Great Western Coffee Shop

Just wondering...

With last week's Wokingham to Reading blockade, I presume that some units were effectively "trapped" between Wokingham and Gatwick. As they had no access to their home depot, where was refuelling & light servicing carried out?

Selhurst depot; also access to Reading is available the long way round from Guildford via reversals at Woking and Basingstoke. 

All the necessary approvals were done for the Christmas blockade at the end of 2010.  I posted the info at the time but it was probably swamped under the mass of discussion about HSTs into Waterloo...   ;D

Paul

Indeed you did, Paul - and thanks for doing so!

See http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/coffeeshop/index.php?topic=9021.msg92272#msg92272  ;)

This time, however, turbos had to go via the Quarry Line to get to Selhurst depot - elongating the time they were unavailable for service.  I also suspect that the first two from Wokingham worked from Reading via Basingstoke, Woking and Guildford since they arrived at Wokingham with Reading conductor-guards already aboard.

Although the service looked as if it could be provided with 4 units, there were reports of trips to Selhurst during the day for fuel so some swapping must have occurred and there appeared to be a spare unit at Redhill sidings also.

I assume the southern drivers trained on 165/166 and subcontracted out to FGW also sign for quarry line and London to Brighton so I assume no new drivers needed to be trained for this? 

However, I am aware of some DOO of 165/166 between RDG and PAD, however, would 165/166s be allowed to travel ECS from Redhill to Selhurst with Driver only??

AFAIK there is no ECS working anywhere in the country which needs a guard on board.  Its all DOO

The first two workings at Wokingham were ECS moves from Guildford where the units were stabled the night before. The guard was taxied from Reading.

That makes more sense - at least they ran an earlier first service than at Christmas 2010 when on 29 / 30 December, the first train from Wokingham was the 0713 (cancelled on 30 December 2010) and a coach ran all the way from Reading to Redhill at 0534.