Ex LNER (and Grand Central) Mark 4 sets for TfW

[BillStampy]

Looks like 1V50, the only service of the day to Swansea was a 197. Fingers crossed there’s a MkIV on Friday as I’ve promised my grandmother dinner on board!

I think it's HD07 off my prediction, unsure about the other option, think it would be HD01? But should hopefully be MK4. I might spot that on Friday soon so here's hoping!

 

[sd0733]

Looks like 1V50, the only service of the day to Swansea was a 197. Fingers crossed there’s a MkIV on Friday as I’ve promised my grandmother dinner on board!

Was a headlight issue on 67013/HD05, it's now planned to pick up the diagram at Crewe tomorrow at 07:32.

HD07 is down for the diagram including 1V50 on Friday.

 

[BillStampy]

Was a headlight issue on 67013/HD05, it's now planned to pick up the diagram at Crewe tomorrow at 07:32.

HD07 is down for the diagram including 1V50 on Friday.

Ah so it was HD07, I don't know where I got HD01 from!

 

[anthony263]

Oh yes, I'm sure there's no major issues with fuelling and servicing at Swansea (subject to the usual issues of staffing and pathing and so on). I just meant the chances of unhooking the 67 and sending it light to the depot between trips for servicing are pretty much non existent.

Could they not swap locos at Swansea?
If a loco is at the wrong end is there any way to shunt the stock out to the depot to turn it on.the Landore triangle

 

[craigybagel]

Could they not swap locos at Swansea?

Like I said before, swapping the loco is quite a faff. Normally it's done on the depot with few time pressures - either overnight or on a day when that particular set isn't in use. If it was done at the station it would likely need to be done to a set timetable, and unlike on the depot it would require a TfW mainline qualified driver at the loco controls.

If a loco is at the wrong end is there any way to shunt the stock out to the depot to turn it on.the Landore triangle

So long as it's cleared for the route, and there's a safe walking route for the driver along the outside of the train when changing directions (or a second driver is provided), and the signalling allows it. I don't sign Swansea so I couldn't state for certain.

 

[aar0]

My first trip on the lengthened HD01 (I think), 1/3 full first class and reasonably busy elsewhere. A valuable addition to TfW’s fleet and I look forward to using them more in the future!

 

[sd0733]

Was a headlight issue on 67013/HD05, it's now planned to pick up the diagram at Crewe tomorrow at 07:32.

Never happened due to crewing issues. Should now have the 16:49 to Manchester swapped to a 197 and the 17:14 Holyhead to run as HD01 to balance things for tomorrow.

 

[Welshguy1048]

21/03/24 - Class 67 - 67010 & DVT 82229 "RNLI Livery" - Holyhead Car M.D. to Crewe C.S.

 

[BillStampy]

Never happened due to crewing issues. Should now have the 16:49 to Manchester swapped to a 197 and the 17:14 Holyhead to run as HD01 to balance things for tomorrow.

Will it return tomorrow?

 

[sd0733]

Will it return tomorrow?

Yes, there's 4 planned out tomorrow.

 

[BillStampy]

HD07 looked very nice when it passed a few moments ago, hopefully I'll go out more to see it in not so freezing conditions in 2 weeks following timezone change!

 

[Western 52]

HD07 looked very nice when it passed a few moments ago, hopefully I'll go out more to see it in not so freezing conditions in 2 weeks following timezone change!

I'm in 12210 on that set now. Seems to be running fine too.

 

[craigybagel]

From April they will also be able to run at 90 between Shrewsbury and Crewe.

Is that after some track work was done, or is it just a reassessment of the speed limits?
I seem to remember that 175s, like 185s, originally didn't qualify for MU speeds, but that quickly changed when ATW took them on.

Just to follow up on this, notices have appeared saying the changes will take place in "early April". As expected, the MU speeds are going, and being replaced for the most part with a 90/70 passenger/freight differential instead. The last two miles of the up approaching Harlescotte will be 85/70, so a slight slowing down for DMUs on this section, but it'll only add seconds at most. Loco hauled services should gain several minutes from being able to run at 90 vice 70.

No word yet on Shrewsbury - Onibury, but that is expected to be getting similar work done as well.

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

Against my will (I’d much rather take a different route but two hour replacement buses through Cumbria threaten to take precious time out of the as it is, and there is no very early option via BHM), I’ve got to do the 0435 CDF MAN in its entirety to get to my destination in the North West on Tuesday morning.

Can I expect a MK4 set on this, or a 197? I’ll tell you now, a 3-197 with declassified Business Class would be a gold strike.

