Your Last Train Journey?

[Dave]

On the commuter service here (in Jakarta) there is a rule : if an intercity train is late on arrival to Jakarta and it's local peak time, then the train has to wait until a slot for non-local trains is available. It did cause significant delay on themselves but not on everyone else. But then most of the intercity trains are increasingly punctual and this doesn't happen often anymore.

That's really interesting! Totally the opposite of what usually happens in Britain!

Nowadays it is, but back in the day it wasn't like this. In fact the Harrow and Wealdstone crash was partly down to the fact the inbound sleeper was routed over to the slow lines to allow the Up "Local" to run fast. Lots of other examples of London commuter trains in that era getting the nod over the long distance trains.

These days we put too much into the intercity trains probably because they make the most money.

[YNM]

These days we put too much into the intercity trains probably because they make the most money.

Down here, the operating company (uhh, the only operating company so far AFAIK) do get subsidies for operation, but most of the subsidies are diverted to local services. All the intercity trains are now close to not subsidized (including the lower economy and business class, but now all cars are aircon-ed) which means they're more expensive than what it could've been.

Even so, subsidizing the local services means that the prices can be significantly lower, which attracts more people to use them. Thanks to no limitation on how many comes aboard them, I guess even without the subsidy it will still generate some income while retaining the very low pricing (at most IDR 1000 each 10 km ! That translates to 7 cent per 10 km !), and the fact that they're congestion-free means usage will only continue to rise even more.

[Dave]

On the commuter service here (in Jakarta) there is a rule : if an intercity train is late on arrival to Jakarta and it's local peak time, then the train has to wait until a slot for non-local trains is available. It did cause significant delay on themselves but not on everyone else. But then most of the intercity trains are increasingly punctual and this doesn't happen often anymore.

That's really interesting! Totally the opposite of what usually happens in Britain!

Nowadays it is, but back in the day it wasn't like this. In fact the Harrow and Wealdstone crash was partly down to the fact the inbound sleeper was routed over to the slow lines to allow the Up "Local" to run fast. Lots of other examples of London commuter trains in that era getting the nod over the long distance trains.

These days we put too much into the intercity trains probably because they make the most money.

I've got that all wrong - the sleeper ran into the back of the local which had gone over to the up fast as booked. But the point stands. In that era, "residential trains" - ie commuter services - had priority over inbound expresses from the north.

[JamieLei]

I did actually ask an NR signalman whether there was a mechanism to prioritise certain trains over others. There isn't apart from a Class 9 or Class 1 over a Class 2. Perhaps that was just that signalbox though.

[Pilot]

I did actually ask an NR signalman whether there was a mechanism to prioritise certain trains over others. There isn't apart from a Class 9 or Class 1 over a Class 2. Perhaps that was just that signalbox though.

Obviously the Signaller probably has to take into consideration the impacts of delaying one train over another. For example, it is probably better for him to delay a Class 2 Manchester to Alderley Edge commuter, than a Class 4 Intermodal that is heading to Southampton via Styal, the WCML, Oxford, the GWML and Basingstoke. The way I see that there is there is a lot more potential for more services to be delayed by the Class 4 than the Class 2.

[Ameecher]

I did actually ask an NR signalman whether there was a mechanism to prioritise certain trains over others. There isn't apart from a Class 9 or Class 1 over a Class 2. Perhaps that was just that signalbox though.

Old school regulation works in that way. TMS works more holistically on presenting trains to signallers in an order that is least likely to compound delays and affect other services, not sure it has a real life installation yet though.

[Geo Ghost]

I did actually ask an NR signalman whether there was a mechanism to prioritise certain trains over others. There isn't apart from a Class 9 or Class 1 over a Class 2. Perhaps that was just that signalbox though.

There is meant to be a kind priority system, but it does vary depending on location and situation.
1s or 9s will take priority over 2s. 2s will have priority over 3s. 3s over 5s (ECS that is). and so on.

Though you do get the odd change, exception, or mistake. There is something quite entertaining about watching a mainline express form the north stopped at the junction, whilst you're on a stopper being given priority over him.
It is a lovely, if slightly cruel, feeling! Just like undertaking a mk4 set in a 313

[Ameecher]

Went on a 700 today. Pretty snazzy bits of kit - I like the PIS very good.

Despite Southern being on strike (meaning I need to go from Gatwick airport rather than East Grinstead) I managed to travel from Gatwick airport to Milton Keynes in 1h35min. GatEx to Victoria, straight on to the tube and jumped on a just about to depart Pendolino to MK, first stop MK. Fluked it massively, didn't even run.

[Dave]

I did actually ask an NR signalman whether there was a mechanism to prioritise certain trains over others. There isn't apart from a Class 9 or Class 1 over a Class 2. Perhaps that was just that signalbox though.

