The Cumbrian Mountain Express 22/04/17.

I think you have contradicted yourself. That route may well need special arrangements. Special arrangements, of course, need a bit of forward planning. Someone may need to go to the site and check something, report back, maybe arrange for a hand-signaller (for example) to be on duty on the day. That can't be arranged in a couple of hours on a Saturday morning. Then there's the thorny issue of gauge checking - if 46115 hasn't worked that route recently (within 6 months??) then she won't be allowed round there unless the clearances are known to be OK. Could that check have been done in the time available? There are many perfectly reasonable scenarios in which it makes sense that a passenger train is allowed that way on one occasion and then not on another occasion.

 

Fair comment!

 

Dunmail Raise is Cumbria's Watford Gap (so I heard)

 

When I first read that I thought you had written Dunmail Park....

 

Just received a letter from RTC (dated 24 April), explaining Saturday's events and apologising. The events are generally as we knew on the day, but there are a couple of points worth noting.

The cause of the failure of the electric locomotive is "currently under investigation".

I wonder if this will affect the choice of motive power for the next CME.

"Despite having requested and agreed by Network Rail for the train to traverse Upperby Curve and bypass Carlisle in order to reduce the delay, the signalling manager at Carlisle refused this option. We were informed of a revised departure time from Carlisle, which unfortunately Network Rail then delayed even further . . . "

As there are several CMEs due to run this year it appears that there needs to be a clarification if the Upperby Curve can be used and if so who decides and when. Like many large organisations sometimes procedures and individuals need to see a bigger picture; procedures, safety are a means to an end, the customer is king (or queen).

The letter also offers a "discount off your next booking".

Well done RTC.

 

Whilst management may manage I believe that the signallers / signal manager have the last word as they are "on the ground" hence aware of potential consequences. When I was familiar with railway signalling thanks to frequent visits to local boxes, it was always the case that the Area Managers set out an operating framework but the local signalmen had the right to take decisions to meet local circumstances; they also took responsibility if things went wrong as in the Quintishill disaster !

 

Giving the hand WCRC, RTC were dealt on the day, I think they delivered as good an experience for those travelling public as they could.

In light of it being a repeat schedule, looking into the possibility to re-instate Upperby Curve for passenger use, should be raised.

The ability to catch up on earlier delays, by its use, would benefit everybody it would seem.

Only a suggestion, usual caveats apply......

 

This particular sentence from the RTC letter seems a bit surprising. There are service trains down the S and C at 1550 and 1618. Given the arrival time and turnaround time at Carlisle plus the 20 min block sections and the need for water at Appleby, I don't really see how an earlier path would have worked without significantly delaying the 1618 if everything else ran according to plan. One of the many unfortunate things is that the 1618 then actually managed to lose 15 mins between Howe and Cos and Kirkby Thore for whatever reason. On the other hand the timings then turned out quite fortuitous at Clitheroe and Blackburn.

What is the Upperby Curve used for? I'm just wondering what reasons there might be for not allowing a right turn. I can't really see how out of gauge can be one. Condition of track? Conflicting movements? I hope there was a good legitimate reason

 

I believe it's used to turn trainsets if required. In November 2016 a Southport - Edinburgh charter suffered a speedometer fault on the leading locomotive whilst traversing the S&C and the curve was used to gain access to Upperby Sidings where the trainset reversed for the onward journey to Edinburgh. A further benefit of this move was that the return journey from Edinburgh traversed the suburban line to keep the faulty loco on the rear.

 

I guess there would have potentially been the option to shunt back into the siding at Appleby to let the 1618 through. A longer stop over at Appleby had been mentioned amongst all the rumour on what was happening on the day.

It's used to turn the loco's for starters, so I think gauging would definitely not be a reason. More likely prior warning of it's use, as a charter taking that line is not a regular occurence?

Supposedly, reports of trespass.

 

On 11 July 2015 Mrs W and I were on the even later running CME (driver of diesel changed and brake inspection following red signal incident). 46115 complete with train and passengers stopped and watered on "the curve" before joining the S&C. The difference was that the use was planned; the destination was Appleby and not Carlisle - a (very significant) difference that I had forgotten. It is easy to surmise that some sort of inspection must be carried out before use by passenger trains. I don't know if that moves us forward in trying to understand what happened.

 

I think you may find that for the Upperby curve to be used by a passenger train it is necessary for a Goods Line Authority to be issued in advance. Without this authority Carlisle box cannot permit a Class 1 (passenger) train to be signalled that way. These things can sometimes be arranged at short notice, depending on the local circumstances, but if, say for example, the presence of a MOM (Mobile Ops Manager) is necessary, and one is not available at the time, then authority cannot be issued. It sounds to me as if this option was explored but the necessary arrangements could not be made in time.

This is pure speculation on my part as I was not there, but hey..........everyone else indulges in speculation on Nat Pres so why shouldn't I?

Peter James

 

Presumably the MOM is the person who has to clip the points at both ends of the curve and physically observe the train passing under a GLA for a steam operation?