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| Current WTT curiosity 05/04/2019 at 11:52 #117226 | |
WesternChampion
173 posts |
Thank you to all involved in the creation of this sim and its associated timetables. Having run the 2009 timetable for a while, I though I would have a look at the current WTT. A curiosity is an ECS move from Holbeck Loco Sidings down the freight only branch to Monk Bretton Loop and back (5Y42 out and 5Y41 back). Looking at RTT, these trains do actually seem to run and there is a picture of it here. Does anyone know the purpose of these movements? Chris Log in to reply |
| Current WTT curiosity 05/04/2019 at 12:09 #117228 | |
58050
2659 posts |
In some areas trains like this to check that the track circuits re all in order. Whether this is the case in this location I can't say for certain. I know on theWatford - St. Albans line they'd run an EMU along the branch to make sure eveything was working OK before the daily service started.
Log in to reply The following user said thank you: WesternChampion |
| Current WTT curiosity 05/04/2019 at 12:20 #117229 | |
Meld
1111 posts 
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Looking at Freight Locate I'd say theres a little more to this trip - its booked a couple of hours on Monk Bretton Loop and this week the outward has been running an hour earlier, making for nearly 3 hours in the loop. Wondering if its a driving examination for new Northern drivers Passed the age to be doing 'Spoon Feeding' !!! Log in to reply The following user said thank you: WesternChampion |
| Current WTT curiosity 05/04/2019 at 13:07 #117231 | |
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WesternChampion
173 posts |
Driver training of some sort does seem the most likely explanation. There aren't any track circuits on the branch to check. Presumably, once you have entered the single line, you could run up and down a few times without affecting any other part of the network? Chris Log in to reply |
| Current WTT curiosity 05/04/2019 at 13:22 #117232 | |
jc92
3685 posts
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Otherwise is it for unit testing ex works?
"We don't stop camborne wednesdays" Log in to reply |
| Current WTT curiosity 05/04/2019 at 13:39 #117234 | |
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Meld
1111 posts
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jc92 in post 117232 said:Otherwise is it for unit testing ex works?That crossed my mind at first but runs daily M-F near enough and any heavy maintenance I would assume be at Neville Hill as opposed to Holbeck Just had a little more digging, there is a 5Y40 0922 Bradford Int to Monk Bretton as well as the 5Y42 ex Holbeck, the return for Monk Bretton is 5Y41 in all cases Passed the age to be doing 'Spoon Feeding' !!! Last edited: 05/04/2019 at 13:45 by Meld Reason: None given Log in to reply The following user said thank you: WesternChampion |
| Current WTT curiosity 05/04/2019 at 13:53 #117236 | |
Splodge
716 posts |
Driver training - I've done it myself. Basically once past the stop board the branch is self-contained, and long enough for a unit to get up to reasonable speed to learn handling characteristics and do various scenarios of fault finding and simulated degraded working.  153378_MonkBretton by Martin Hodgson, on FlickrThe course has changed slightly since; but when I did it, the Manchester training school would send a course through once every four weeks and the Leeds school was offset so they'd do the same. Typically we'd get some practical handling on the way to/from the branch as well (taking/handing over the controls just outside Leeds with it being a complex area). On our last day a train failure meant we also had to divert through Kirkgate and Westgate rather than the booked route. There's the right way, the wrong way and the railway. Log in to reply The following users said thank you: GeoffM, Steamer, WesternChampion, mldaureol |
| Current WTT curiosity 05/04/2019 at 13:57 #117237 | |
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Splodge
716 posts |
Thinking back, Until around three years ago it was also used for low adhesion training - a specially fitted unit would spray a washing up liquid mixture onto the railhead to try and invoke a slide to demonstrate to drivers how to adapt their braking. Although this stopped before I went through the training, as can be seen in the photos we got genuine leaf fall conditions - we sent back all our units with 50p wheels through all the sliding - however, although the paths for us were from Neville Hill, we'd often take unit swaps - I suspect to ensure we got a unit due to visit a wheel lathe!
There's the right way, the wrong way and the railway. Log in to reply The following users said thank you: JamesN, WesternChampion |
| Current WTT curiosity 05/04/2019 at 14:15 #117239 | |
headshot119
4869 posts |
Splodge, very interesting thank you.
"Passengers for New Lane, should be seated in the rear coach of the train " - Opinions are my own and not those of my employer Log in to reply |
| Current WTT curiosity 05/04/2019 at 15:35 #117242 | |
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WesternChampion
173 posts |
I wonder if there are equivalents in any other parts of the country? Chris Log in to reply |
| Current WTT curiosity 05/04/2019 at 16:53 #117245 | |
Steamer
3984 posts |
WesternChampion in post 117242 said:I wonder if there are equivalents in any other parts of the country?GWR do, or certainly used to do, low adhesion training on the Okehampton branch. "Don't stress/ relax/ let life roll off your backs./ Except for death and paying taxes/ everything in life.../ is only for now." (Avenue Q) Log in to reply |
| Current WTT curiosity 05/04/2019 at 17:20 #117246 | |
lazzer
634 posts |
Steamer in post 117245 said:WesternChampion in post 117242 said:I can confirm this - I did my skidpan training at Okehampton station in 2013, on a 150 (having recently signed them after transferring depots). It took 15 minutes to do 100 feet up the hill and into the platform ...I wonder if there are equivalents in any other parts of the country?GWR do, or certainly used to do, low adhesion training on the Okehampton branch. Log in to reply |