Charter paths
Charter train stakeholders welcome Network Rail plans for a database of “gauge-cleared” and “operationally robust” paths.
CHARTER train stakeholders have welcomed Network Rail’s plans to build up a database of regular, gauge-cleared and “operationally robust” paths for special trains as part of its Control Period 6 (CP6, 2019-24) commitments.
With the national network becoming more crowded, and with newer and faster trains either imminent or already on the rails, slotting 1,000 yearly charter services (500 of which are steam-hauled) in and around regular services is increasingly becoming a challenge for the small team of planners.
According to NR’s CP6 document, these strategic paths will be trialled in the December 2018 timetable, with the intention to have a full catalogue saved in the Working Timetable by December 2020.
As part of the plans, these paths would be gauge-cleared for specific locomotives, with the aim of awarding certificates to locomotives on an annual basis specifying the routes they can work.
At present, the majority of tours have to be planned, gauged and pathed on a one-off basis. NR claims this new approach would avoid the need to make bespoke plans, offering greater certainty for tour promoters and passengers.
“This gives a structure which helps us and provides a certainty to our customers,” UK Railtours’ John Farrow told RAIL.
“The timings should be within ten to 15 minutes of those advertised. It’s a positive move - Network Rail is making a genuine effort as Sir Peter Hendy (NR Chairman] wants to promote charters more.”
Farrow claimed a path will exist from London to Crewe, while another from the capital will go to “at least” Par. Trains will then be able to continue beyond the end of the ‘strategic paths’ by adding a short-term path into the system if there is room on the network.
“We are 100% supportive of
having working timetable paths out of London,” said Steam Dreams Chairman Marcus Robertson.
He said he is confident that this will not signal the end of one-off tours: “Hopefully, once you are out of London there’ll be ‘white space’ [spare capacity on the network] which we will be able to bid on.”
However, Robertson, whose tours tend to originate and terminate at London Victoria owing to capacity issues at other London termini, called on Network Rail to safeguard an ‘unofficial’ 0955 path out of Waterloo in the future.
This currently requires South Western Railway to alter certain services in order for steam to run out of Waterloo on weekdays, as part of the charter path database. “This would avoid the timeconsuming process of asking the TOC to flex their services each time”, he said.
NR told RAIL: “The creation of charter paths from London stations is based on existing capacity of the network and customer requirements. From north London termini we are looking at paths for electric-hauled charters, as this fits into the timetable better than a charter requiring steam or diesel haulage (but with a view to switching to steam haulage at Crewe/Carnforth/Peterborough).”
DB Cargo’s Network Capacity Manager Quentin Hedderly echoed Farrow’s and Robertson’s comments, saying: “Both the maximum permitted speed and acceleration capabilities of charter traction and rolling stock is inferior to that of modern rolling stock on prime routes.
“Development of a catalogue of strategic paths will assist our customers by providing some certainty and confidence as to anticipated slots at busy termini, along with projected times at regular pick-up and set-down locations. This opportunity must be grasped in the coming weeks and months if we are to avoid the capacity being swallowed up through other demands.”
Tim Wallis, General Secretary of the Branch Line Society, said the plans won’t affect his organisation because its one-off tours are planned around the destination (often private-owner sites) and then worked backwards to determine a route and pick-up points.
“Unless NR becomes unwilling to consider and plan one-off charter requests for network access, I foresee little change for the BLS,” he told RAIL.
“It is possible that NR might seek to extend the ‘12-week’ deadline for charter submission where ‘strategic charter paths’ are not used. If so, this is a factor BLS will incorporate into its planning of charters.”