XC HSTs

[Aictos]

Anyway all three XC HSTs are ending up at Plymouth today:

1V44 0600 Leeds to Plymouth / 1V46 0632 York to Plymouth / 1V50 Edinburgh to Plymouth.

Please note 1V50 is in reverse formation today.

Enjoy,

*Live Departures state though that all three are terminating at Exeter St Davids but services are still running between Plymouth and Exeter St Davids so not sure what's happening in the West Country.

 

[route:oxford]

1V50 Edinburgh to Plymouth.

Please note 1V50 is in reverse formation today.

Isn't that usually sorted at Newcastle?

 

[Aictos]

Isn't that usually sorted at Newcastle?

I would think but I'm just going by the formations that XC have paged out.

 

[455driver]

The XC HST normally run to Plymouth, it is only Summer saturdays when they run through to Newquay, not very often one gets sent to Paignton.

 

[thehstman]

all cross country services from birmingham - bristol
are being diverted via Gloucester and newport for a extra hour added to the journey
the hsts arrive at all stations from exeter st davids- birmingham the same as normal because this dosent affect the times.

 

[Aictos]

The XC HST normally run to Plymouth, it is only Summer saturdays when they run through to Newquay, not very often one gets sent to Paignton.

That's what I thought, anyway FGW is currently accepting XC passengers between Exeter St Davids and Plymouth, any idea why?

Don't think it's engineering works as FGW services seem to be running though okay as far as I can see.

 

[Failed Unit]

That's what I thought, anyway FGW is currently accepting XC passengers between Exeter St Davids and Plymouth, any idea why?

Don't think it's engineering works as FGW services seem to be running though okay as far as I can see.

This is just a guess but lack of rolling stock. If XC are running via Newport and adding 60 minutes to thier journeys I doubt they have enough stock to continue to Plymouth. They did the same thing with the diversions around Chesterfield and terminated the Newcastle's at York as they didn't have enough stock to get to Newcastle with the extended journey time.

 

[Aictos]

This is just a guess but lack of rolling stock. If XC are running via Newport and adding 60 minutes to thier journeys I doubt they have enough stock to continue to Plymouth. They did the same thing with the diversions around Chesterfield and terminated the Newcastle's at York as they didn't have enough stock to get to Newcastle with the extended journey time.

Ah see, yes that more likely to be the reason.

 

[silentone]

There seems to be a XC HST sat at Craigentinny, it certainly didn't look like it was on route to Plymouth!

 

[455driver]

XC only use 3 HSTs as a rule Sunday to Friday (access charges too high) so that would be why it was sat at EC.

The only Terminator at EXD was 1V50 (as booked), everything else looks to have run to (the revised) time, cannot see a reason why FGW would need (or want) to accept XC tickets!

 

[Aictos]

XC only use 3 HSTs as a rule Sunday to Friday (access charges too high) so that would be why it was sat at EC.

The only Terminator at EXD was 1V50 (as booked), everything else looks to have run to (the revised) time, cannot see a reason why FGW would need (or want) to accept XC tickets!

I just go by the gen I get, nothing more nothing less,

 

[Failed Unit]

XC only use 3 HSTs as a rule Sunday to Friday (access charges too high) so that would be why it was sat at EC.

The only Terminator at EXD was 1V50 (as booked), everything else looks to have run to (the revised) time, cannot see a reason why FGW would need (or want) to accept XC tickets!

I know they would run them 5 days per week if it was true but for some reason I thought access charges would be less on a HST. Probably talking nonsense but I thought the train itself wasn't as heavy and the fuel consumption was lower.

 

[Pumbaa]

Track access charges are only one part of the reason that XC HSTs aren't out. Two sets are coming up for heavy overhaul which XC have to fund as part of the dry lease, so they're being sidelined to keep mileage as low as possible. Lastly, the franchise spec only says the number of seats that must be provided per day. XC can provide that number just using Voyagers, so they do!

 

[devon_metro]

XC only use 3 HSTs as a rule Sunday to Friday (access charges too high) so that would be why it was sat at EC.

The only Terminator at EXD was 1V50 (as booked), everything else looks to have run to (the revised) time, cannot see a reason why FGW would need (or want) to accept XC tickets!

XC use 2 sets Tuesday - Thursday

 

[455driver]

I didnt want to bother going into too much detail as it would just complicate things.

 

[Donny Dave]

I know they would run them 5 days per week if it was true but for some reason I thought access charges would be less on a HST. Probably talking nonsense but I thought the train itself wasn't as heavy and the fuel consumption was lower.

Someone on WNXX posted the track access charges earlier for the HSTs and 22x that XC use. I can't remember the figures of the top of my head, but a 221 costs justs just over half of what a 2+7 HST would.

 

[tbtc]

Someone on WNXX posted the track access charges earlier for the HSTs and 22x that XC use. I can't remember the figures of the top of my head, but a 221 costs justs just over half of what a 2+7 HST would.

No massive surprise, as a 221 has half the seats