Locomotive Services Fleet (LSL) updates

[MiNi]

I’ve booked the class 90 railtour in February. Does anyone know when the diagram will appear on Real Time Trains?

You'd be lucky to see it on RTT 2 week's before hand.

 

[D365]

Except that it was DRS that fitted blue-star to the DBSO. LSL have just through wired the rest of the set with control cables and (presumably) control air pipes. Not bespoke, and hardly the most difficult of engineering tasks.

the design & installation was contracted out to RVEL. It was a bespoke installation, and from what I’ve understood, was not half as successful as DRS had hoped.

Whether LSL wishes to convert any additional vehicles to Blue Star MW remains to be seen. But given that they also want to fit ETCS, it would be a significant challenge to do all the same work at once.

 

[Nym]

Ohhh, multi-working and ETCS.

They'd better make sure they're multi-working at the beginning of the contract or they might be in for a nasty surprise

 

[12LDA28C]

Except that it was DRS that fitted blue-star to the DBSO. LSL have just through wired the rest of the set with control cables and (presumably) control air pipes. Not bespoke, and hardly the most difficult of engineering tasks.

Maybe so but I'm sure they have the expertise to develop a modification to allow multi-working between Class 57 sub-classes if that is an operational requirement. Their 47s are Green Circle multi-fitted, not Blue Star.

 

[MiNi]

Would it be likely for the 57 to be used on the Steam Dreams charters next season. Mostly looking at the Weymouth tours(3 I think) listed.

 

[12LDA28C]

Would it be likely for the 57 to be used on the Steam Dreams charters next season. Mostly looking at the Weymouth tours(3 I think) listed.

Depends when they are. Probably need several weeks to train staff / test the loco before letting it out on the main line in revenue-earning service. It will be used initially on the rear of Saphos tours I believe but it may also feature on Steam Dreams I suppose depending if any staff based at Southall learn them. Personally I'd be very happy to see it used on Steam Dreams tours all year long!

 

[MiNi]

Depends when they are. Probably need several weeks to train staff / test the loco before letting it out on the main line in revenue-earning service. It will be used initially on the rear of Saphos tours I believe but it may also feature on Steam Dreams I suppose depending if any staff based at Southall learn them. Personally I'd be very happy to see it used on Steam Dreams tours all year long!

June, July, August ,so plenty of time to learn them. Like you say as it's loco off of Southall it may not be the 57 due to training issues. But sometimes the Saphos are loco off of Southall aswell so will have to see what happens.

 

[Wyrleybart]

June, July, August ,so plenty of time to learn them. Like you say as it's loco off of Southall it may not be the 57 due to training issues. But sometimes the Saphos are loco off of Southall aswell so will have to see what happens.

I don't think LSL traction training would be anything like as lengthy as in TOC world I know at least one LSL driver who was trained and drove 57/3 for Virgin. I doubt he would need more than a couple of hours to reacquaint himself, as well as dusting of his equivalent of the BR33056 publication. Did class 57s get theier BR33056 ?

 

[12LDA28C]

I don't think LSL traction training would be anything like as lengthy as in TOC world I know at least one LSL driver who was trained and drove 57/3 for Virgin. I doubt he would need more than a couple of hours to reacquaint himself, as well as dusting of his equivalent of the BR33056 publication. Did class 57s get theier BR33056 ?

Several LSL staff at Crewe are ex-DRS too so they will already be familiar with 57s.

 

[Wyrleybart]

Several LSL staff at Crewe are ex-DRS too so they will already be familiar with 57s.

Yes. Of course. Definitely not an issue

 

[ThePeakNed]

Anyone else keeping their eyes peeled for any prospective D9000 tours this year...?

 

[12LDA28C]

Anyone else keeping their eyes peeled for any prospective D9000 tours this year...?

I would've thought you'd be keener to see the return of 45118 given your username but that may be some way off yet.

 

[ThePeakNed]

I would've thought you'd be keener to see the return of 45118 given your username but that may be some way off yet.

Oh I absolutely am, was booked on the Lancaster - St Pancras charter that inevitably got caped. But yeah looking forward to 45118 being out.

