If you register, you can do a lot more. And become an active part of our growing community. You'll have access to hidden forums, and enjoy the ability of replying and starting conversations.

Winter CME's, February 2012.

Discussion in 'What's Going On' started by belle1, Jan 4, 2012.

Page 12 of 32
  1. steamingyorkshire

    steamingyorkshire Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jul 11, 2008
    Messages:
    2,204
    Likes Received:
    2,597
    Gender:
    Male
    Occupation:
    Lecturer
    Location:
    Leeds
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    Great stuff so far from a very difficult day...

    I've uploaded the clips from Nappa on the approach to Hellifield and passing Selside Cottages once the snow had set in...

    Video Available Here
     
    steamingyorkshire, Feb 4, 2012
    #221
  2. sgthompson

    sgthompson Part of the furniture Friend

    Joined:
    Jun 12, 2008
    Messages:
    4,010
    Likes Received:
    9,837
    Gender:
    Male
    Occupation:
    Tobacco manufacturing
    Location:
    Kendal
    sgthompson, Feb 4, 2012
    #222
  3. john34077

    john34077 New Member

    Joined:
    Jun 12, 2011
    Messages:
    184
    Likes Received:
    105
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    St Neots
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    Steve/Steaming Yorkshire. Thanks for your efforts. The footage today really reflects the landscape at this time of year up there and it must have been awfully cold. Much appreciated.
     
    john34077, Feb 4, 2012
    #223
  4. palace gates

    palace gates Guest

    Thanks for all the updates on todays train.I notice from the videos that the stock did not get turned at Carlisle as booked,was unassisted and that the load was eleven.
     
    palace gates, Feb 4, 2012
    #224
  5. ADB968008

    ADB968008 Guest

    Fantastic video entertainment on our run back to london, 981smithy, apologies that was me hanging out the window in the last shot.
    some brave people who went north today and stuck it out !

    Kudos has to go to everyone who organised today's train, we were warm, ontime ish and the 5 did exactly the job.
    the late running in the end came down to the delay coming in at Carlilse, subsequently knocking the time for departure.
    it was noted that a freight was looped for us (having overtaken us at Carlilse), subsequently giving a fast run through Penrith (here it would have easy to loop us and let VT pass.. On a day like today that could have been bad).
    Additionally, as James stated... No diesel... At all.
    the stock wasn't turned so were 2 from the front over Shap.. :)
    were an hour late heading back, but considering everything in..that's not bad.

    Very good day out.
     
    ADB968008, Feb 4, 2012
    #225
  6. Sheff

    Sheff Resident of Nat Pres

    Joined:
    Apr 21, 2006
    Messages:
    8,059
    Likes Received:
    3,137
    Gender:
    Male
    Occupation:
    Retired Engineer & Heritage Volunteer
    Location:
    N Warks
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    Splendid achievement by all concerned to run this trip successfully today given the network problems and weather. Just got home, 4in snow, so no wife, no buses and no taxis. Cue four mile yomp in blizzard.
     
    Sheff, Feb 4, 2012
    #226
  7. Martin Perry

    Martin Perry Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Moderator Friend

    Joined:
    Apr 15, 2006
    Messages:
    16,551
    Likes Received:
    7,897
    Location:
    1012 / 60158
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    Martin Perry, Feb 4, 2012
    #227
  8. sgthompson

    sgthompson Part of the furniture Friend

    Joined:
    Jun 12, 2008
    Messages:
    4,010
    Likes Received:
    9,837
    Gender:
    Male
    Occupation:
    Tobacco manufacturing
    Location:
    Kendal
    Thank you for the kind words . Steve
     
    sgthompson, Feb 5, 2012
    #228
  9. lappinp

    lappinp New Member

    Joined:
    Jul 21, 2007
    Messages:
    139
    Likes Received:
    38
    Also just got in after a very enjoyable day. Had to walk home from Euston though as no buses were going further than Camden Town on my route. Not to be bad as a 40 minute walk through a very chaotic Camden was quiet fun to watch. All the young things desperately trying to find a way home dressed for the summer, I had to laugh.

    I think our train was one of the last to arrive today as the Departure board had lots of cancellation including what appeared to be a complete shutdown of the Watford line due to signal failure. As I got in the snow had turned up to about 7 or 8 if that makes sense.

