Train v Volcano

[birdseyecircus]

Other than extra Eurostars is anyone aware of any TOCs running extra services using loco hauled stock?

I hope the rail companies are taking advantage of the situation.

 

Paul

[magic_monkey09]

Other than extra Eurostars is anyone aware of any TOCs running extra services using loco hauled stock?

I hope the rail companies are taking advantage of the situation.

 

Paul

 

Arriva trains wales could easily extend their WAG express to 8 carriges utilising their spare set seeing as Cardiff International airport is closed but not sure if they will

[Richard E]

East Coast have put on an extra 3 runs and extended some so that they no longer terminate in Newcastle but run through to Edinburgh.

[Talltim]

Additional trains between London and Scotland until Monday 19 April

 

 

Start date: 17/04/2010

End date: Not available

TOC(s) affected: East Coast, Virgin Trains

Description: The restrictions on UK Airspace continues until at least 01:00 on Sunday 18 April, and because of this some previously planned engineering work has been cancelled. Additional trains are now running between London and Scotland.

 

East Coast have made the following alterations to their service:

 

Sunday 18 April

 

• 08:25 Leeds to Peterborough will now run through to London Kings Cross
• 08:00 Newcastle to Peterborough will now run through to London Kings Cross
• Additional service: 12:15 Edinburgh to London Kings Cross, calling at Newcastle, Darlington, York and Doncaster
• 15:50 Newcastle to London Kings Cross will now start from Edinburgh at 14:20
• 14:50 Glasgow to London Kings Cross is starting at Edinburgh
• 10:45 Doncaster to Edinburgh will now start from London Kings Cross at 09:00 and call at Stvenage, Peterborough and Grantham
• 10:35 Peterborough to Edinburgh will now start from London Kings Cross ay 10:00
• 11:10 Peterborough to Glasgow Central will now start from London Kings Cross and will call at Stevenage
• Additional service: 13:45 London Kings Cross to Edinburgh, calling at Doncaster, York, Darlington and Newcastle
• 15:30 London Kings Cross to Newcastle will now run through to Edinburgh
• 16:30 London Kings Cross to Newcastle will now run through to Edinburgh

Monday 19 April

 

• 07:30 London Kings Cross to Newcastle will now run through to Edinburgh
• Additional service: 15:45 London Kings Cross to Edinburgh, calling at Doncaster, York, Darlington, Newcastle and Edinburgh
• 16:30 London Kings Cross to Newcastle will now run through to Edinburgh
• 17:49 London Kings Cross to Leeds is cancelled
• Additional service: 17:49 London Kings Cross to Edinburgh, calling at Peterborough. Grantham, Newark, Doncaster, York, Darlington, Newcastle and Edinburgh
• 18:30 London Kings Cross to Newcastle will now run through to Edinburgh
• 19:00 London Kings Cross to Newcastle will now run through to Edinburgh
• 07:00 Newcastle to London Kings Cross will start at Edinburgh at 05:30
• 11:30 Newcastle to London Kings Cross will start at Edinburgh at 10:00
• Additional service: 12:45 Edinburgh to London Kings Cross, call at Newcastle, Darlington, York, Doncaster and London Kings Cross

Virgin Trains have returned to their normal weekend timetable after the cancellation of their engineering work

[Edwin_m]

According to another thread on here somewhere, Arriva Trains Wales and Virgin are lengthening some trains that serve Holyhead where presumably the ferry to Dublin is doing a lot more business.

[Guest Phil]

To correctly answer the OP I think the nearest to this is that Virgin are using the "pretendolino" on a EUS-BHM diagram to free up a 390 to work add'l ashexes.

 

I regard the pretendolino as LHCS

[beast66606]

Pretendo did a Euston - Preston and return additonal, 1T31 and 1T32 iirc yesterday.

[DavidB-AU]

Is ASHEX an original?

 

Cheers

David

[298]

Pretendo did a Euston - Preston and return additonal, 1T31 and 1T32 iirc yesterday.

 

82126 wouldn't play on 1T32, 90021 ran round for ECS back to Wembley.

[Rhydgaled]

How are Eurostar managing to run extra services? were the yellow ends on the SNCF sets simply covered with removable stickers or has the yellow-ends on all UK trains (except heritage stock) law been abolished on High Speed 1? I suppose they could have just found a way of getting passengers through customs etc. quicker so the Eurostar liveried sets could stand idle at the termini for less time.

