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The 80XXX tanks that went to the WR in mid 1962 were overdue shopping (which the ER weren’t going to pay for) and spent time in store both on ER and WR before they were put through Crewe in 1962/3. They then went to Wales and most got transferred to LMR with their sheds in December 1962, the...

Timings were done on the basis of the locomotive being in good, not average condition. Washing out periodicities were worked out on the basis of keeping the boiler in good condition throughout the period to the next washout. It wasn’t really a major maintenance item but it was a repetitive task...

Getting back to the railways, I suspect that the LNER (with some financial help from Government) would have pushed 1500V dc electrification forward and got into serious numbers of diesel railcars. SR would have got to the Kent Coast electrification earlier and some lines that have been closed...

I joined in the 1970’s when it was still a closed shop - everyone had to join a union, without exception. At KX, the salaried staff used to join TSSA, the footplate staff ASLEF and the conciliation staff NUR. On the M&EE workshop side, the fitters were AUEW, electricians EEPTU and the smiths...

That’s an urban myth. They were used quite intensively when they were at Reading. Taking the 1996 diagrams as an example (and excluding any intermediate shed time), the 2 cars were out for a diagram average of 17 hours 57 minutes, the 3 car 165/1 for 14 hours 55 minutes and the 166 for 16...

No, it wasn’t. It was to make sure that they procured trains that met their submitted business plan demand and couldn’t just hire or lease in lower density stock that didn’t. 7 cars were never contemplated in the initial application process, either by the ORR or Lumo.

They already are and have been since 2020. The DfT signs off on service changes and allocates stock between the ex-franchises. Those TOCs that are still run for the DfT by the private sector just do what they are told. That is what the NRC regime is all about.

Nothing will happen until the DfT signs off on the deal.

No, but at least one other does. So, legally, the ORR has to determine all competing applications for rights at the same time. Because you can operate earlier than another applicant doesn’t put you at the head of the determination queue. The later operation may well be determined as best use of...

It may be a better use but the ROSCO will deal with whoever comes up with the best money. The ORR are now going to have to determine this application together with the ones from Virgin, Avanti, Lumo and anyone else who has put in for the paths. With this level of demand for paths they can’t...

Yes, they would, together with the cl.171 units for Waterloo-Exeter. The RR cl.158 total would have remained as the full build or added to.

Non (NR) agreed rights that are subsequently approved by the ORR are not uncommon, chiefly because NR is not that good at knowing what the real capacity of its network is. The NR “sale of access rights” process is, in law, an internal one and can be very long winded. The Act entitles any...

The problem here is that the required infrastructure improvements were cut back so the proposed timetable could never be implemented. The DfT wants a payback ”on the cheap”, as it were. The ORR (correctly) gave out rights on the basis of the full work package being completed and now all those...

The decision on Newton Aycliffe will be taken in Japan, which is where all commercial decisions go to. The management at Newton Aycliffe will not decide their own future. It is well known that Hitachi are concentrating on filling Japan and Italy with orders and unless the UK Government comes up...

Actually, there were very few peak only Turbo diagrams in the London area and their availability was much higher than it currently is in Bristol. They were worked hard over several years. The problem with the Turbos is that they are ageing and they overnight away from home depot far more than...

The press don’t usually publish anything that could compromise security arrangements so you rarely see vVIPs boarding or alighting from trains unless it is for a photo op. Regular travel arrangements are never publicised. For example, the general travelling public will usually be blissfully...

No, it’s just that the SO ESG ECML database hasn’t yet been completed. These timetables are also indicative (for the purposes of ORR evaluation) and will subject to change. The prime purpose of the identified paths is to extend services that originate from/go to London/Newcastle. There is one...

The engine inside the baby Deltic replica is ex-rail, last used in D5905.

That performance report was panned by operators because it only looked at 1400 to 2000 and several trains in that time period were missing from the analysis. The freight boys and girls were particularly unhappy. The excuse given by NR as to why a full day wasn’t done was generally regarded as...

The ECML has never been and is still not just for running long trains between the big cities that sit directly on it. It is a complex mix of direct services, through services to or from significant off route destinations, connecting and crossing local services, commuting services, together with...