EB West Coast Coast Express update

[THX101S]

I've just looked at the video update of Roade and
its good to see that they have included the new
signalling around the Northampton area as i was
wondering if they would or not.

Its a shame there isn't a 313 included on the Euston
to Watford stopper as they run with the underground
also on that stretch of line

[87015]

Vid looks reasonable to my WCML trained eyes, although Northampton a tad rural. Any chance of the 'cage' at Roade over the slows though, it'd really make it recognisable.

With the new signals does this mean we have axelcounter failures every five minutes to contend with?!?

[31466]

Will there ever be a Nuneaton Branch Add-on, because I live around there, and I feel that the scenery to New Street is much better compared to Coventry - New St(no offence) especially since that Nun - New St is direct, and there is 2 lines towards it, The Central line(via Water Orton) and the Virgin Line(Direct)

So in conclusion lol, bring back Sunny Nunny!


end.

This would be a nice stretch for an add-on as you could drive many different classes on the drags from Nuneaton to Birmingham. It would be good to have it as an add-on like Leeds Loop was for ECE, you could call it Nuneaton Loop.

[jamiebowey87]

If you want justification for driving Class 47s or 57s on Virgin drag duties, theres plenty of occaisons its happened in the past on the electrified mainline;

I recall being 'dragged' by a Fragonset 47 all the way from Brum to Milton Keynes due to a loco failure at Wolverhampton. Delayed by about 45 minutes, but the 47 worked the entire sevice from Wolves to Euston! 47s at one stage did occaisonally fill in for failed 86s on the Euston - New Street diagrams. I remember seeing at leat a couple of times when an RES 47 would be hauling a Mk2 set, either from the 'proper' end or in front of the DVT!

I know there was at least one weekend when the mainline from Hanslope Jnc (north of MK) to Rugby was closed (in itself pretty usual a few years back!) but in addition on one Sunday morning, the wires on the Northampton Loop were also dead, meaning VT services were 47 dragged up until about 10 or 11 am, when the wires were switched back on.

I remeber one Friday the 00:02 Milton Keynes - Euston, from Birmingham NS, was formed of a 6-car Centro 150 formation! I dont know if that was to do with said wire switch downs, or if they were just on their way to Bletchley for a service. Either way plenty of scope for activities when the route is released!

[87015]

I recall being 'dragged' by a Fragonset 47 all the way from Brum to Milton Keynes due to a loco failure at Wolverhampton. Delayed by about 45 minutes, but the 47 worked the entire sevice from Wolves to Euston! 47s at one stage did occaisonally fill in for failed 86s on the Euston - New Street diagrams. I remember seeing at leat a couple of times when an RES 47 would be hauling a Mk2 set, either from the 'proper' end or in front of the DVT!


I remeber one Friday the 00:02 Milton Keynes - Euston, from Birmingham NS, was formed of a 6-car Centro 150 formation! I dont know if that was to do with said wire switch downs, or if they were just on their way to Bletchley for a service. Either way plenty of scope for activities when the route is released!

'Only occasionally' fill in!! Fragonset and RES 47s were a daily occurance into Euston, returning on the 1635 Sallop and last down Wolves! This was after they had got the thunderbird contract sorted, before that it was whatever 31/37/47/56/58 was lying around Rugby.

Those Centro 150s were booked!! 2036 Brum-Eus was an EIGHT CAR and the 2136 a 4 four car set. They worked overnight before returning north ECS on the Sunday although a pair did work the first Euston-Northampton semi. On at least one Saturday night these trains even went via Weedon!

Most classes can be found a prototypical working somewhere between Euston and Brum. Since say 1974 only 26s, 27s, 35s, warships, 73s could be a challenge?

[45002]

Nah forget the duffs drag duties,give me a class 40 with a class 81-85 with 13 mk1's in tow to London which did happern a few times in the 70's on late night Engineering work or even a pair of Rats,class 45/46 or even a Siphon

MARTIN

[rwaceyw]

Nah forget the duffs drag duties,give me a class 40 with a class 81-85 with 13 mk1's in tow to London which did happern a few times in the 70's on late night Engineering work or even a pair of Rats,class 45/46 or even a Siphon

MARTIN

Here's a chap who's got his head screwed on right

Dave

[45002]

Nah forget the duffs drag duties,give me a class 40 with a class 81-85 with 13 mk1's in tow to London which did happern a few times in the 70's on late night Engineering work or even a pair of Rats,class 45/46 or even a Siphon

MARTIN

Here's a chap who's got his head screwed on right

Dave

Forgot class 31 and choppers as well Dave

MARTIN

[NiallGray]

Then I come along and say forget all that!

For me, it'll be letting the EH2 pack loose on the route -- electric heaven!

[45002]

Then I come along and say forget all that!

For me, it'll be letting the EH2 pack loose on the route -- electric heaven!

Yes,But behind Mk1/2 stock,not that air con rubbish

MARTIN

[NiallGray]

Then I come along and say forget all that!

For me, it'll be letting the EH2 pack loose on the route -- electric heaven!

Yes,But behind Mk1/2 stock,not that air con rubbish

MARTIN

Who says it's all going to be air con?

And besides, wouldn't it be in front of, not behind!

[swt455]

depends on whether the loco is too old to have any power left and couldnt manage a slight gradient and the brakes are worn out... otherwise yeah, should be infront.

[45002]

depends on whether the loco is too old to have any power left and couldnt manage a slight gradient and the brakes are worn out... otherwise yeah, should be infront.

MARTIN

[rwaceyw]

Nah forget the duffs drag duties,give me a class 40 with a class 81-85 with 13 mk1's in tow to London which did happern a few times in the 70's on late night Engineering work or even a pair of Rats,class 45/46 or even a Siphon

MARTIN

Here's a chap who's got his head screwed on right

Dave

Forgot class 31 and choppers as well Dave

MARTIN

Stop Martin! I'm going to have to have a lie down methinks......

Dave

[jamiebowey87]

There was an occaison a few years ago I saw in a magazine of a Class 73 working from the south coast up to Brum via Coventry on a VXC Mk2 set filling in for a dead 47. Apparently it struggled to get up speed loosing bucket loads of time on top of the delay caused by the 47! There was definately an article about it, with a fantastic shot of it standing in international Station in the rain after dark! And Ive certainly seen a pic of a Class 56 doing a similar thing in the reverse direction, and I remeber seeing a 37 and RR Mk2 set laying over in International Station in the prre Cl175 days.

Its going to be a gold mine for activity writers, thats for sure! I myself cant wait to get a RES 86 up and down the line with a set of knackered VWC Mk2s - now that was defiantely a daily occurance! In fact Im sure there were more RES 86s on Brum diagrams than Virgin locos!