First LNER Azuma service to Inverness, 1Z41/1Z42 on October 23rd 2019, 800109, plus Sleeper shunting

[@reggiesmith3866]

A very nice video but it seems weird to me that Class 73s are being used so far north and the work for which they were designed on 3rd rail electrified lines in the south is mainly being done by diesels...

[@JosephNicholson-iq8nf]

This was a sad day - gonna miss the proper traction - but then again we are actually gaining HSTs (55+10+3 vs 32+10+3) - lovely video mate

[@arthurmatthews9321]

Paul Jones you are right about the old buckeye. The hard bit was pushing the pin back through while holding the weight at the same time.

[@kevinbaird7277]

British Railways to a T, brand new trains with state of the art technology onboard hauled by engines designed and built in the early sixties, yes that's right, 60 years ago.

[@AndreiTupolev]

I like how those Mk 5 coaches have a reversing alarm!

[@79MBO]

That’s not a reversing alarm, that’s actually the confidence tone on the shunters radio you can hear through the end doors. The shunter holds a button on the radio which sounds the tone on his own radio and the drivers radio in the cab so that the driver knows to keep setting back. If the tone on the radio stops the driver should stop the train and find out why.

[@callumgreen9317]

You would have seen my Stepmum in the cab of the HST in service arriving from Edinburgh she was assessing the driver

[@Lee_303]

I did similar on an all lines rover in '90 up to Inverness & Thurso, quite surreal on the last train at night (new 158) with the snow covered mountains glowing in the dark & station lights only coming on as the train rolled in.

[@kharkhov]

73's in Scotland now? Used to be regular through Clapham Junction on the Gatwick Express

[@DC-sd6of]

Remember when Birmingham NS almost came to a halt when a pair of 73s turned up in the early 80s; they rarely came that far north then. Now Aberdeen and Inverness hosts them via the Caley Sleeper services. How times change...

[@antman09ful1]

Great video John

[@AndreiTupolev]

Nice to see an 08 in action on the . That one looks very smart. I expect they were probably practising coupling/uncoupling with the 73s. It does seem to involve a lot of fiddling and filly-fallying around. Surely it must be possible to make automatic couplers for loco-hauled stock that incorporate the brake pipes and ETS connection so all you have to do is engage and disengage, like with multiple units?

[@keirannewberry6446]

Probably- how easy that is to retrofit rather than install new is a different question

[@ianjones4116]

It's still better than the old 'screw hook and eye' ,, at least these days you can Kneel in the 4ft and not get covered in 'poop' Agreed it should be a lot simpler to do that job. But then your putting all the Shunters out of work. Too much mechanized work,, bring back men with shovels 😁👍

[@nigel2093]

Great Video, thanks for posting

[@aaronarshad3687]

When will the Aberdeen service take place? Also when is the first 5 car Scotrail HST enter service?

[@sandycarlin4443]

the first passenger IEP to aberdeen was last night the 1400 out of kings cross

[@pj6641]

lifiting the Dellner coupling 2 people when we used to change the buckeye coupling on the 73's we had to lift by ourselves how times change

[@scotsguy422]

Namby Pamby railway where it takes two men with hard hats, gloves, bright orange jump suites and a written Action Plan signed by the Supervisor before they can do anything these days! Meanwhile back in the day we had an old dustcoat and a rag, lift the buckeye with one arm, slot the pin through and check it's ready for coupling! Could do it in 20 seconds easy, and couple/uncouple loco's in multiple when req.

[@ianjones4116]

@@scotsguy422 all that and still avoid the Turds in the four foot ,, from the bloody passengers !!! How times have changed. 👍😎

[@oliverthegreatwesternengin8029]

Is that Azuma fitted with a diesel engine or something? Or how did get up there with no overhead wires?

[@allabouttrains6027]

Oliver The Great Western Engine it is Bi-mode, that is it has both Diesel engines and AC 25kv overhead. It ran on diesel power from Edinburgh.

[@andythebud]

They have diesel generators to travel on non-electrified track

[@jonathan2010katie]

It was till it had a argument with a class 43 last night

[@oliverthegreatwesternengin8029]

Okay. Thanks guys! I thought the GWR ones were the only one's with a diesel generator.

[@oliverthegreatwesternengin8029]

@@jonathan2010katie Heard about that. Shame for both trains really. But at least the Azuma took way more damage than the 43. So maybe both will return to service as I dont think LNER would scrap a new Azuma so quickly, or a 43 that is only slightly damaged.