    By the way I only live 3 miles north of Euston.
     
    lappinp, Feb 5, 2012
    #229
  10. admin

    admin Founder Administrator

    Joined:
    Mar 16, 2005
    Messages:
    13,028
    Likes Received:
    266
    Gender:
    Male
    Occupation:
    Founder National Preservation
    Location:
    dover
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    Well I have just got in, trains cancelled, buses having problems, roads closed due to drifts. Officially been up 24 hours, and i'm tired. Update when I am more awake.
     
    admin, Feb 5, 2012
    #230
  11. Victor

    Victor Nat Pres stalwart Friend

    Joined:
    Aug 20, 2006
    Messages:
    14,526
    Likes Received:
    9,197
    Occupation:
    Retired
    Location:
    DEWSBURY West Yorkshire
    "Horrified" doesn't even come close. Lets face it lads, a fella has got to be desperate to drink that stuff. :tsk: :tsk:
     
    Victor, Feb 5, 2012
    #231
  12. Victor

    Victor Nat Pres stalwart Friend

    Joined:
    Aug 20, 2006
    Messages:
    14,526
    Likes Received:
    9,197
    Occupation:
    Retired
    Location:
    DEWSBURY West Yorkshire
    Sheff? :jaw::faint: Oh dear, the poor man.:tsk:
     
    Victor, Feb 5, 2012
    #232
  13. Victor

    Victor Nat Pres stalwart Friend

    Joined:
    Aug 20, 2006
    Messages:
    14,526
    Likes Received:
    9,197
    Occupation:
    Retired
    Location:
    DEWSBURY West Yorkshire
    I'm in shock, I don't want to talk about it.........................John Smiths???????????? :tsk:
     
    Victor, Feb 5, 2012
    #233
  14. Victor

    Victor Nat Pres stalwart Friend

    Joined:
    Aug 20, 2006
    Messages:
    14,526
    Likes Received:
    9,197
    Occupation:
    Retired
    Location:
    DEWSBURY West Yorkshire
    I've enjoyed watching the videos, top marks to all who ventured out and braved the weather, sounds like the folks on the train had a decent day. Well done to ALL concerned.
    .
    .
    .
    .
    John Smiths???????????? :tsk:
     
    Victor, Feb 5, 2012
    #234
  15. RalphW

    RalphW Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Administrator Friend

    Joined:
    Sep 11, 2005
    Messages:
    36,445
    Likes Received:
    9,907
    Gender:
    Male
    Occupation:
    Retired-ish, Part time rail tour steward.
    Location:
    Northwich
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    Just got round to looking at all the videos and stills and have to admire the efforts of all those regulars who spend so long standing out there to get the coverage, as usual their work is great especially with the conditions.
    As has been said already the late return was in no way attributable to RTC/WCRC, arriving at Pettrel Bridge on time we then had to wait some 25 minutes for a platform. Because of this we then left Carlisle late by the same margin, were further delayed by being looped at Greyrigg summit and then again before we could cross over into the loop at Carnforth. So after the loco change we left there around 1 hour down, obviously running in the +60 slot.

    I left the others at Crewe and then spent nearly 20 minutes de icing my car before a very iffy and slow drive home, half the roads I used having not seen a gritter. Only 2 vehicles parked at odd angles off the road, but they were 4x4 off roaders anyway.:whistle:
     
    RalphW, Feb 5, 2012
    #235
  16. richards

    richards Part of the furniture

    Joined:
    Oct 1, 2008
    Messages:
    4,708
    Likes Received:
    2,083
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    London
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    A great day - finally crawled into home at 1.30am after sharing a cab across south London.

    Although we were 1hr 15min late into Euston, it looked like we were fortunate. Trains had been seriously delayed over the Settle & Carlisle later in the day, and there were few other trains running out of Euston when we got home. Congratulations to the organisers and crews for getting us out and back with so few problems on a very bleak day. As for the videos/photos which have been posted, you guys need a medal. My hands were frozen in seconds just trying to film out of the train window.

    Some work still needs to be done on the train heating - our carriage flipped from sauna/gas mark 10 with the electric loco to seriously chilly behind the chuffer, although there was steam coming out of the train further down.

    Now I've just got to work out how to download the vids/photos from my new phone. Where's that cable gone ... and why does it smell of flapjack and pork pies?

