The Perils of Limited Running

[cessna152towser]

Saturday was a busy day when our monthly open day at Whitrope co-incided with superb weather.  Demand was sufficient to justify running an hourly service from 10am till 4pm and since each train trip covers two round trips, we ran the full line 14 times each way with 142 020.   I was train guard and after a few runs, on completion of the next run as soon as I pressed the door release buttons the door at the other end of the coach was already opening before I had time to press the nearest passenger operated "Open Doors" button.   A consultation with our driver quickly showed that the passenger operated button at the other end had jammed in the pushed in condition, easily solved by a firm thump on its console.    Just goes to show how little things can stiffen up or seize if lying out of use for a week or two.

[Colin_McLeod]

This also shows the importance of full safety  checks before starting out.

[AY Mod]

29 minutes ago, cessna152towser said:

easily solved by a firm thump on its console. in service maintenance.

 

;)

[Michael Hodgson]

Presumably the heritage centre would close if the rest of the route is reopened from Borders Railway's current terminus, which I thought was the long-term intention of the Scottish Government?  If they do still intend to do that, I imagine Westminster's lack of interest would raise political and legal issues over whether the Scottish Government had the powers to fund the bit that is in England.

[cessna152towser]

1 hour ago, Michael Hodgson said:

Presumably the heritage centre would close if the rest of the route is reopened from Borders Railway's current terminus, which I thought was the long-term intention of the Scottish Government?  If they do still intend to do that, I imagine Westminster's lack of interest would raise political and legal issues over whether the Scottish Government had the powers to fund the bit that is in England.

When the heritage centre tracks were laid it was a stated intention at the time that this would be done to Network Rail standards, ready for main line use if/when the southern section of the Waverley line would be re-instated.   However the heritage centre track is sixty foot panels, recovered when the Settle-Carlisle line was re-laid with continuous welded rail, so would need re-placing.  There have also been other proposals which would see a new build route south of Hawick which would bypass Whitrope.   There is currently a Borderlands Growth Deal in place, involving the Westminster and Scottish governments along with Northumbria and Cumbria County Councils, Carlisle City Council, Scottish Borders Council and Dumfries & Galloway Council and I understand that £15 million of that funding deal has been earmarked for a feasability study re the route between Tweedbank and Carlisle.

Edited June 4, 2023 by cessna152towser
The word "study" missing from original post

[MarkC]

6 hours ago, cessna152towser said:

easily solved by a firm thump on its console

Percussive maintenance at its finest... 😎

[Edwin_m]

A typo in a set of minutes I saw a long time ago: "Fist line maintenance will be done by the local technicians".  

[EdChap]

When I worked for BR Southern, it was often joked that Stewarts Lane Depot only ever used hammers to maintain their trains!!!

Edited June 5, 2023 by EdChap

[Talltim]

1 hour ago, EdChap said:

When I worked for BR Southern, it was often joked that Stewarts Lane Depot only ever used hammers to maintain their trains!!!

It's better than 'Fault book replaced'

[andyman7]

On 04/06/2023 at 17:11, Michael Hodgson said:

Presumably the heritage centre would close if the rest of the route is reopened from Borders Railway's current terminus, which I thought was the long-term intention of the Scottish Government?  If they do still intend to do that, I imagine Westminster's lack of interest would raise political and legal issues over whether the Scottish Government had the powers to fund the bit that is in England.

 

On 04/06/2023 at 17:53, cessna152towser said:

When the heritage centre tracks were laid it was a stated intention at the time that this would be done to Network Rail standards, ready for main line use if/when the southern section of the Waverley line would be re-instated.   However the heritage centre track is sixty foot panels, recovered when the Settle-Carlisle line was re-laid with continuous welded rail, so would need re-placing.  There have also been other proposals which would see a new build route south of Hawick which would bypass Whitrope.   There is currently a Borderlands Growth Deal in place, involving the Westminster and Scottish governments along with Northumbria and Cumbria County Councils, Carlisle City Council, Scottish Borders Council and Dumfries & Galloway Council and I understand that £15 million of that funding deal has been earmarked for a feasability study re the route between Tweedbank and Carlisle.

 

Quite frankly if the funding and planning stars ever align for such a reinstatement the presence of the heritage railway would be amongst the minor engineering issues. Anything is years/decades away given the normal planning cycle. If it were to happen the heritage operation could shift down to Riccarton and run a bit of the Border Counties line with a cross platform interchange 🙂

[The Evil Bus Driver]

On 05/06/2023 at 18:57, andyman7 said:

 

 

Quite frankly if the funding and planning stars ever align for such a reinstatement the presence of the heritage railway would be amongst the minor engineering issues. Anything is years/decades away given the normal planning cycle. If it were to happen the heritage operation could shift down to Riccarton and run a bit of the Border Counties line with a cross platform interchange 🙂

Doesn't the guest house at one of the the next stations have a fairly substantial length of track and a diesel shunter with a few items of rolling stock? Not on the Waverley route itself but on one of the former branches. 

[andyman7]

7 hours ago, The Evil Bus Driver said:

Doesn't the guest house at one of the the next stations have a fairly substantial length of track and a diesel shunter with a few items of rolling stock? Not on the Waverley route itself but on one of the former branches. 

Yes, Saughtree station, in the middle of nowhere if you really want to get away from things!

[The Evil Bus Driver]

7 hours ago, andyman7 said:

Yes, Saughtree station, in the middle of nowhere if you really want to get away from things!

Sounds fantastic, isolation does seem a very attractive prospect at the moment.  

 

There are a couple of stations not too far from me where two separate owners have put in bits of track too. 

[AMJ]

Sounds like something that a friend would report and then NL depot staff would say no fault found, probably after a thump had happened!