Officers' Special Train

[paulravuslante]

Hi,

In the railway rule book, under train classifications it mentions that train's with headcodes 2Z01 are termed an officers' special train.

Does anybody know what exactly an officers' special train is?

Paul.

 

[DarloRich]

Inspection saloon?

 

[First class]

A 2Zxx train is used for some normal workings, such as additional/retimed stoppers. Headcode format is not necessarily "strict".

 

[matt]

It normally means an inspection saloon like this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qLODSl9bdI4 (although in this case the headcode was 5Z05 and has been running as 2Z05 this week)

 

[paulravuslante]

It normally means an inspection saloon like this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qLODSl9bdI4 (although in this case the headcode was 5Z05 and has been running as 2Z05 this week)

So would the officers be Network Rail big wigs checking that work has been done properly?

 

[matt]

So would the officers be Network Rail big wigs checking that work has been done properly?

I don't know exactly what its used for but as I think it usually carries managers around the network.

 

[driver9000]

Traditionally the Officers saloon was for the company directors to go out and see their empire, today's saloons are often used for the same task, showing managers and directors the railway. They have been used for route learning purposes but I'm not sure if they would still run as a saloon for headcode purposes when being used as such.

 

[Mojo]

Traditionally the Officers saloon was for the company directors to go out and see their empire, today's saloons are often used for the same task, showing managers and directors the railway. They have been used for route learning purposes but I'm not sure if they would still run as a saloon for headcode purposes when being used as such.

Thanks. I had wondered for a long time what the purpose of an inspection saloon was (and wanted to get another answer than "inspections")

 

[Bald Rick]

They are pretty rare these days - maybe once or twice a year on any given stretch of main line. They are used mostly for senior engineers wanting to check the current state of the infrastructure, and also for things like checking vegetation. Often the local guys will be on board to point things out where they need help and assistance.

And there's usually a cracking bacon sarnie on offer for the morning trips

 

[AlexS]

In a nutshell aye, it's a train for Railway Officers to check out the line. Generally expected to stop and start a lot.

I've travelled aboard one to mark out trees for felling from a signal sighting perspective (although we borrowed a DMU for that rather than using a saloon!). Stop start regularly to mark em out and jump back in again.

 

[Trog]

And there's usually a cracking bacon sarnie on offer for the morning trips

Bacon rolls, biscuits and crisps.

It does strange things to your head though, spending hours looking out of the rear facing windows. A bit like the way you can still feel the sea when you get off a ship. Get off the saloon and the platform feels as if it is moving out from under your feet.

 

[strange6]

I seem to remember the police using them or something similar, some years ago around the Manchester area to catch vandals at work. If sighted, the train would slam on and the police all jump out to give chase. remember reading about it in the Wigan Evening Post many years ago

 

[Flamingo]

I seem to remember the police using them or something similar, some years ago around the Manchester area to catch vandals at work. If sighted, the train would slam on and the police all jump out to give chase. remember reading about it in the Wigan Evening Post many years ago

Kinda like this?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AeATCwk5PTQ

 

[strange6]

Kinda like this?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AeATCwk5PTQ

No, the Wigan area is much worse, Flamingo!

 

[Bald Rick]

Bacon rolls, biscuits and crisps.

It does strange things to your head though, spending hours looking out of the rear facing windows. A bit like the way you can still feel the sea when you get off a ship. Get off the saloon and the platform feels as if it is moving out from under your feet.

There is at least one saloon ('Caroline' from memory) that has driving controls in the end windows, so it can be propelled by a loco. It is a proper saloon as well with padded chairs that are not fixed; it is quite feasible to shuffle your chair up next to the bloke at the front and find he is driving.

 

[matt]

There is at least one saloon ('Caroline' from memory) that has driving controls in the end windows, so it can be propelled by a loco. It is a proper saloon as well with padded chairs that are not fixed; it is quite feasible to shuffle your chair up next to the bloke at the front and find he is driving.

Yeah Caroline is the one that can be propelled and well as pulled. Before DRS 37/4s worked it, it was worked by 33103 "Swordfish".

 

[driver9000]

The saloons of the 'big 4' were often furnished to a high standard, I've seen a photograph of the one LNER used and it was quite an opulent interior.

The Saloon Caroline has a class 31 style desk I think that can control the locomotive, last time I saw the saloon it was working a surveying train between Preston and Blackpool North.

