Mid Hants Railway Operational Matters

Only one of the Class 31's will be in use: 31128. 31210 will be hauled with the 4-vep unit.

 

Because you can't drive a class 31 from a 4-VEP, only 33s and 73s.

 

Strictly speaking, only the 19 cl. 33/1s.

Meanwhile, the doors on the ends 31s are a different design to the SR EMU gangways - if they work (it was one of the less lasting modernisation plan "features").

 

Who was even thinking of doors on the ends of the locos allowing access to the carriages??? Surely, all they need to do to reverse is open the cab door on the loco and walk, either along a platform or even on the trackside to the door of the loco at the opposite end? The locos don't even have to have connected controls, with the "live" loco pulling the carriages plus the "dead" one, as long as the train is through braked?

 

Obviously H & H and NR think not.

 

Really? i was hoping that you (with your obvious expert knowledge) might explain why that might be the case.

 

Oh dear. [BJ]

 

That schedule does not show a reversal anywhere. Moves like this do go around the houses.

'Back in the day' (old man reminiscence alert ) I was asked to ride with the driver of a Hampshire unit on its delivery from Eastleigh Works to Selhurst (the last such move, I believe). The route was Eastleigh - Basingstoke - Wimbledon West Jn - Streatham Jns. (over) - Tulse Hill - Herne Hill - Brixton - Factory Jn - Longhedge Jn - Pouparts Jn - Clapham Jn (Brighton side) - Balham - Streatham Jns. (under) - Selhurst Stn. - Selhurst Depot.

Fascinating trip, but purely to avoid changing ends and crossing over (even if that were possible on a 4-track line).

Pat

 

The depot exists north towards Strawberry Hill (and Twickenham Junction).

However there is a crossover just north of the station that goes from the up line to the down line. The Up platform (I can't remember which number it is) is bi-directional.

When 3417 made her most recent trips to the Bluebell, the light engine approached from Teddington and reversed into the depot and collected the train. On the return journey, she would also arrive from Kingston and then carefully reversed into the depot.

 

Another reason for the long winded route might be for a driver(s) route refresher for another job in the next few months?
Kill 2 birds with one stone.
Get the 31s and VEP to us and the drivers involved get 6 months worth box ticking done.

 

Think somebody is getting rather carried away here. Post#7621 is the clue here, 31128 will be hauling 31210 and 3417 , hence the rather long haulage to the Mid Hants, makes sense to me.
I have to say I have only ever heard of Eastern region Pacifics having corridor tenders for long distant non stop trips, The relieving crew riding in the first coach and taking over at a designated point enroute, I have never heard of any Diesels being so fitted.

 

I follow, but that line of thinking wasn’t obvious to me - especially as the 31s were fitted with doors

 

The early BR diesels were fitted with doors at the ends. However, I don’t think it was to connect with coaches, as on the LNER A4’s. If I’m right it was to enable crews to go between locos when working in tandem, which was common in the early days.

 

Yes there have been a few messages that I think were confusing with both ambiguity in the wording and misunderstanding on what the technical capabilities of stock is/was.

So:

• the Crew can walk via a Platform, or Lineside if necessary (or in extremis taking a block on another line), to another end cab (lots of stuff you can't walk through to change ends), doors matter nothing and have no relation to Multi-working (and they don't have the same type on 31s and a 4VEP)
• Not all of the locos are allowed to Haul a Train on Network Rail, some locos are only allowed to be dragged (I think have a running gear inspection), hauling loco must have all the required inspections and equipment for the modern railway (AWS, TPWS & OTMR being the main equipment)
• Doors on 1st Generation BR Mainline Diesel locos were not for accessing the train for crew swaps/communication in testing (unlike corridor tenders) but were to go between 2 or more locos running in multiple by the crew. This was for the 2nd Man to access the train heating boiler if I recall what I have read correctly, looking at some pictures with a quick Duck Duck go search (a google alternative that allows and AI off) they look as though they are a reduced height variant of the older British Standard, not British Pullman (So like LMS & GWR carriages & 1st Generation BR DMMUs, not SR, LNER and BR Hauled stock and DEMUs & EMUs) so won't fit to anything but other locos without adaptors

 

Crikey! All I said was that it seemed to be a long way from Strawberry Hill to Alton!

Tom

 

SETG announced the planned move for today has been postponed for circumstances beyond their control, and is now expected to be carried out tomorrow to the same timings.

 

Post #7634 covers the tech stuff well.
As I mentioned earlier I believe only one of the 31's has full mainline approval.
I also suspect these days the ORR prefer not to have locos coupled and uncoupled in third rail areas, not sure what the non electrified siding space is at Guildford these days.
Having said that unless it is route recert not sure why when they have got to Acton Wells it does not head to Kew East Junction and go via Feltham and join the main line at Byfleet & New Haw and turn off at Pirbright Junction.

 

Thanks for the update.
It looks like the issue is with the Diesel operating the positioning move as the earlier move for this from Burton Wetmore didn't happen even though it was activated.

 

Brake problems with one of the 31s I understand.

 

Fingers crossed all goes well tomorrow. The path for the rescheduled run hasn't been entered in RTT yet. Does the railway have a plan b in case the 4-vep doesn't make it there as they will be short of a carriage set for the gala. The Class 56, 60, 66 and 33 are all supposed to be hauling the set during the event.

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