[@EM-yk1dw]

Nice video, shame about the nasty Hitachi rubbish. And it reality it will not be a 9 car for long as 2 services a day to Inverness, splitting at Edinburgh with 5 cars going onto Inverness and Aberdeen.

[@EM-yk1dw]

@MusicalElitist1 We will see when they start running 5 cars about after the novelty has worn off. The overcrowding on GWR when 5 cars are run is appalling.

[@EM-yk1dw]

Joe Lang you are not on your own. Government specified rubbish

[@pp37903]

@@EM-yk1dw So...who ordered the HSTs?

[@EM-yk1dw]

pp37903 The government but they were a darn sight more comfortable than the IETs

[@maxvandenberg6905]

Why did they change the class 73 rounds ?

[@railfreightdrivergallagherGBRf]

1st significant incident of an Azuma wasn't this,but the fatal one where a pair off 800s hit two track workers on the GWR main line in South Wales back in the summer.

[@medwaymodelrailway7129]

like the new video thank's very much

[@156andrew8]

when is the last highland cheifmen hst heading up to inverness

[@allabouttrains6027]

I understand published dates are December 9th for Inverness, November 25th for Aberdeen are when Azumas start running, though note RTT is showing variations to 1W96 schedule on Friday 6th.. and 1E13 Saturday 7th, not sure why but may be earlier positioning.. still shows as HST (1Z41/42 showed as “Electric Locomotive”).

[@riotinarover]

@@allabouttrains6027 RTT is correct in stating those would be HSTs though. The first Azuma comes up on the 9th. Last HST goes DOWN on the 9th - Last HST Northbound would be the 8th. Loved the video, btw. Especially seeing your photos from 30 years ago. Do you have a flickr account or something with more? I'd love to see more! :)

[@alhumphrey81]

Possibly earlier now LNER are a HST down.

[@riotinarover]

@@alhumphrey81 Hardly, as Azumas take over, more HSTs become available, and they could always use NL65, or another hire in. . .

[@alhumphrey81]

@@riotinarover i thought they were goung off lease and then to EMR? I thought LNER may struggle with 43300 half demolished, but you see confidence of hiring ones in to replace it.

[@budte]

Don't waste your money on First Class with the Azuma. Unless you consider a sausage roll a meal and a brownie the size of a postage stamp dessert.

[@slimytrollpig]

Why do I never see this happen in real life?

[@James-pg2sv]

Did Azuma go via Dunblane?

[@allabouttrains6027]

James it followed the regular 1W96 route, with stops

[@gregsd]

@@allabouttrains6027 What's 1W96? Where did the Shitzuma go afterwards?

[@johnhyde7275]

Back to Edinburgh.

[@heyrodders]

Interesting vid, thanks :)

[@fgwHST43009]

The same Azuma that rammed 43300

[@trainspottingscotland5182]

Rip 43300

[@Mechanicalrob]

What happened to 43300 please?

[@trainspottingscotland5182]

RJ S azuma rammed into the back of it while running empty and wrote it off

[@dominicfindlay]

@@Mechanicalrob twitter.com/Train_PlaneHub/status/1194904690863022081?s=19

[@Magicshuttez]

We’re is this

[@scotsguy422]

Inverness

[@allabouttrains6027]

Inverness

[@47606odin]

bloody hell those 73's are noisy now

[@cam43002]

Yea they sound quite nice

[@47606odin]

@@cam43002 i prefer the little EE lumps personally. they purred nicely

[@cam43002]

@@47606odin yea fair enough

[@luigifonnetti6286]

Incredible I’m dead lol

[@saltspringrailway3683]

That Azuma looks the business, pity it's not made in Britain.

[@johnborthwick5399]

Manufactured in Newton Aycliffe,but I know what you mean.

[@saltspringrailway3683]

@@johnborthwick5399 Fair enough

[@Lee_303]

Politicians wanted the bullet train, we got a very distant relative. The gWr version even comes with "austerity seating" but otherwise it's so good to have bi-modes that can go further!

[@CC-Cobalt-1043]

@@johnborthwick5399 that one may have been but the first ones were made in Japan

[@phillipjones3439]

Aren't modern trains boring? Sterile. At least the Class 73 EDs are still around albeit minus their English Electric power equipment.

[@JoshMC.travels]

You can see me in one off your shots

[@allabouttrains6027]

Fame ! Sadly I cannot pay royalties. Where did we catch you ? :-)

[@JoshMC.travels]

Standing up by the cab off the Azuma in the grey puffy jacket and my lanyard on

[@Elliotisreallycool]

lner hst s are out of bizns

[@spuds4t]

Great livery, very smart all that is need now is an atractive female crew "al la" Shinkansen !