AXC Summer Saturday Farce! 9.8.08

What a day of bedlem for the staff of the AXC Summer Special HSTs!
The first situation of the day, 43299+43302 working 1V29 Manchester-Newquay, 43299 encountered an engine problem in the Birmingham area and the lead power car was switched off, arrival into Bristol, the power was back on, however the train was heavily delayed and departed 30 Late, holding up the 11.11 XC Voyager to Paignton which WAS running on time!
The next problem occured on 43051+43166 working 1E46 Paignton-Newcastle, the train arrived into Platform 5 4 minutes early, looking in great form, however, the train departed 23 late, awaiting a driver who was on a severly delayed Penzance service! This unusual formation was also very 'strange' as 43166 is a XC owned HST power car which is on hire to NXEC whilst they recover from shortages, so today XC hired in their own powercar from NXEC to work one of their own services! Has that confused you yet?!
Whilst all this was going on, a huge fault occured with 43299, It couldn't get out of Notch 1, this was severly delaying 1V29. So, as fitters attended at Exeter, this service had a set swap with 43301+43303 which were working 1E47 Newquay-Newcastle. 301+303 headed back to Cornwall with a 2+6 formation, I'm sure that'll by interesting on the return working after the Wolves fans finish at the Plymouth game! 43299s problem couldn't be overcome at Exeter so the engine was switched off and the train ran under 43302s power only, slipping and sliding up and down banks en-route and eventually returning back to Bristol 20 Late. The train is routed via the famous 'Lickey Bank', on a wet day like today, there was no way a single engined HST set would make it, Virgin 57 number 57314 was sent from Birmingham New St to Gloucester to attach to the front for assistance! Haulage bashers i'm sure getting excited!
The only set that was running to time and perfectly well was, ironicly, a pair of Valentas, 43104+43007 working 1V49 Newcastle-Newquay. At last something went right! Although you could argue there is a farce as 43007 is to be taken to Brush Wednesday, another Valenta bites the dust!

I hope you enjoy this video, I certainly enjoyed the drama!

Category:

Autos & Vehicles

Tags:

• Class
• 43
• 43051
• 43166
• 43104
• 43007
• Natex
• National
• Express
• NXEC
• HST
• MML
• AXC
• XC
• 2tone
• Valenta
• 43299
• 43302

[cazowazo]

did one of the nxec hst break down cause i know the trains going to xc are from midland but y have the two different ones y not have the same ones instead of messing abput trying to putone that they have got on

[hstman14]

Yh 43299 NXEC failed with various problems so they terminated it at Exeter with 301+303 the are AXC liveried MTUs. I'm slightly confused what you mean about the different ones :S sorry! A little explaination and I'll try and help.

[theamateurbasher]

Oh dear. Not a good day in the life of the HST, from the look of things. Still, brilliant stuff and five stars.

BTW, what's with the Mk1 coach in the background at 0:05?

[hstman14]

Nope, nothing seemed to go to plan! Thanks alot!

Ah, that's stock EM01 I believe, It is stable in Bristol everyday apart from Sunday when it is used by a Steam Locomotive to work 'The Torbay Express'. It looks very authentic sat in the middle road, I must say!

[widerangevideos]

I think the world and his wife know you adam.

[Sephy69]

im not saying germans cant make anything (i have a vacuum cleaner and a washing machine made in germany thats guaranteed for 30 years) but it seems the mtu engines arent as reliable as it seems or that nxec's maintenance is p**s poor (which i think is more likely). moral of the story, you can always rely on a val!

[widerangevideos]

Great video as I said before liam despite the rude comments.

[widerangevideos]

man you really are a thick person:shock:, I said shut up that is not telling somone that is asking, duh think about swear at me all you like I don't care just wasting your energy.

[69Stoathunter69]

I dont know who you are, but why do you think you can tell Adam what to do? Perhaps, 777fred you would like to FUCK OFF and stop being a total asshole.

[widerangevideos]

I do know you, so shut up.

[PBR14akaAdam]

lol, you dont know me so dont tell me what to do! get it?

[widerangevideos]

lol, Can't even swear properlly, look you don't know me so lay of being so rude.

[PBR14akaAdam]

Tough shite basically

[widerangevideos]

They won't like you saying that, what if I'm german...