I’m booked on the 1630 back down on the Wednesday which I know is allocated for a MK4, but that’s with Furness line trains running in the timetable… they’ll almost definitely still be replacement buses so there’s no way I’m making it

 

[6Gtraincrew]

Against my will (I’d much rather take a different route but two hour replacement buses through Cumbria threaten to take precious time out of the as it is, and there is no very early option via BHM), I’ve got to do the 0435 CDF MAN in its entirety to get to my destination in the North West on Tuesday morning.

Can I expect a MK4 set on this, or a 197? I’ll tell you now, a 3-197 with declassified Business Class would be a gold strike.

I’m booked on the 1630 back down on the Wednesday which I know is allocated for a MK4, but that’s with Furness line trains running in the timetable… they’ll almost definitely still be replacement buses so there’s no way I’m making it

The 04:35 is booked as a mk4, so maybe

 

[Sly Old Fox]

Do any of these run on a Saturday to Manchester? Need to travel up from Hereford on 13th April and was hoping to give one a go. Or is it not as planned as that?

 

[SuperLuke2334]

Do any of these run on a Saturday to Manchester? Need to travel up from Hereford on 13th April and was hoping to give one a go. Or is it not as planned as that?

They do run on Saturdays yes. From Hereford your best bets on a Saturday are the following departures.
0742
1156
1353
1557
1959

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

Just to follow up on this, notices have appeared saying the changes will take place in "early April". As expected, the MU speeds are going, and being replaced for the most part with a 90/70 passenger/freight differential instead. The last two miles of the up approaching Harlescotte will be 85/70, so a slight slowing down for DMUs on this section, but it'll only add seconds at most. Loco hauled services should gain several minutes from being able to run at 90 vice 70.
No word yet on Shrewsbury - Onibury, but that is expected to be getting similar work done as well.

Thanks for the update. So it amounts to a relaxation for 67s on passenger trains really.
I wonder how many other places on the network are like this.
The MU profile was introduced by BR in the early 90s to match the 90mph capabilities of the 158 fleet.
Never introduced east of Shrewsbury though, even after resignalling.

 

[Sly Old Fox]

They do run on Saturdays yes. From Hereford your best bets on a Saturday are the following departures.
0742
1156
1353
1557
1959

Thanks so much! I had a look yesterday on realtimetrains but everything I checked showed a 197. Will probably get the 11.56.

 

[MP393]

Against my will (I’d much rather take a different route but two hour replacement buses through Cumbria threaten to take precious time out of the as it is, and there is no very early option via BHM), I’ve got to do the 0435 CDF MAN in its entirety to get to my destination in the North West on Tuesday morning.

Can I expect a MK4 set on this, or a 197? I’ll tell you now, a 3-197 with declassified Business Class would be a gold strike.

I had heard that at least next week, the “Cardiff start” diagram is running on the 06:35 Cardiff Manchester, 10:30 Manchester Cardiff, 14:49 Cardiff Manchester & 18:30 Manchester - Cardiff instead of the 04:35 start. This would add up as 1st class advances aren’t now available for sale on the 04:35, but are for the 06:35. They certainly have swapped the Canton start diagram over before on a week by week basis but that hasn’t happened for a while, but at least if you get a 197 I hope for you it’s an “SP” one!

 

[sd0733]

Unsure as to which diagram they're running tomorrow but if it has swapped then hopefully something other than a 2 car goes, there's now complaints when one of the 4 car rakes comes rather than a 5 going to Manchester as its so busy.

HD06 is planned for a shakedown run tomorrow and re-enter service Tuesday.

That gives 5 available sets Monday then 6 on Tuesday-Thursday until HD05 stops for an exam on Friday but all being well the 4 diagrams should be covered all week. There's even a spare rake at both Canton and Crewe most of the week too.

 

[Topological]

I had heard that at least next week, the “Cardiff start” diagram is running on the 06:35 Cardiff Manchester, 10:30 Manchester Cardiff, 14:49 Cardiff Manchester & 18:30 Manchester - Cardiff instead of the 04:35 start. This would add up as 1st class advances aren’t now available for sale on the 04:35, but are for the 06:35. They certainly have swapped the Canton start diagram over before on a week by week basis but that hasn’t happened for a while, but at least if you get a 197 I hope for you it’s an “SP” one!

Does this mean the 05:32 from Swansea is starting at Cardiff tomorrow?

I am not down to use it this week, but will be on the 10:30 back from Manchester so will welcome any additional capacity.

 

[Jez]

The last time I went to Manchester about a month ago I had a Standard Plus 197 on my up journey (0551 Port Talbot to Manchester) and 1st class MK4 on the way back (1630). A massive improvement on the pair of 153s I had up and 150 back on the same journey times back in October!

