Train fault grounds new service (BBC News)

[RF News]

A technical defect means a new rail service between the North East and London is unable to operate.

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[Gandalf]

Sounds like the engine we had from Edinburgh years ago.
Would have thought it had been mended by now though.
John (G)

[Foghut]

Poor old GC, they really don't have much luck - sometimes it seems as if they're doomed

I don't know my loco numbers, are the traction units ex-Virgin ?

[submarine]

Do GC have no 'arrangements' with friendly operators or leasing companies for the hire of power cars in an emergency or is there a closed shop policy in operation? I presume a 43 can be hauled dead by a 66 or a 67 if necessary and no doubt a qualified driver with the the correct route knowledge could be found. These situations are going to arise from time to time when one is trying to operate a service with such a small fleet.

[Foghut]

Originally Posted by submarine

Do GC have no 'arrangements' with friendly operators or leasing companies for the hire of power cars in an emergency or is there a closed shop policy in operation? I presume a 43 can be hauled dead by a 66 or a 67 if necessary and no doubt a qualified driver with the the correct route knowledge could be found. These situations are going to arise from time to time when one is trying to operate a service with such a small fleet.

There's a number of interesting issues here...

* I have a friend who drives for NEEC (what used to be GNER), and he often opts for the 'Thunderbird' turn, whereby he sits on a 67 which is on permanent standby at KX. I can't see NEEC lending GC a loco though, as part of the reason that GNER chucked in the franchise was its fury at the way the open access operator poached part of 'its route'. (Even though GNER has departed, most of the staff remain in their posts under NEEC).

* GC could certainly hire a loco from GBrf or FLHH or DRS, but I doubt they could rustle one up in time to save the service.

* I don't sign HSTs (more's the pity ) but I believe that if a single power car dies there's enough power in the one at the other end to keep the set in service - it just makes acceleration a bit poor, though the unit will still reach linespeed. So I wonder if the fault was other than a power car failure.

* The driver of the assissting loco doesn't need to know the road as he can be conducted by the driver of the failed train.

HTH

Foggy