Atlantic Coast Express: RTC/Clan Line - 2/07/22

There will be a diesel on the back

 

Fire risk?

 

No I’m sure it’s operational, what do they do with it left in London? Just a bit more for Clan Line to pull.

 

Would appear from e ticket that there will only be 10 on unless brake normally at one end hasn't been given a coach letter

 

This may be wrong, so happy to be corrected. Through the last decade or more, there was a cap on the payment for any delay mins caused by charters of ( I think) £5k per trip, or let's say a cap of 100 delay mins. There have been rumours from time to time that the cap has been removed. If true, that's a material change in operating conditions which would account for what we are seeing this year. Is it true?

 

I do t think it has been removed, Bahamas ran with no diesel as do many others. The Belmond only has a diesel on the back during the leaf fall season or when the generator car is out of action

 

Ok thanks, so maybe the answer to @Big Al is as simple as---- the 2019 and earlier runs were DB. If they ran into trouble, they would find a class 66 somewhere. WCR are simply not in the same position to cover the risk down there.

 

The risk has to be put into context, it’s failed to complete it journey due to locomotive failure once, a much better record than the marvels of modern technology

 

If Clan Line requires a diesel for insurance purposes it doesn't give much hope for other steam locos on the main line. <BJ>

 

It doesn’t.

 

Whilst I understand that Clan Line is reliable and have no knowledge at all of how such decisions re a diesel are made, I am not sure past history would be that much of an influence would it?
We all know of "Friday afternoon cars", we even had "Friday afternoon aircraft" at work but I am not sure it influenced rostering decisions any more than it would about where you used that Friday afternoon car.
I would imagine from an operational risk perspective (i.e impact on the network and other TOC's) all steam locos are even, much as I imagine say FLHH would say about their 66's.

 

I'm sure it's just for operational reasons

 

Sadly, I suspect that 'uninsured' steam is going to become steadily rarer as society and the railway becomes ever more litigious. The risks of penalties for failure seemingly outweigh the costs of hauling a diesel around all day. I would love to be wrong, of course.

 

I don’t think so, if you analyse it most diesels are there for operational reasons

 

The diesel will be required to haul the ECS back in to St David’s from Riverside Yard before departure to London via Taunton. Same diesel haulage to/from Riverside was required for up and down Great Britain ECS during the Exeter servicing stop in April which utilised the shadowing 47.

 

Some posts back, it was pointed out that propelling between St David's and Riverside yard is permitted, it was done a couple of weeks ago with the class 50 tour. ( Only propelling past one running signal is the basic restriction.)
The train is not booked to convey a diesel loco to Exeter and return. Perhaps the L||E move from Waterloo to somewhere convenient like Acton Lane or Southall or Clapham Yard was a late bid and hasn't been uploaded yet?

If you're really worried about the "operational insurance" view, the train will be running air braked, so any revenue loco on the network could assist if needed.

Cheers, Neil