WCML Chaos affects Carlisle. The Loram 37, Freight and Flopsie get through. 24 June 24

WCML Chaos affects Carlisle
Wires down at Law Junction
Freight gets through.
Flopsie brings more Stock for store at Upperby TMD
Loram gets one 37 through Carlisle (out of two that set off)!
24 June 24
I'd expected another relatively quiet Monday with a couple of 'special' freights due at Midday and later in the afternoon.
At first nothing seemed wrong with the Trains at Carlisle station.
The Cement empties passed through en route to Clitheroe.
Then the WCML descended into chaos!
Pendolino Alison arrived - but didn't depart on time. A word with platform staff established that the wires were down at Law Junction near Motherwell. A critical junction both on the West Coast Main Line and on various lines to the north and across the Central Belt.
After a long wait trains seemed to get moving. Well Avanti trains did and the Avantis and TransPennine Edinburgh trains were ok once past Carstairs and Midcalder Junction.
Avanti started to run trains for Glasgow via Midcalder Junction, reversing to get to Glasgow Central. Effectively following the route used during last year's blockade at Carstairs. Delays of over an hour for passengers heading to Glasgow!
One TransPennine unit scheduled to Glasgow Central followed TPE's normal standby - the train was terminated at Carlisle and waited (blocked?) in P3 until that unit's scheduled time to return to Manchester Airport!
At one time only Platform 1 was available for both north and southbound Anglo-Scottish traffic.
Southbound trains were less affected - mostly only due to delays getting to Glasgow and displaced crews.
6K05 Carlisle to Basford Hall Engineer's train ran. And what a train - a long string of Plasser MFS-D and MFS-SB Material Conveyors - not too long that it wouldn't fit in a long loop! Very impressive especially as it was running via the Settle & Carlisle line.
We'd expected a 'test' train from Derby heading to Slateford depot at around noon. In fact, at first, it was noted to have been cancelled at Stenson Junction. A few hours later the word on the grapevine was it was running again some 4 hours late. Apparently a pair of Class 37s had set off but one failed almost immediately and had to be returned to Loram's depot. The train was also supposed to run up and down the goods lines from Upperby Junction to Citadel via Currock Junction and Peterill Bridge junction a couple of times.
What came in was Loram's leased Class 37 recently painted in Red and White, its first visit to the Border City in that livery. It was meant to go to Slateford via the Sou'Western and then intriguing lines south of Glasgow and the Central Belt but instead ran after Dumfries straight to Slateford.
Somewhat beforehand Locomotive Services Class 37 Flopsie appeared with a Mk3 sleeper in a lined Pullman livery and 4 ex-Caledonian Sleeper Mk 2 coaches. The loco was to run round the stock before heading back to Upperby Junction and the LSL Dept. Of course all interest in Flopsie faded once the Loram 37 arrived!
#carlisle #wcml #Class 37 #railwaystation #traindelay
The times shown on clips are for guidance only and shouldn't be taken as definitive.
Any observations are my own and not intended to show any authority and may show my misunderstanding.
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[@jimmystransportmarvels8815]

37418 was very unexpected! and that made a great picture coming in with D6851 as well!

[@jameseldershaw7194]

Lovely footage here Les as always!

[@LeslieGilpinRailways]

Many thanks!

[@gvdlpgg2406]

Yes. I usually gave myself a relaxed connection but sometimes it was the 20 yard dash! Happy days.

[@LeslieGilpinRailways]

Best keep it relaxed!

[@MichaelScott-kw6gv]

Fantastic Video. Well Done.

[@LeslieGilpinRailways]

Thank you very much!

[@3BRail-xw9kb]

Excellent video Les !! A fair bit of variety there and I especially enjoyed to two 37's. The Loram colour scheme is quite eye catching. Many thanks for the on screen commentary, probably took you hours to do but very much appreciated !!

[@LeslieGilpinRailways]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@user-ws9er6ww1y]

Brilliant, Les ... especially your comments below the screen. Must have taken you some time !!!! Thank you for all your efforts.

[@LeslieGilpinRailways]

Thanks much appreciated

[@2010ditta]

Two nice 37's there Leslie. As well as the rest of course. All the best.

[@MarchWestJunctionTMD]

Great footage as always 👍

[@LeslieGilpinRailways]

Thanks Andy 👍

[@neilcunningham3280]

I saw that 37 Flopsie leaving Wigan just as I was arriving there.

[@LeslieGilpinRailways]

Excellent

[@ModelRailwayShed]

Brilliant video Leslie! Great to Flopsie I've still not seen the Loram 37 even though I live 5 mins from the depot lol 🤣

[@LeslieGilpinRailways]

Thanks. Id only seen the Loram loco when it was running with Caroline, before being repainted.

[@neilcunningham3280]

And I'm sure I saw that second 37 racing towards Wigan as I was leaving on a train to Thatto Heath around 2.30pm

[@LeslieGilpinRailways]

It was running close behind the LSL set

[@wilsonflood4393]

Great to see Carlisle again. I only live in Dumfries but can't get about so easily now. How many times I would board at platform 4 and alight at platform 1.

