late by Exeter as they were crap at despatch, TM just sat in TGS all the time and ulocked doors had a look out, locked the doors and went, no help at all.

Make that 24 late!

 

[Jord]

I fancy doing the 09:00 or 10:05(?) off Edinburgh all the way to Penzance.

Would be a nice way to do that line between Teignmouth and Penzance and probably not much time left to do it with Valentas

 

[djw1981]

See also http://www.railforums.co.uk/showthread.php?p=216359#post216359

 

[me123]

I fancy doing the 09:00 or 10:05(?) off Edinburgh all the way to Penzance.

Timings:

GLC: 0900
MTH: 09u14
EDB: 1005d

Also calls at Haymarket, but I can't remember the exact time off the top of my head. if you spent the night in Glasgow, you could do the full journey