 

Arriva trains wales could easily extend their WAG express to 8 carriges utilising their spare set seeing as Cardiff International airport is closed but not sure if they will

They have 2 specially liveried sets of 3 mrk2s with mrk3 buffet then do they? Interesting, since they reduced the number of 57s used on the train to 1 couldn't they have introduced a service in the opposite direction with one of the other 57s?

 

As for Irish traffic, what about Fishguard? Any chance of somthing more interesting than a 150 there (like the other WAG set assuming it exists and isn't in use)? (I'm sure I heard the Fishguard run is booked for a 158 anyway, so what's with the 150s?)

[Fat Controller]

How are Eurostar managing to run extra services? were the yellow ends on the SNCF sets simply covered with removable stickers or has the yellow-ends on all UK trains (except heritage stock) law been abolished on High Speed 1? I suppose they could have just found a way of getting passengers through customs etc. quicker so the Eurostar liveried sets could stand idle at the termini for less time.

 

They have 2 specially liveried sets of 3 mrk2s with mrk3 buffet then do they? Interesting, since they reduced the number of 57s used on the train to 1 couldn't they have introduced a service in the opposite direction with one of the other 57s?

 

As for Irish traffic, what about Fishguard? Any chance of somthing more interesting than a 150 there (like the other WAG set assuming it exists and isn't in use)? (I'm sure I heard the Fishguard run is booked for a 158 anyway, so what's with the 150s?)

Eurostar will simply have used spare sets (they're not that tightly diagrammed), or deferred planned maintenance for a couple of days. They'll not have needed to use any of the sets that are with SNCF, which probably wouldn't have the correct TVM parameters anyway.

Eurotunnel were running about 50% more trains this morning, in comparison to a normal Sunday, and they seemed to be pretty full.

[DavidB-AU]

Monday 19 April

 

Additional trains:

* 0900 London Euston - Glasgow, calling Crewe, Preston and Carlisle

* 0910 Glasgow- London Euston, calling Carlisle, Preston and Crewe

* 1333 London Euston - Lancaster, calling Crewe, Warrington Bank Quay, Wigan North Western and Preston

* 1540 Glasgow - London Euston, calling Carlisle, Preston and Crewe

* 1703 Lancaster - Glasgow, calling Carlisle (extension of 1430 Euston – Lancaster

* 2000 Glasgow - London Euston, calling Carlisle, Preston, Crewe and Birmingham International.

 

Trains with extra capacity:

* 0703 London Euston - Birmingham New Street

* 0850 Birmingham New Street - London Euston

* 0910 London Euston - Holyhead (extra seats between Chester and Holyhead)

* 1020 Birmingham New Street - Edinburgh

* 1043 London Euston - Birmingham New Street

* 1230 Birmingham New Street - London Euston

* 1358 Holyhead - London Euston (extra seats between Holyhead and Chester)

* 1443 London Euston – Birmingham New Street

* 1452 Edinburgh - Birmingham New Street

* 1630 Birmingham New Street - London Euston

* 1635 Chester - London Euston

* 1903 London Euston – Birmingham New Street

* 2010 London Euston - Chester

* 2050 Birmingham New Street - London Euston.

 

 

Additional trains:

• 12.45 Edinburgh to London King's Cross, calling at Newcastle, Darlington, York and Doncaster;

• 15.45 London King's Cross to Edinburgh, calling at Doncaster, York, Darlington and Newcastle;

• 17.49 London King's Cross to Newcastle, calling at Peterborough, Grantham, Newark North Gate, Doncaster, York, Darlington and Newcastle.

 

Revised East Coast trains:

• 07.00 Newcastle to London King's Cross will start from Edinburgh at 05.30;

• 07.30 London King's Cross to Newcastle will run through to Edinburgh;

• 11.30 Newcastle to London King’s Cross will start from Edinburgh at 10.00;

• 16.30 London King's Cross to Newcastle will run through to Edinburgh;

• 17.49 London King’s Cross to Leeds is cancelled.

• 18.30 London King's Cross to Newcastle will run through to Edinburgh;

• 19.00 London King's Cross to Newcastle will run through to Edinburgh.

[Gwiwer]

"ASHEX" may indeed be unprecedented but could be borrowed in future for steam-hauled operations! Since the "EX" part refers to "Excursion" and not "Extra" (ADEX = Additional Excursion, not Additional Extra) does this mean there are trains running just to see the ash? How about some claggy steam on the sharp end?