    Richard
     
    richards, Feb 5, 2012
    #236
  17. malc

    malc Part of the furniture

    Joined:
    Jun 28, 2005
    Messages:
    2,475
    Likes Received:
    330
    Well, since we're all recounting our horror stories of getting home last night, here's mine....

    We arrived in platform 5 at Crewe at about 20.35. I watched the train *leave then wandered across to platform 1. After a couple of minutes, the 20.50 train to Manchester Piccadilly arrived so I got on and we left on time. Got off at Stockport and walked home (about 10 minutes, arriving about 21.45), but I did have clear a 3 inch deep snowdrift from my front door before I could get in. No problems - you Southerners just can't cope with a few flakes of snow.
     
    malc, Feb 5, 2012
    #237
  18. Big Al

    Big Al Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Moderator

    Joined:
    May 30, 2009
    Messages:
    22,590
    Likes Received:
    22,718
    Location:
    1016
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    Given the inevitable network chaos yesterday, the CME was a tour de force. The '5' was handled masterfully in both directions by the crews. 390 tons is a big ask in good conditions so it was an impressive performance in the snow and rain. As impressive - and I'm guessing because I didn't see it - was servicing the loco in what was almost certainly less time than allowed, being ready for the train around booked time only to be held up by NR trying to find a gap to get the loco back. When something as slick as this was tried with 70013 a while back we ended up with a poor fire and a consequential slow climb of Shap. Judging by our determined ascent yesterday, there were no noticeable problems this time so well done to the support crew and the loco crews.

    Yesterday also confirms the place of the charter in the pecking order with Network Rail. OK - it was a difficult day for them and I'm sure they tried hard to manage the system as a whole and all the issues that sprang up and not worry about individual trains. But IMHO the sign of a clever organisation is that they DO worry about the individual issues and impact. Anyone in NR watching the CME will have noticed it being progressively held back by them to the point where the arrival at Euston made it an issue for people to get home.

    Point 1 - Having arrived at Carlisle on time, they decide to hold the train for 25 min, probably so they could clear a platform in which the stock could sit while the engine was turned. This delays the turning and servicing.
    Point 2 - 5305LA folk and WCR having worked flat out to catch up time, NR still can't get the engine back quickly onto the train. So we are 20 late away.
    Point 3 - Despite only dropping 10 min on booked time to Tebay (and with the hard bit over), we are stopped and then looped at Grayrigg, when to have let us run on would have cleared the train at Carnforth in about another 25 min or so.
    Point 4 - Held at Carnforth for the 'plus 60 min' slot - inevitable.
    Point 5 - With time very tight at London, we are held outside Euston for 15 min because no platform is available. Not true. No platform was available for A CHARTER as a Pendolino was looped around us and into the station ahead of us.

    So a probable arrival back of 2315 became 2330 and for some, that 15 min was critical in getting across London.

    It really is time that NR realises that there are people (several hundred yesterday) on charters and not freight. I can live with NR managing charters when the train loses its path but when NR decides to make it lose its path - at Carlisle and subsequently - you do think that they need a smack.
     
    Big Al, Feb 5, 2012
    #238
  19. lappinp

    lappinp New Member

    Joined:
    Jul 21, 2007
    Messages:
    139
    Likes Received:
    38
    Had the same thoughts and Network rail treated WCR with contempt and therefore its customers with the same. However WCR do need to help the Tour Companies out as well with simple things like a working on train announcement system so they can keep passengers updated more easily on difficult days but also perhaps provide interesting updates for normal service. Also the lighting in the brake coach flickered most of the day(not good for those sensitive to such things) and its also difficult having a pee with only one dim bulb working. Also why does that one first class carriage have stupid hinged doors.

    Ok whinge over as it was a good tour and excellent performance by the Black 5 and also getting us all back to London when most of the bigs boys couldn't.
     
    lappinp, Feb 5, 2012
    #239
  20. Guest

    Guest Part of the furniture Account Suspended

    Joined:
    Sep 8, 2005
    Messages:
    3,614
    Likes Received:
    21
    Occupation:
    Occasional
    Location:
    G C & N S
    Here he goes again .................. a "charter" standard for tour coaches and mangement - charters to be treated like the Class 1 trains that they are - it NEEDS a proper concerted co-operative approach by all players - when the companies concerned can get off their mutual rear ends and respect their customers.

    If the DfT can attend Network Rail agms - why can't we?
     
    Guest, Feb 5, 2012
    #240
Page 12 of 32

Share This Page