 

[bleeder4]

47810 and 47593 on tomorrow's Statesman, the first tour of the year. An S&C Circular from Hereford. Saphos and Midland Pullman tours aren't starting up until March. I booked on the first tour for all three brands, so will be on board tomorrow.

 

[12LDA28C]

47810 and 47593 on tomorrow's Statesman, the first tour of the year. An S&C Circular from Hereford. Saphos and Midland Pullman tours aren't starting up until March. I booked on the first tour for all three brands, so will be on board tomorrow.

47810 quoted as leading all day.

 

[MiNi]

47810 quoted as leading all day.

Some much better than the black body snatcher or the Whistler!!!!

 

[bleeder4]

Some much better than the black body snatcher or the Whistler!!!!

Yes indeed. I didn't used to be much of a 47 fan, but after doing quite a few Statesman tours last year I've become a convert. Those LSL 47s are solid, reliable performers. There was one tour I did last year where a single 47 took 10 coaches up the Lickey with no trouble at all. It was in fact the only Statesman I did all year which just had the one loco.

 

[12LDA28C]

47810 quoted as leading all day.

Indeed although this would be one tour where lesser traction on the rear would not have been an issue!

 

[ThePeakNed]

Yes indeed. I didn't used to be much of a 47 fan, but after doing quite a few Statesman tours last year I've become a convert. Those LSL 47s are solid, reliable performers. There was one tour I did last year where a single 47 took 10 coaches up the Lickey with no trouble at all. It was in fact the only Statesman I did all year which just had the one loco.

Sounded a bit rough on idle at Shrewsbury last night, not a smooth as a Sulzer normally is at any rate.

Not that I'm in any position to judge, merely an observation. I don't doubt for a second the folks at LSL have a rigorous maintenance regime.

 

[MiNi]

Indeed although this would be one tour where lesser traction on the rear would not have been an issue!

We could be lucky for most of the Statesman this year. It will depend on reliability and when the Saphos charters start/run the same day as statesman charters.

 

[12LDA28C]

Sounded a bit rough on idle at Shrewsbury last night, not a smooth as a Sulzer normally is at any rate.

47593 or 47810?

47593 in particular is a very reliable performer, having been out solidly for the last 5 years, amassing many thousands of miles in the process. 47810 has sounded rough on idle since its fairly recent top end overhaul but performs well enough when on the move.

 

[ThePeakNed]

47593 or 47810?

47593 in particular is a very reliable performer, having been out solidly for the last 5 years, amassing many thousands of miles in the process. 47810 has sounded rough on idle since its fairly recent top end overhaul but performs well enough when on the move.

810. By the time I saw 593 it was rear gunner and shut down.

 

[Nym]

Sounded a bit rough on idle at Shrewsbury last night, not a smooth as a Sulzer normally is at any rate.

Not that I'm in any position to judge, merely an observation. I don't doubt for a second the folks at LSL have a rigorous maintenance regime.

I almost needed to do a spit take there.

I've seen the state of 47810 deeper under the surface, and it's really not in a good state.

 

[Whistler40145]

I almost needed to do a spit take there.

I've seen the state of 47810 deeper under the surface, and it's really not in a good state.

Who owned 47810 before LSG?

 

[Nym]

Who owned 47810 before LSG?

Porterbrook.

 

[Rail Quest]

I've seen this photo flying around this morning - 37409 is looking very Scottish!

 

[Virgin Voyager]

I've seen this photo flying around this morning - 37409 is looking very Scottish!

In theory it should work with the push pull set via Blue Star bieng an ex DRS loco

 

[Wyrleybart]

In theory it should work with the push pull set via Blue Star bieng an ex DRS loco

Provided the shove set is no more than ETH index 30

 

[12LDA28C]

I almost needed to do a spit take there.

I've seen the state of 47810 deeper under the surface, and it's really not in a good state.

Have you seen it recently? Care to elaborate? It had a top end overhaul in 2020 which involved removal of cylinders, liners and so on.

Who owned 47810 before LSG?

Assume you mean who operated it, which was DRS.

 

[Virgin Voyager]

Does anyone know the status of 47805? Is it a parts donor after it caught fire a couple of years ago or will it eventually be fixed ?