 

Options for additional domestic services would be fairly restricted. Most domestic air travel is to / from / via a London destination; there simply isn't the stock nor the paths available under the present regime to do much to help. The days of having spare excursion stock parked out of use for 40 weeks of the year are long gone; so are the days of really unusual motive power turning up on the front of them. A hopeful traveller displaced from a London - Edinburgh flight isn't going to find himself in a rake of Mk1 stock behind 89001 on the Edinburgh extras, for example

[DavidB-AU]

"ASHEX" may indeed be unprecedented but could be borrowed in future for steam-hauled operations! Since the "EX" part refers to "Excursion" and not "Extra" (ADEX = Additional Excursion, not Additional Extra) does this mean there are trains running just to see the ash? How about some claggy steam on the sharp end?

I have seen CLAGEX used in the past, usually refering to pairs of tractors.

 

Options for additional domestic services would be fairly restricted. Most domestic air travel is to / from / via a London destination;

The busiest domestic air routes are London to Edinburgh, Glasgow, Manchester, Aberdeen and Newcastle. Glasgow peaked in 2003 and has been in decline ever since, possibly attributable to the Pendo. Edinburgh and Newcastle peaked in 2005 (did GNER do something special then?). The only other significant domestic air routes are London - Belfast, Liverpool - Belfast and London - Jersey.

 

The figures also show that a fair chunk of passengers on domestic flights transferred to/from a connecting international flight. The lowest are (understandably) the "over water" routes (down around 30%) and the highest is Manchester (about 75%). The overall average is 60%.

 

Are there any spare or off lease HSTs or LCHS available should the eruption go on much longer?

 

Another thing to think about is what might happen if this doesn't end soon and mothballed ferries (withdrawn due to competition from budget airlines) are put back into service.

 

Cheers

David

[ringo]

Volcano.....

 

Make a good name for a new build LNER pacific !

 

R

[Ron Ron Ron]

Eurostar will simply have used spare sets (they're not that tightly diagrammed), or deferred planned maintenance for a couple of days. They'll not have needed to use any of the sets that are with SNCF, which probably wouldn't have the correct TVM parameters anyway.

Eurotunnel were running about 50% more trains this morning, in comparison to a normal Sunday, and they seemed to be pretty full.

I presume that the stock that went to SNCF is in use on their network anyway. i.e. not available, even if they were in a suitable equipped condition for CT use (which we are told they no longer are).

 

On the subject of stranded passengers overseas; when flights are resumed, many will not be able to return so easily.

Most flights from continental Europe to the UK (particularly on the Low-Cost airlines) are fully booked up for the next couple of weeks anyway. There is not sufficient, if any, capacity to accommodate those whose flights have been cancelled.

It isn't like flights have been delayed and once everything gets moving everyone gets to travel.

 

SWMBO and myself, spent 4 hours on Saturday night, trying to find return travel for friends returning from their house in southern Spain, back home to the UK. Their Sunday flights having been cancelled.

Absolutely no joy finding five seats (assuming flights restarted) on Easy Jet , Ryanair, FlyBe, plus various other airlines; from several Spanish airports (they were prepared to drive across Spain), to anywhere in the UK.

We tried various routings via Amsterdam, Paris, Geneva, Frankfurt etc. No joy until Friday at the earliest.

Some airlines and routes are completely booked up until the end of the month and beyond.

 

BA and Iberia could offer five one-way Premium Business seats from Madrid to London from Thursday onwards, for £3500+ and £4200+ respectively !!!!!!

 

Eurostar Paris - London very early Wednesday morning, or Thursday - €722 for 2 adults & 3 children. Plus the cost of travel from southern Spain to Paris (which proved to be a nightmare...).

 

Ferry's from Spain (Santander and Bilbao) are also fully booked up until next week.

 

Eventually we found some empty seats on FlyBe, Faro to Exeter on Saturday afternoon. There were no others on FlyBe to anywhere in the UK until Tuesday week onwards.

That's an extra week in the sun (except it's p***ing down there apparently) and another week off work and school. It's a tough life !

 

Our neighbours are also stranded in Spain (own place again). The earliest they could re-book for was next Monday. They're quite happy about it though.

 

Now it just depends on the weather systems changing so that the ash plume is blown away to the NE.

 

.

 

 

 

[The Stationmaster]

I have seen CLAGEX used in the past, usually refering to pairs of tractors.

 

Cheers

David

 

 

I think - without checking the book - that the only official terms were PARSPEC and ADEX. But unofficial ones slipped into regular use, particularly FOOTEX, MYSTEX, and CRANKEX. Far less common is (or was) GREEKEX.

[John M Upton]

The foreign language student specials run from Eastbourne to Vic and vice versa (in recent years using 442's) have often been reffered to as BRATEX!!