The BTP anti-vandal trains are sometimes referred to as 'Q trains' because that is the letter used in the headcode (denotes 'runs as required' if memory serves me), they run from time to time although more recently using a multiple unit native to the local area. They are specifically mentioned in the Scotland sectional appendix which notes that they are allowed to stop in section as required - I'd expect the English and Welsh ones are dealt with in a Traffic notice.

 

[strange6]

The BTP anti-vandal trains are sometimes referred to as 'Q trains' because that is the letter used in the headcode (denotes 'runs as required' if memory serves me), they run from time to time although more recently using a multiple unit native to the local area. They are specifically mentioned in the Scotland sectional appendix which notes that they are allowed to stop in section as required - I'd expect the English and Welsh ones are dealt with in a Traffic notice.

You're a mine of railway information; thanks for that. I would assume these trains would run in secret, only their ID's known to the signalling staff and with a pre-set route?

 

[driver9000]

Only as secret as any other unadvertised train, unless you knew a Q train was about you wouldn't distinguish it from any other train that may pass you by.

 

[strange6]

Only as secret as any other unadvertised train, unless you knew a Q train was about you wouldn't distinguish it from any other train that may pass you by.

They would surely have to ride up in the cab wouldn't they?

 

[driver9000]

One officer would ride in the cab - a BTP warrant card is accepted as a pass in certain circumstances.

 

[strange6]

One officer would ride in the cab - a BTP warrant card is accepted as a pass in certain circumstances.

Would he be responsible for putting the blue flashing light on the roof and enabling the two tones? Seriously though, this would be quite an interesting experience for a driver. Would it be a special BTP driver or somebody plucked from, say, Northern?

 

[driver9000]

Would he be responsible for putting the blue flashing light on the roof and enabling the two tones?

All trains built since 1985 carry a blue flashing light on the roof. Normally it lies flush with the roof but when the officer turns a security key (only issued to BTP) in the drivers cab it pops up and starts flashing automatically.

 

[ainsworth74]

Would he be responsible for putting the blue flashing light on the roof and enabling the two tones?

Didn't you know the BTP have a 37 in police colours that they use for this sort of work? You can see it in action here.

 

[TDK]

Yeah Caroline is the one that can be propelled and well as pulled. Before DRS 37/4s worked it, it was worked by 33103 "Swordfish".

I saw an officers special on the Chilterns yesterday propelled by a DRS class 37 I think it was.

 

[Tomnick]

A 2Zxx train is used for some normal workings, such as additional/retimed stoppers. Headcode format is not necessarily "strict".

Presumably 2Z01 is reserved for an officers' special however, in the same way that 1Z99 is reserved for a train going to clear the line and thus shouldn't be allocated to a 'normal' STP working?

Since officers' specials tend to do funny things like stopping in section (and, until recently at least, were specially signalled as such in AB-land, accepted under Reg 3.5 to avoid tying up the clearing point - not sure whether that survived the latest Rule Book shake-up), presumably identifying such trains consistently as 2Z01 would be helpful?

 

[Trog]

The BTP anti-vandal trains are sometimes referred to as 'Q trains' because that is the letter used in the headcode (denotes 'runs as required' if memory serves me), they run from time to time although more recently using a multiple unit native to the local area.

Are you sure that it is not a reference to the WW1 Q ships. Which pottered about looking innocent until a U-boat surfaced to sink them with its deck gun. Then let fly with hidden guns, in the hope of doing it fatal damage before it could submerge again.

 

[Flamingo]

Are you sure that it is not a reference to the WW1 Q ships. Which pottered about looking innocent until a U-boat surfaced to sink them with its deck gun. Then let fly with hidden guns, in the hope of doing it fatal damage before it could submerge again.

Just what I was thinking...

 

[strange6]

Are you sure that it is not a reference to the WW1 Q ships. Which pottered about looking innocent until a U-boat surfaced to sink them with its deck gun. Then let fly with hidden guns, in the hope of doing it fatal damage before it could submerge again.

I'm sure Driver9000 is quite right. These Q trains do not have gun nests but rather 8 x LAWS rockets mounted either side of the carriage just under the fuel tanks. When operated, the rocket silo appears from the sides and blasts anything they are aimed at with their Infra Red seeking heads.

 

[ralphchadkirk]

I would imagine it is to do with the ships, and then the Q train run as rqd has stemmed from that.