I had heard that at least next week, the “Cardiff start” diagram is running on the 06:35 Cardiff Manchester, 10:30 Manchester Cardiff, 14:49 Cardiff Manchester & 18:30 Manchester - Cardiff instead of the 04:35 start. This would add up as 1st class advances aren’t now available for sale on the 04:35, but are for the 06:35. They certainly have swapped the Canton start diagram over before on a week by week basis but that hasn’t happened for a while, but at least if you get a 197 I hope for you it’s an “SP” one!

Good for Swansea/Neath/PT/Bridgend passengers as they very rarely get a MK4 in the up direction (aside from some weekends)

Does this mean the 05:32 from Swansea is starting at Cardiff tomorrow?

I am not down to use it this week, but will be on the 10:30 back from Manchester so will welcome any additional capacity.

Shown on RTT as running from Swansea at 0532 so hopefully it will

 

[BillStampy]

It says tomorrow the early Swansea start is First and Standard and pathed as Diesel Locomotive still? But then the rest of the week that starts at Cardiff? Would this actually run as MK4?

Realtime Trains | 1W13 0532 Swansea to Manchester Piccadilly | 25/03/2024

Real-time train running information for 1W13 0532 departure from Swansea to Manchester Piccadilly on 25/03/2024. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

 

[MP393]

It says tomorrow the early Swansea start is First and Standard and pathed as Diesel Locomotive still? But then the rest of the week that starts at Cardiff? Would this actually run as MK4?

Realtime Trains | 1W13 0532 Swansea to Manchester Piccadilly | 25/03/2024

Real-time train running information for 1W13 0532 departure from Swansea to Manchester Piccadilly on 25/03/2024. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

It is showing on the crew diagrams as being a 67+Mk4 so in theory, yes, but as we’ve all seen, they are quite notorious for last minute changes!

 

[sd0733]

Seemingly a couple of diagrams gave changed for tomorrow, unsure how long for.

04:35/12:49 Cardiff to Manchester
08:30/16:30 Manchester to Cardiff/Swansea are now booked single 197/0.

Mk4 diagrams have changed to:

05:32 Swansea to Manchester
10:30 Manchester to Cardiff
17:14 Cardiff to Holyhead

04:54 Crewe to Cardiff
08:49 Cardiff to Manchester
12:30 Manchester to Cardiff
16:49 Cardiff to Manchester

05:30 Holyhead to Cardiff
10:52 Cardiff to Manchester
14:30 Manchester to Cardiff
18:55 Cardiff to Manchester

06:27 Manchester to Cardiff
14:49 Cardiff to Manchester
18:30 Manchester to Cardiff.

Not sure the reasoning behind it as that 2 car 197 diagram, 1W11 and 1V50 especially will really struggle as a 2 car.

Those 4 diagrams are planned to be 67014+HD07, 67022+HD03, 67025+HD04 and 67008+HD01 respectively tomorrow

 

[Western 52]

Yes 1V50 will struggle with a 2 car set. I used that train on Friday and it was quite full with HD07.

 

[BillStampy]

Yes 1V50 will struggle with a 2 car set. I used that train on Friday and it was quite full with HD07.

It did look full from the outside too! A 2 car 197 is NOT suited for that.

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

Seemingly a couple of diagrams gave changed for tomorrow, unsure how long for.

04:35/12:49 Cardiff to Manchester
08:30/16:30 Manchester to Cardiff/Swansea are now booked single 197/0.

Mk4 diagrams have changed to:

05:32 Swansea to Manchester
10:30 Manchester to Cardiff
17:14 Cardiff to Holyhead

04:54 Crewe to Cardiff
08:49 Cardiff to Manchester
12:30 Manchester to Cardiff
16:49 Cardiff to Manchester

05:30 Holyhead to Cardiff
10:52 Cardiff to Manchester
14:30 Manchester to Cardiff
18:55 Cardiff to Manchester

06:27 Manchester to Cardiff
14:49 Cardiff to Manchester
18:30 Manchester to Cardiff.

Not sure the reasoning behind it as that 2 car 197 diagram, 1W11 and 1V50 especially will really struggle as a 2 car.

Those 4 diagrams are planned to be 67014+HD07, 67022+HD03, 67025+HD04 and 67008+HD01 respectively tomorrow

Ahh, so my 4:30ish Cardiff to Manchester train will be a 197 then! Not a problem, in fact I'll enjoy it as it should be rather lightly loaded at that time in the morning. I just hope somehow a 197/1B will slip on to it. As for the 16:30 return, although I'm booked on that, I'm almost guaranteed to miss it as a result of the sudden bus replacements, and if that is the case perhaps I'll opt for the 18:30 and see how it compares. In fact, I definitely will, as I'll upgrade to first and claim it back on the delay repay

 

[marshallt]

Does anyone know if the Mk4 sets will be running this Friday (Good Friday bank holiday) and which diagram it might be? Thanks