There is meant to be a kind priority system, but it does vary depending on location and situation.
1s or 9s will take priority over 2s. 2s will have priority over 3s. 3s over 5s (ECS that is). and so on.

Though you do get the odd change, exception, or mistake. There is something quite entertaining about watching a mainline express form the north stopped at the junction, whilst you're on a stopper being given priority over him.
It is a lovely, if slightly cruel, feeling! Just like undertaking a mk4 set in a 313

These days it's much more obvious as trains don't really vary in numbers very much.

1 is an express, 2 not so much
3 an express ECS, 5 standard ECS
4, 6, 7, 8 and 9 are freights
0 for light engine.

The only exception to the above is that some expresses are class 9 to deliberately differentiate them (such as the VWC trains that go via Birmingham)

In the old days it was much more tricky - mail, newspapers and parcels could have any designation from 1 to 6 but would have always had priority as they are mail trains! Overnight sleepers were class 1 but were (and still are) timed so slackly that their priority was zero.

And that's before we come to the discussion of regional priorities. Cross country trains would always play second fiddle to a regional train in its own region.

So it's not always obvious!

[Pilot]

The only exception to the above is that some expresses are class 9 to deliberately differentiate them (such as the VWC trains that go via Birmingham)

Aren't some of the East London Line, London Overground services class 9 as well? Not quite sure they could be classed as Expresses


Anyway, back on topic, I ended up having a meeting on the Cumbrian Coast yesterday. Travelling on a Northern Only Day Ranger for £10!

1N56 0846 Manchester Piccadilly to Preston on 156488 and 156455. Unremarkable Journey via Bolton, first time using that line after quite a while however, due to all the building work that's been done, and the fact I normally travel to Preston with TPE (via Wigan North Western)
2C47 1004 Preston to Barrow-in-Furness, hauled by 37402 using set KM04. Nice blast up the WCML, and then along the coast, just a shame the windows on the Mk2s have been barred off (due to the tunnel between St. Bees and Whitehaven on the Cumbrian Coast).
2C49 1140 Barrow-in-Furness to Carlisle, hauled by 37403 using set KM03. Nice run along the coast on a nice sunny day, couple of 37s parked at Sellafield and an RHTT passed just North of Whitehaven (which then turned around and followed us to Carlisle).
2C34 1435 Carlisle to Barrow-in-Furness, hauled by 37409 using set KM03. A loco-change took place at Carlisle, apparently due to the Loco having a dodgy Speedo, and despite the efforts of the DRS staff to keep the train as on time as possible, we left 16 minutes late. In an attempt to make up time, we missed all stations between Carlisle and Workington, much to the annoyance of several passengers at Carlisle, and stations to Workington.
2C36 1803 Barrow-in-Furness to Preston on 153360 and 153330. Due to a delay leaving Lancaster on it's previous journey, the train had run non-stop to Barrow from Lancaster, and several passengers stayed on the train to Barrow and back to their respective Stations on the trains return run, meaning it was a little busier than normal.
1U79 2009 Preston to Manchester Piccadilly on 185114 and 185148, on hire to Northern. Following a rather rough coupling procedure (one unit had arrived from Manchester, and was heading back, the other had arrived from Blackpool), it was a normal journey via Bolton, though nice to have a decent train after those 153s!

[Dave]

The only exception to the above is that some expresses are class 9 to deliberately differentiate them (such as the VWC trains that go via Birmingham)

Aren't some of the East London Line, London Overground services class 9 as well? Not quite sure they could be classed as Expresses

Yes maybe should have said all trains! Not just expresses! But the reason for the ELL trains being 9s is also to distinguish them from the Stratford trains, and from Southern/SE trains on the other side of the river.

[Redirect Left]

Rather eventful day on the trains.

This morning struggled to get to Leeds for my onward journey to Huddersfield, seems there was an issue with trains into Leeds from <the south somewhere>, heavily delayed - worked out it was faster to get a bus to Dewsbury and catch a train from there into Huddersfield - would have been the one I got from Leeds anyway had i got a train to Leeds.
On the way back, all the trains from LDS to KGX were cancelled - seemingly there are some badly damaged overhead cables around Retford / Doncaster - Not sure if this was also the reasons for heavy delays for the trains around midday too? Ended up on a not-too-badly delayed service from Edinburgh to Bristol T. Meads, leaving Leeds at 20:11(ish)
Return journey, the conductor back to Leeds (Departing Huddersfield at 19:21 towards Newcastle) - the conductor seemed to have given up all sense of formality, as he joyfully announced "Please mind the gap when departing the train, if you do fall down its a lot of paperwork for me. Retain your ticket upon departure as you'll need it to operate the gates here in Leeds. If you do not have a ticket you may be stuck here indefinitely."

