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Ken, Yesterday afternoon 801201 departed North from Darlington on electric, have they now got electrical clearance through to Newcastle? It looked like most of the carriages were only fitted with skeleton seats (no seat or back cushions) although I couldn't get a close-up view as the train wasn't on a platform line. Graham

That would explain things although it is more than a one-off run as it was back in York (platform 6 this time) at about 4pm with pan up and headlights still on, so I assume it arrived on electric. Crew changed ends and put front pan up ready to depart South. Had a look inside the train as the lights were on and the only activity (other than a couple of drivers eating their bait) was one chap with a laptop in first class.

800201 stood in platform 7 at York this morning at 09.15 with it's pantograph raised. Didn't see it arrive or depart as I was changing trains and didn't have time to wait around so unable to say if it moved in this state. This seems to be a regular training/test run but it has been on diesel over the last few weeks, have things changed regarding running on electric North of Doncaster?

A NoL set did venture north of York, but not under it's own power. It was hauled to Polmadie by two of Eurostar's 37s with match wagons, to commission the work done on the carriage cleaner which had been adapted to retract as each articulated bogie passed by - it worked. We also took the set into Glasgow Central to check signal sighting in the station, the set was propelled into the platform from the last signal before the station (the train left Polmadie with a 37 and match wagon on each end), an interesting move! The train was stopped in both Newcastle Central and Edinburgh Waverley stations at what was the expected 'in service' stopping point to identify where marker boards should be placed at either end of the train.

I think those photographs are taken at Doncaster rather than Peterborough?

It's quite a while ago now and my memory isn't what it used to be but I seem to recall that when the chord between HS1 and NLL was designed in for through regional eurostar services from the WCML (and potential frieght services) it was envisaged that Stratford would be the 'London' call for these trains. As Eurostar didn't - and still hasn't - got a licence to carry domestic passengers within the UK, Stratford was designed as a pick-up for outbound and set-down for inbound continental passengers. I doubt that many trains starting from or finishing at St Pancras would have called at Stratford as the 'regionals' would provide capacity for business travellers to/from the Docklands area. Regionals from the ECML would have had to go into St Pancras and reverse - this route exists - as there is no direct link between the two routes. The chord from St Pancras to the NLL was designed mainly for ecs moves as, at that time, Eurostar still planned to operate the depot at North Pole - as a point of interest you can see that the lines out of the international platforms are dual speed signed - the speedos on 373s show kmh when the train is in HS mode and mph when in classic BR/AC mode (as it would have been for access to the NLL). The regional services were going to have passenger check in at stations - a number of lounges were built throughout the UK network - and outbound security was to take place onboard using portable equipment which would be taken off at Kensington Olympia (prior to HS1 opening) for return north. I think the regional services had been abandoned before HS1 opened so I don't suppose any detailed planning on security north of London took place.

You torched a Grade ll* listed structure ?