Truth or Fiction

[Glen1974]

June 1993, IC225 set works a Wolverhampton to Euston timetabled passenger service???

Truth or Fiction?



ic225 by dogbear2012, on Flickr

[Briggsy]

I'm going to say true.

I have read somewhere before that a set was used on the WCML on a passenger service in order to carry out some tests - both on the Birmingham line and the Trent Valley line.

The only two bits of doubt in my mind are the date (1993 seems a little late for testing because the ECML was fully electrified by then - whereas 2 or 3 years earlier would have removed that doubt) and also the Wolverhampton reference. I know it ran between Birmingham and Euston - but not sure if it made it as far as Wolverhampton.

I'll stick with my gut instinct though - true.

[PFX]

Given the BR aspirations for tilting trains on the WCML and the fact the Mk4s were initially desinged with tilting in mind, I'm going to say true. Just for fun. Gives me the option of plausible deniability.

[Warbo40]

May well have done because BR had plans to order a further 10 sets of the class 91's to operate along the WCML after funding wasn't provided for the InterCity 250 project. Limited funding meant BR ordered class 365, class 465 and class 466 units instead which haven't worked along the WCML anyway.

[Nexusdj]

Probably though the closest I've seen a 91 to this area is Crewe (they did make light loco trips to and from Crewe electric in InterCity days). Saw plenty of Mk4's parked up at Metro cam . I seem to remember a 91 and mk4 set running a special to New street and also Euston to Manchester:

Piccadilly 30th June 1993 https://www.flickr.com/photos/37190-dal ... 511941154/
and this one just caused floods of drool
https://www.flickr.com/photos/37190-dal ... 1903337007

Winwick 28th June 1993 : https://www.flickr.com/photos/neil_harv ... 208464965/

http://www.traintesting.com/ic225_7.htm :
"Towards the end of June 1993 BR ran a series of IC 225 'Awareness Specials' from London to Manchester, Liverpool, Carlisle and Glasgow. The picture shows 91001 returning north passing Winwick on a London - Carlisle service for invited guests; these 'specials' were NOT for ordinary travellers."

[Glen1974]

Not really fooling anybody... It was in fact TRUE......

I can't remember the exact date, but the set arrived empty at Wolverhampton station from longsight depot and whent straight to Oxley depot.

We then found out it was working a timetabled service the following day to Euston....

Your right it was a publicity run to try and get funding for the 10 IC225 that where on option from the government, but unfortunately NSE got the funding instead...

I swapped shifts for the next day and was able to send the train of from Wolverhampton... The only IC225 set I gave the right of way to in my career....

[Warbo40]

I have to say that the IC225's, class 91's and mk4 sets, are such an underated type within the railway industry and by enthusiasts alike. I really like them myself and everytime i have to catch a railtour from Peterborough or go to the Nene Valley for a diesel gala i endeavour to get a couple of them in for haulage from Grantham and back.

I've only been haulage "bashing" again since late 2012 but i only need 7 more to clear all 31 of them.

[cyberdonblue]

I think the 90's and 91's looked the part but they weren't that great to drive. They were the first of the thyristor contolled locos and it took a lot of the challenge out of driving electric locos. The older locos needed a bit of care and encouragement. Stepping and running up and down "taps", and finding out how hard you could push a particular loco without "overloading" it was a challenge when you were (often) looking to pull some time back on an express passenger service (something else they're not allowed to do nowadays.) It was an art. You had to nurture your engine just as the drivers in the steam days teased and nurtured THEIR locos. The 90's and 91's were the first of the "brain dead" era, as I call them. Pull the handle to move, push the handle to stop (not quite that simple and straightforward but not far off.) They were the first ones to have a sort of "auto-pilot" too. Set the dial and watch the computer do the job. It was the beginning of the end, very sad. You could train a monkey to drive these modern day trams, because that's all they are really. The drivers art is fading fast. Only the freightliners and other freight traffic still retain a large element of the skills required, but even they have to behave like robots a lot of the time because of some of the ridiculous regulations they now have in place.

Dave

[coolbro03625]

how did u got br class 91 intercity?

[re57k]

how did u got br class 91 intercity?

Whoa buddy, stop bumping decade old threads! (that's a bit of a weird thing to do on forums)
That 91 belonged to Peterdhicks and I assume it was downloaded before the site went offline.
Also, it seems like that's not OP's picture.