 

Ironically whilst extra services are being laid on across the country, when the line was temporarily closed at Streatham a couple of days ago, the usual plan of chopping the GatEx services to half hourly was not bothered with, instead they were stopped completely as no one is travelling on them to/from Gatwick at the moment!!

[Gwiwer]

In the days of the all-night service between Victoria and Brighton the early morning up trains on a Saturday and Sunday were disrespectfully, but somewhat accurately, referred to by some staff and enthusiasts as "SH*GEX" The 04.20 up was perhaps the worst offender returning weary / inebriate / stoned / amorous clubbers and others from their day and night out by the sea.

 

I concur that the only commonly used official term was ADEX but that FOOTEX, MYSTEX and CHARTEX in particular have entered official vocabulary through common use.

[DavidB-AU]

A variant of FOOTEX was YOBBEX.

 

Cheers

David

[Guest Max Stafford]

The last train from Southend Central to Grays via Tilbury on Saturday and Sunday was often referred to as SCROTEX...

 

Dave.

[DavidB-AU]

Virgin 20 - 23 April

 

Additional:

* 0900 London Euston - Glasgow, calling Crewe, Preston and Carlisle

* 0910 Glasgow- London Euston, calling Carlisle, Preston and Crewe

* 1333 London Euston - Lancaster, calling Crewe, Warrington Bank Quay, Wigan North Western and Preston

* 1540 Glasgow - London Euston, calling Carlisle, Preston and Crewe

* 1430 Euston - Glasgow Central calling Warrington Bank Quay, Wigan North Western, Preston, Lancaster and Carlisle

* 2000 Glasgow - London Euston, calling Carlisle, Preston, Crewe and Birmingham International.

 

Trains that will have extra carriages / seats:

* 0703 London Euston - Birmingham New Street

* 0850 Birmingham New Street - London Euston

* 0910 London Euston - Holyhead

* 1020 Birmingham New Street- Edinburgh

* 1043 London Euston - Birmingham New Street

* 1230 Birmingham New Street - London Euston

* 1358 Holyhead - London Euston

* 1443 London Euston – Birmingham New Street

* 1452 Edinburgh - Birmingham New Street

* 1630 Birmingham New Street - London Euston

* 1635 Chester - London Euston

* 1903 London Euston – Birmingham New Street

* 2010 London Euston - Chester

* 2050 Birmingham New Street - London Euston.

 

 

East Coast 20 - 23 April

1G22 1015 KX - Edinburgh (additional)

1G23 1545 KX - Edinburgh (additional, HST)

1N11 1630 KX - Newcastle extended to Edinburgh

1N16 1900 KX - Newcastle extended to Edinburgh

 

1A14 0700 Newcastle - KX originating Edinburgh at 0530

1A20 0900 Newcastle - KX originating Edinburgh at 0730

1F21 0945 Edinburgh - KX (additional, HST)

1F24 1634 Edinburgh - KX (additional)

 

 

Eurostar 20 April

From Paris to London (direct service only):

Train 9045: Dep 16:43 - arr 17:59

Train 9061: Dep 20:43 - arr 21:59

 

From London to Paris (direct service only):

Train 9022: Dep 11:32 - arr 14:47

Train 9040: Dep 16:31 - arr 19:47

 

From Brussels to London:

Train 9137: Dep 13h59 - arr 15h03

 

From London to Brussels :

Train 9138: Dep 14:34 - arr 17:33

 

 

BBC also said something about FGW running a train to Fishguard and NXEA putting on extra capacity to Harwich.

 

Cheers

David

[Gwiwer]

BBC also said something about FGW running a train to Fishguard

 

They might have found capacity to extend the HST through on the night "Paddy" which normally connects with an ATW service at Cardiff (down) or Swansea (up). That would give a lot of extra seats at the Fishguard end but those trains are already quite full between London and South Wales.

[Fat Controller]

We ran 6 planned extras during my morning shift yesterday, and I managed another three on an ad-hoc basis using crews planned to return pass and stock that 'just happened' to be handy. My predecessor on the night turn managed one which, given the paucity of paths and crews overnight, was no mean achievement. Whilst Dan Snow's mini-Dunkirk received a lot of coverage, the coach companies on both sides of the Channel seem to have been organised to carry rather more people. They were turning up in their dozens all through the night.

[DavidBelcher]

Local BBC news down here reported that a cruise liner was on its way from Southampton to Spain to collect around 2,000 stranded Brits unable to fly to the UK.

 

David