Operations Track Record
THE 12.55 Manchester Piccadilly-Euston‘Pendolino’service on April 16 made an additional stop at Milton Keynes for a sick passenger to be treated, resulting in a seven-minute late arrival in London.
The next day, the 18.10‘Voyager’ service from Euston to Wrexham and Holyhead left 17 minutes late as the driver was delayed on his incoming journey by a problem in the Manchester area. After a signal stop outside Watford Junction station, the train was 24 minutes late leaving Milton Keynes.
THE Easter weekend (April 20-22) saw major engineering work taking place on the WCML, with worksites at Shawfield Junction (replacement of junction), near Cleghorn level crossing (approaching Lanark Junction), and in the Elvanfoot/Beattock areas, which resulted in buses replacing trains.
NUMEROUS reports have been received regarding the new IET units, including on March 25, Class 800/1 nine-car set No. 800107 working a 5Q22/11.38 Heaton-Peterborough e.c.s., with No. 800103 working a 5Q44/14.53 Berwick-upon-Tweed-Doncaster Carr IEP Depot e.c.s. on March 30.
‘Azuma’units were almost a daily sight through Berwick during early April with No. 800111 seen running south from Edinburgh at midday on April 7.
Observed at York on April 15, No. 800102 ran e.c.s. from Peterborough to York on the 13.10 test run.
Spotted at York on Easter Monday was No. 800102 on driver training.
THE 14.00 King’s Cross-Aberdeen service on Good Friday, April 19, arrived in Edinburgh Waverley nine minutes late after knock-on delays caused by trespassers on the line near Peterborough. The service continued north to Aberdeen, without much time being made up.
THE 07.52 Aberdeen-King’s Cross service on April 26 was held up at Montrose awaiting a north-bound freight service to pass from the single-track Usan to Montrose section. This is the only single-track section in the 523 miles between Aberdeen and London. The resulting delay meant the King’s Cross-bound train departed Dundee five minutes late.
THE 09.16 Leeds-London King’s Cross was seen passing Finsbury Park with DB Cargo 90029 working at the rear on Wednesday, April 10. Two hired-in Class 90s were noted on LNER services at Doncaster on April 27. No. 90020 was on the rear of 09.16 Leeds-King’s Cross, while No. 90039 was similarly employed on 10.15 Leeds -King’s Cross.
CLASS 166 No. 166217 was used on the 09.30 Cardiff Central-Portsmouth Harbour service and 13.23 return to Cardiff Central on April 10; No. 166206 on April 13; while on April 21, Class 150 No. 150219 was on the 08.19 Romsey-Brighton and 11.00 return to Bristol Temple Meads
ON WEDNESDAY, April 17, passengers on the 17.00 Bristol Temple Meads-London Paddington service were surprised to hear the guard announce the train was likely to run late as the diesel engines were only working on one of the two five-car IEP units. The train left on time, but arrived two minutes late into Bath Spa, and arrived four minutes late into Chippenham. It looks as though at this point the driver may have got the diesel engines started as the train didn’t lose any more time to Swindon, having climbed Dauntsey Bank.
THE regular moves of Mk3b DVTs between Crown Point and Cardiff Canton for overhaul saw No. 82139, hauled by Class 37 No. 37059, arrive at Cardiff on Wednesday, April 24. The Class 37 then took No. 82114 back to Crown Point the following day.
DELIVERIES of new‘Flirt’Class 755 units saw Class 66 No. 66002 deliver Nos. 755409+755410 from
