Great Western Coffee Shop

Traveling back to Cornwall each weekend there are certain things that I am used to seeing (and not seeing). Can anyone help with the following:-

Is the class 73 still there as it wasn't obvious anywhere yesterday and today (though was last weekend).

In its place was a single HST coach sitting as if removed from a train. Any one know the story behind it ??

And finally saw a Virgin 57 and FGW 57 go through Totnes (London bound) just after 3.00pm yesterday with the Night Riviera stock - is this a regular working ???

The class 73 is at Tavistock Yard, near Plymouth.

The HST trailer was involved in a Hot Axle Box detection, I'm sure somebody will be able to explain better than me what that is!

That was quick!!! Thanks

I wasn't paying much attention as I left Plymouth otherwise should have been able to answer my own question.

How do they shunt a coach off a HST presumably not in service???

The 73 is down in Devon I believe. The HST coach came from the 09:06 ex Paddington on Wednesday after the train activated the Hot Axle Detector Boxes and was found to be defective. Train was cancelled at Taunton, and a few hours later was taken into Fairwater to be shunted. The errant coach is being kept safe by Freightliner until it can be roaded away. Excellent inter-company co-operation.

..and it goes to prove the importance of the HABDs. Occasionally they give us false alarms, but they are worth it when the real thing happens.

Not a 'regular' working, no (hopefully!): see http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/coffeeshop/index.php?topic=5436  ;) :D ;D

Night Riveria was a positioning move as it was cancelled the previous night, and so the stock needed to get back to London. Tin Tin was used to take both errant loco and stock to Old Oak Common.

Leaving no loco at Long Rock, hopefully sorted by now!

Virgin 57 ran back to PNZ on Saturday evening to pull 1A40 PNZ-PAD Sunday evening, with a "runaround" at Exeter to take the Southern route to Reading.

the up sleeper was an HST on friday night!

Aren't there any spare 67s available to haul the Night Riveria? The FGW 57s are surely reaching retirement age by now!

Do FGW have any long terms plans in place for their sleeper services?

I cannot believe they use a 125 set as a substitute for a sleeper...is it free booze to dull the irriation...Jeez...amateurs.
Mind Tin tin is a great name for a loco...even if it is a 47 :P

Better than no train at all.

True true...with the right freebies, but surely a couple of 67s would do the trick!
A quick glance at the 67 site suggests that 4.18,23-28 have not done a lot in the last fortnight...OK they are probably regionally allocated but what price a reliable service?

Believe me, Control tried everything to hire in on Friday to haul the up sleepers, but no other TOC was able to help at short notice. As noted, the HST was better than no train at all.

ive been doing the route from bishops lyd to watchet at work (basically following the wsr line) and i noticed the mk 3 does that mean there is a short set running around or do they have spares?

I understand Rogang...my comments were flippant...very sad that the 57s couldn't quite cut the mustard... :'(