LE Movements, ECS and Test Runs 2021

A couple of images from Battersby Junction this evening before the loco ran round and departed for Grosmont:






Richard

 

Mini ecs LSL stock. 5Z18 Oban - London Euston.

• 37.521 + 37.667 to Crewe
• 40.145 + 90.002 to London Euston

Realtime Trains - 557D 1949 Oban to London Euston

 

A 40 and a 90 both providing traction at once? What's that all about?

 

40 provided the motive power southbound (pan down on the 90), whilst the 90 powered the train on the return.

I'd guess it was a driver / route training or refreshing trip

 

Is it the stock that has been all over the place this week, up to Berwick, down the Cumbrian Coast up to Scotland etc. Seems a hell of a lot of traipsing about with ECS in tow for a route learner.

 

Not my video, but this shows the consist...

 

Yeah its the same set, seems very peculiar to take all that lot on an ECS jaunt round much of the north and Scotland.

 

If it's driver training rather than a route refresh, would it make more sense to use a more typical train weight? And the top and tail not only gives insurance and eliminates shunt moves but gives two traction types for the price of one

 

I am more perplexed by it going from Crewe to Berwick via the Tyne Valley then back to Arnside last Thursday overnighting in Arnside station, then Arnside to Carstairs to Glenfinnan on Friday with an overnight at Glenfinnan (much as with Arnside I assume that involves parking up on the line), a trip to Mallaig on Saturday, Mallaig to Oban on Sunday, then back to Euston from Oban overnight last night. That's a mighty route learner, albeit overnighting in some nice spots!

 

Driver training or route learning doesn't require you to overnight, mid-section, in scenic locations! Nor does it require you to have a dog on board.

https://thumbsnap.com/vio4WQKn

Chances are it was a jolly for Hosking, nothing more, despite running round with ECS headcodes. I guess a £10,000 fine for non-essential travel would be nothing for him.

 

Perhaps the dog needed a break from lockdown, unless it was route learning. Are you allowed to run around using ECS codes when its not ECS?

 

A question I wondered too, as one of the Youtube videos I spotted described the service as a private charter.

My initial reaction was that the Youtuber was mistaken, but I'm beginning to wonder.

 

All meat...a Real Treat...

 

Did hear whilst at the lineside last week hat it was a Hosking Holiday but thought it might be tied up with looking out for further locations for day trips.

 

I filmed the train last Thursday, Hosking himself window hanging leaving the station with a few more in the dining coach and bar car

 

Is there a code for "practically empty coaching stock"?

 

Yes, ECS can convey more people than the train crew, but they must be staff. Does JH count as staff?
If you can access the train codes in RTT or OTT such trains should show up as "ES" ( Empty Stock Staff ) as opposed to "EE" ( Empty Stock)
Staff trains are coded "OS" ( Ordinary Passenger train - staff) where normal, class 2, passenger strains are "OO" or unadvertised "OU".

There used to be ECS which called at Wimbledon Park Staff Halt to pick up or set down train crew , but on a quick look these stops seems to have been discontinued.

Cheers, Neil

 

Maybe, pretty poor planning to run out of time about 10 mins from Carnforth where loops and sidings are available and have to sit blocking the mainline overnight with a generator car running for the neighbours to listen to.

RTT has it down as ECS (don't think RTT differentiates between ES/EE) it , albeit it seems to have run parts as 509C and others under a 5 headcode?

 

But was any of it essential? We're still under lockdown. You're technically not allowed to go to the next town if you want a day out, so why is it OK for a rich bloke to do a 1500 mile, multi-day, multi-traction tour of the UK in his own private train?