[@LeslieGilpinRailways]

Those were the days. Now you'd arrive and depart on Platforms 7 and 8 with, usually, cross platform connections to the London trains! The Dumfires trains nearly always running into Carlisle ahead of the Londons.

[@kevinarmstrong9467]

As Usual Excellent Video

[@LeslieGilpinRailways]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@neilcharlton456]

Leaving aside the tourism trains, steam specials in the Summer and the regular Leeds to Carlisle traffic, it is astonishing how much freight Les is filming using the Carlisle to Settle, Carlisle to Hellifield route . The derailment last year ( of the freight tankers) in Carlisle showed how much disruption was caused. So " thank you" Mr Portillo for listening to the pressure group wanting to "Save the Settle Carlisle" back in the 1980s. It makes you wonder how the single WCML with all its fast passenger trains could have coped with ANY freight without being doubled, or with several extra loops added at some cost.

[@LeslieGilpinRailways]

Thanks it makes a useful diversionary route. A shame the passenger companies don't consider it

[@JulianaStewart]

When/where is the WCML single? I think you mean. the S & surely,?

[@LeslieGilpinRailways]

The only single line around Carlisle is a few hundred yards on the Newcastle line from Carlisle South Junction to London Road Junction.

[@stephendavies6949]

As you probably know by now, I have a soft spot for 37s. But I'm not a fan of that Loram livery. Still, Loram's usage of it ensures its continued existence for the time being. I like the orange Freightliner livery though, and Flopsie looks great, as always. There are many coaches stored at Great Yarmouth at the moment. No Green Signals mug yet? I'm using mine as I type...! PS: your descriptions are getting even better!

[@LeslieGilpinRailways]

Thanks! I'm trying to avoid the temptation to speak over the videos

[@stephendavies6949]

@@LeslieGilpinRailways Why not try it, Jago Hazzard-style! Just listened to this week's Green Signals and have no clue as to the answer to the quiz question.

[@LeslieGilpinRailways]

@@stephendavies6949 maybe as a one off documentary. Still to watch GS.

[@Vincent-ow9lj]

I'm seeing more 37's now than I did back in the 60's 😂

[@LeslieGilpinRailways]

Lol no way! Thanks for watching

[@AndreiTupolev]

And chaos at the other end of the line a couple of days later! Well, I think we can assume chaos as the normal state these days, it's just the level of chaos that varies. Perhaps they could put it on the information displays: "Today's level of chaos: 43%" (a good day)

[@LeslieGilpinRailways]

To be honest I thought it was handled surprisingly well and good planning years ago by network rail by putting one extra signal at Midcalder in preparation for Carstairs.

[@Barbarapape]

More Class 37's, good to see they are still in service. As for the ovehead wires down, electrification was never a good idea. They were stealing them years ago faster than they could errect them.

[@LeslieGilpinRailways]

Well I heard it was an errant Pendo that got tangled. The 37s do add a bit of class.

[@AndreiTupolev]

The WCML electrification, 50 years ago now, has been much more robust than more recent efforts

[@garymcgregor7048]

Hi les, whats happening with the fronts of the pendo,s. Since theyve been refurbished it looks like the front panel is gonna fall out at any moment 😮

[@LeslieGilpinRailways]

They've been like that since the new livery was applied from what I can see. They don't necessarily open remotely either - I;ve seen a fitter and shunter try and manhandle one open

[@melissasmith5109]

Leslie what do you think about virgin trying to get the WCML back

[@LeslieGilpinRailways]

They are only going for Open Access which would be a limited service - the competition would be good

[@schoolshorts]

Ah - the inherent vulnerability of the electrified railway!

[@LeslieGilpinRailways]

And their fickle nature of Pendo pantographs

[@Abnerbandanovotempoinscrito1mi]

Bom dia lelie deixando os trem turístico os especiais

[@LeslieGilpinRailways]

Thanks

[@roboftherock]

How on earth did 100 tons of locomotive get named 'Flopsie'? That Loram livery is quite garish. I wonder, what is the difference between a MFS-D and a MFS-SB? Darned if I could see anything as they trundled past.

[@LeslieGilpinRailways]

The SB apparently has a swivel on one of the conveyors to put the ballast into a wagon alongside - I think. I believe it's named after... Well I don't want to cast aspersions lol

[@NewModelRailway1]

Does anyone know the history behind why they named that class 66 'Josiah's Wish' ?

[@LeslieGilpinRailways]

Have a look at: www.make-a-wish.org.uk/wishes/wish-stories/josiahs-wish-to-be-a-freight-train-driver/ I recall this now but had to remind myself. Very moving.

[@NewModelRailway1]

@@LeslieGilpinRailways Thanks for that link. It all turned out OK in the end. 😄

[@leegrant6840]

Awesome / better than the football lol x

[@LeslieGilpinRailways]

Thanks

[@leegrant6840]

@@LeslieGilpinRailways your welcome

[@davidfinch5062]

It's not a contest for me: trains win every time.