telstarbox
Established Member
Sorry if this is a thick question but is there just one driver at the controls for the 2h 40mins from Newcastle to London?
-
Our new ticketing site is now live! Using either this or the original site (both powered by TrainSplit) helps support the running of the forum with every ticket purchase! Find out more and ask any questions/give us feedback in this thread!
0540 Edinburgh-London KX 23.05.11 (The Flying Scotsman)
- Thread starter NightatLaira
- Start date
- Status
Sponsor Post - registered members do not see these adverts; click here to register, or click here to log in
R
RailUK Forums
Failed Unit
Established Member
91101 still at the front, nice not to arrive on platforms 8 & 9. Makes such a difference in getting connections!
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Only one got out the cab on my trip, good bladder required
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Only one got out the cab on my trip, good bladder required
scotsman
Established Member
- Joined
- 6 Jul 2010
- Messages
- 3,252
Yup, common practice
TGV
Member
I've seen that purple Flying Scotsman set many times in the last couple of weeks. It's not been on a regular diagram - certainly not on the 0540 it's namesake suggests every day. Yesterday it passed PBO at around 1800 on an up service, today it was on a down service at about 1730, which to me suggests that the specially painted (or vinyled) set is not on a particular diagram to ensure it's on the Flying Scotsman service.
Failed Unit
Established Member
It was on the 1700 northbound yesterday so it made it to Edinburgh.
dickdarlington
Member
Yesterday, the FS had the correct DVT on it, but a blue engine. It sort of ruins the whole image of the train.
Its actually my pet hate of EC. When they have a rake of reliveried carriages with an old GNER covered engine. Even though it is purely aesthetic, it just looks amateurish.
Whilst on liveries, I don't know who came up with the XC colouring for the FS. It would have been much more relavent if the DVT and Engine have had a shade of apple green.
Still. It seems to have settled into a good rythmn of hurtling through Darlington at the same time every day. It's my new alarm clock.
Its actually my pet hate of EC. When they have a rake of reliveried carriages with an old GNER covered engine. Even though it is purely aesthetic, it just looks amateurish.
Whilst on liveries, I don't know who came up with the XC colouring for the FS. It would have been much more relavent if the DVT and Engine have had a shade of apple green.
Still. It seems to have settled into a good rythmn of hurtling through Darlington at the same time every day. It's my new alarm clock.
DarloRich
Veteran Member
I dont think the diagraming on EC trains will allow for dedicated loco/DVT combos so it is going to turn up all over the place.
I saw the purple in one of the bay platforms at York yesterday ( obviously working one of the semi fast services)
I saw the purple in one of the bay platforms at York yesterday ( obviously working one of the semi fast services)
Failed Unit
Established Member
Yesterday, the FS had the correct DVT on it, but a blue engine. It sort of ruins the whole image of the train.
Its actually my pet hate of EC. When they have a rake of reliveried carriages with an old GNER covered engine. Even though it is purely aesthetic, it just looks amateurish.
Whilst on liveries, I don't know who came up with the XC colouring for the FS. It would have been much more relavent if the DVT and Engine have had a shade of apple green.
Still. It seems to have settled into a good rythmn of hurtling through Darlington at the same time every day. It's my new alarm clock.
The set must have paid a visit to Bounds Green yesterday, it was reunited with 91101 by yesterday evening.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
The diagram is 0540 Edinburgh - London. 1035 London - Leeds. 1315 Leeds - London. 1630 London - Edinburgh. However many things can go wrong to stop this happening and maintenance of course. To be honest not sure why the bothered, it is still a mk4 afterall.
dickdarlington
Member
The point for me is that they went to the effort of decking a train out AS The Flying Scotsman. So surely it stands to reason, that this should be used for The Flying Scotsman.
Otherwise, why bother with the rebranding of the loco and DVT.
Someone mentioned it previously. GNER had it right with their "route of The Flying Scotsman".
I just think that if EC want to resurrect a flagship service, they should do it right. And for me, that includes the correct formation of the train.
On a side note. Are there any Pullman services left?
Otherwise, why bother with the rebranding of the loco and DVT.
Someone mentioned it previously. GNER had it right with their "route of The Flying Scotsman".
I just think that if EC want to resurrect a flagship service, they should do it right. And for me, that includes the correct formation of the train.
On a side note. Are there any Pullman services left?
sprinterguy
Established Member
Not as far as I know; since the Eureka timetable was implemented the same first class offering is available on all trains, and I think the Pullman services were withdrawn before the "Mallard" refurbishment, as the Pullman formation mark 4 rakes, with three FOs, were disbanded and all the mark 4 rakes now have the same formation since the refurb.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Realistically, it was never going to be possible to keep the “Flying Scotsman” branded 225 operating its’ namesake train day in, day out, as surely it has to get back to Bounds Green for maintenance and inspection once in a while, although given that the Flying Scotsman only runs during the week it would be able to get back to BN at the weekend I suppose.
There was never any chance of 91101 remaining with the branded mark 4 rake as the maintenance schedule for the 91s is different to the carriage rakes and they are frequently swapped over: That was always going to be no more than a one off publicity stunt except for happy coincidences in the future when 91101 is reunited with that one carriage rake (BN10 I believe).
However it would have been nice to have the branded mark 4 rake operating the service one day out of every two so that it operated it each Monday, Wednesday and Friday at the very least. It’s a shame that this hasn’t been possible.
Last edited:
TGV
Member
They can't have a train dedicated for that diagram alone. It might please the spotters but it makes no commercial or operational sense. They have a fleet of sets that can make the diagram so while its nice to think of that set on that service (and they may try and use it for that where possible) its more of a PR stunt than anything else.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
The branded set will inevitably end up being pressed into service in place of another failed set, or will itself be in heavy maintenance. The random pattern I've seen it being used suggests that if indeed it is supposed to be on a particular diagram every day, it sure aint working out.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
The branded set will inevitably end up being pressed into service in place of another failed set, or will itself be in heavy maintenance. The random pattern I've seen it being used suggests that if indeed it is supposed to be on a particular diagram every day, it sure aint working out.
Was on it today. 91, coaches and Dummy.
Shot through WGC at 9.25 (ish). I was on the ex 07.15 Leeds HST service that was stopped at Welwyn Garden City due to a 'reported problem with the rear power car'. For what it's worth, it was fine and we arrived King's Cross at 9.50 (ish), about 20 late.
Shot through WGC at 9.25 (ish). I was on the ex 07.15 Leeds HST service that was stopped at Welwyn Garden City due to a 'reported problem with the rear power car'. For what it's worth, it was fine and we arrived King's Cross at 9.50 (ish), about 20 late.
dk1
Veteran Member
A dedicated headboard would have been enough on launch day. Differing train formations or one-off liveries are a silly idea & a diagramming nightmare. Best thing INTERCITY Anglia ever did was rid itself of the x3 FO 'East Anglian' set. What a pain in the... that was.
Failed Unit
Established Member
They are if it was just one set, I can't remember how many pullmans were on Inter-City East Coast but they did typically keep to the diagrams. I remember when the wi-fi was coming out GNER did keep the sets on the same daigrams as well. But as you say too much can throw a spanner in the works. Take the "Flying Scotsman" first day in operation highwinds, the 1630 got capped at Newcastle so the set was in London. Now it takes a little while to get it back to Edinburgh again!
- Status