[Pilot]

Had a meeting with Network Rail in Birmingham yesterday, so a pair of journey's on the same XC Voyager.
0907 Manchester Piccadilly to Birmingham New Street on 220007.
1431 Birmingham New Street to Manchester Piccadilly on 220007 again. This journey was delayed by 11 minutes due to poor rail conditions in the Bristol Area. I also got a 40p cheaper bottle of coke on the train, thanks to the customer host needing change, and me only having £1.40 change, so I was happy there!

Also got to use the new Norton Bridge flyover both ways, which is useful for my route knowledge with that being my area! Also, I've noticed some new signals in the Wolverhampton areas that very much just look like a TV screen stick to a post on it's side. Rather strange really!

[OpenNSE]

Destination: Twickenham
From: Kingston
Company: SouthWest Trains
Details: Due to engineering works, Reading trains which normally go via Richmond had to go via Wimbledon and Kingston. So this meant instead of a 4 stop journey on a 455, I got a non stop journey ona 450!

Sent from my SM-G925F using Tapatalk

[Pilot]

Went over to York for a meeting today with Network Rail, meeting itself only lasted an hour and half in the end.

0851 Manchester Victoria to York on 185115, left 10 minutes late due to a Signalling failure at Liverpool, but the signaller (at Manchester Victoria) had kindly delayed the Huddersfield Stopper for us, so we weren't sat behind that at least!
1253 York to Manchester Piccadilly on 185136

[Geo Ghost]

On the train during thick fog in the early dark hours is utterly terrifying...

Enjoyed the sights of the lines to Cambridge and Peterborough today! Been chilly, but quite pretty out once the sun cleared away the fog

[Pilot]

So, on Monday (technically Tuesday here now) I did a lot of High Speed travelling.

0915 Manchester Piccadilly to London Euston on 390154, even though TRUST was displaying 390117. Arrived into Euston 5 minutes late.
1258 London St Pancras International to Bruxelles Midi on 3217 and 3218, train 9I32/9132.
1652 Bruxelles Midi to Amsterdam Centraal on Thalys 4342, train 9357, left Brussels 15 minutes late, arrived in Amsterdam about 20 minutes late due to further delays outside of Antwerp.

[Geo Ghost]

I would be going from Cambridge to London on a flyer.
However, I'm stuck in the yard as the points have gone all 'flippidy Floppody'.

Apparently that is the technical term now. Works for me!

[Pilot]

So, a few from the last couple of days

Yesterday (6/12)
1012 Amsterdam Centraal to Amstelstation on 140 (M53 Metro)
1022 Amstelstation to Amsterdam Zuid on 47 (M51 Metro) This train was more like the (older) trams.
1041 Amsterdam Zuid to Musuemplein on Tram 909 (Line 5)
1202 Dam to Amsterdam Centraal on Tram 2118 (Line 9)
1322 Amsterdam Centraal to Waterlooplein on 97, 96 and 99 (M53 Metro)
1432 Dam to Amsterdam Centraal on Tram 825 (Line 16)
1843 Konigsplein to Amsterdam Centraal on Tram 2059 (Line 1)

Today (7/12)
1309 Amsterdam Centraal to Schipol Airport. All I know is that Locomotive 186 149 was on the rear, and that the train itself was clean and well presented.

[Pilot]

Another few from the last couple of days.

Thursday (8/12):
1118 Alexanderplatz to Hauptbahnhof on 482 086-6 (that's a carriage number I think)(S7 S-Bahn)
1318 Stadtmitte to Alexanderplatz on 1072 and 1076 (U2 U-Bahn)
1332 Alexanderplatz/Dircksenstrasse to Mollstrasse/Prenzlauer Allee on 4006 (M2 Tram)
1506 Mollstrasse/Prenzlauer Allee to Alexanderplatz/Dircksenstrasse on 4020 (M2 Tram)
1511 Alexanderplatz to Hackescher Markt on 482 417-3 (S5 S-Bahn)
1937 Alexanderplatz/Dircksenstrasse to Mollstrasse/Prenzlauer Allee on 4032 (M2 Tram)

Friday (9/12):
1044 Alexanderplatz to Postdamerplatz on 652, 653, 640, 641, 642, 643, 644 and 645 (U2 U-Bahn)
1201 Stadtmitte to Fredrichstrasse on 2724, 2725, 2848, 2849, 2760 and 2761 (U6 U-Bahn)
1209 Fredrichstrasse to Hauptbahnhof on 482 140-1 (S75 S-Bahn)

Today (10/12):
1220 Brandenburger Tor to Hauptbahnhof on 2658 and 2659 (U55 U-Bahn), probably the shortest Underground line in the world, but still has more stations than the Waterloo and City line! Soon to be no more once the extension of the U5 takes over the line.
1247 Berlin Hauptbahnhof to Berlin-Schönefeld on 442 836 and 442 336 (RE7 Train), running 25 minutes late.

1851 Genéve-Aeroport to Genéve, pulled by 460 009-4