CrossCountry stands HST fleet down and reduces train capacity
Following a disagreement over rest-day working with drivers’ unions XC has removed its HSTs from service and cut replacement diagrams to single units.
IN a surprise development on
November 28, the Arriva UK Trainsoperated CrossCountry franchise
(XC) has withdrawn its four HST sets following the cessation of a rest-day working (RDW) agreement with the drivers’ union ASLEF.
XC has 12 HST power cars on its books, 10 of which (Nos. 43207, 43208, 43239, 43285, 43301, 43303, 43304, 43357, 43366 and 43378) have been in regular service throughout 2021. The other pair are No. 43321, which recently completed an F-exam at Laira after almost 14 months out of action, and
No. 43384, which has been laid up for a similar amount of time at Laira and was last spotted minus its cab. No. 43321 undertook a test run via Newton Abbot with No. 43208 on November 25.
It is unknown how long the disagreement between ASLEF, XC and the Department for Transport will continue, but the end of RDW means there are fewer drivers available who sign HSTs to cover the available diagrams. The result is that the HSTs have been stopped and placed into warm store, while Class 220 and 221 ‘Voyagers’ cover their work, many reduced to single-set four- or fivecar formations at a time when Covid restrictions are being tightened due to the emergence of the Omicron variant.
A spokesperson for CrossCountry responded: “We are in discussion with ASLEF about a number of matters. We are running a normal timetable. However, there will be some disruption and cancellations whilst meaningful dialogue with the union continues to reach a resolution. We continue to follow the latest Covid-19 Government guidance and will take all the necessary measures to keep our customers and colleagues safe in line with this guidance.”
SECOND INTERCITY CROSSCOUNTRY WITHDRAWAL
This is the second time that HSTs have been withdrawn from the InterCity CrossCountry network, after Virgin initially axed them in September 2003, although there was something of a reprieve in 2004 as VXC borrowed
MML and GNER trainsets to cover summer Saturday diagrams. When
Arriva took over the XC franchise in 2007 it promised to return HSTs to the network, with hired-in sets appearing in May 2008, and the first Wabtec Doncaster-refurbished formations – complete with 10 MTU re-engined power cars – being released several months later. More recently Nos. 43208 and 43239 joined the fleet, both previously with LNER, the pair being repainted and modified for XC use at Eastleigh Works between January and November 2020. They both entered service in December of the same year. Meanwhile the operator’s five sevencar Mk.3 formations were upgraded with plug doors to make them PRM compliant between 2018-20.
Continued from p15. UNELECTRIFIED GAPS FOR FREIGHT
Freight operations have benefited from investment in the Strategic Freight Network (SFN) that has transformed the ability to handle longer intermodal trains with routes cleared to carry high-cube 9ft 6in high containers. There has not been a policy to electrify at the same time as engineering to create greater gauge clearance takes place and as a result there are significant wiring gaps, in particular between Felixstowe and Peterborough.
The increase in the capacity of intermodal trains, which on many routes can now load to 120SLU, the equivalent of 40 60ft container carrying platforms, combined with increased road haulage pay to enable driver recruitment has made shorter rail hauls economic. This is demonstrated by investment in container handling facilities at Immingham. The challenge faced by the road haulage industry in recruiting drivers who have been poorly paid in the past is an opportunity for using rail that is being embraced by port and terminal operators. Up to now there has been no demand to operate Trans Pennine intermodal services and the routes have not been part of the SFN, with the result that no gauge clearance has taken place.
This is to change, as the revised NPR project continues to provide new capacity for freight operations using the Diggle route. This will involve an additional track (restoring the former slow line) on the climb to approach Standedge tunnel from Huddersfield, together with improved gauge clearance.
ELECTRICITY COST THREATS
It has been a long-held assumption that electric haulage brings a reduction in cost, but changes in the energy market have meant that a large increase has taken place in the cost of traction current supplied by Network Rail under terms of the EC4T tariff (electric current for traction), which is provided by the EDF Energy Group using the National Grid for distribution.
The cost of diesel fuel has been less adversely affected because, unlike the gas used for electricity generation, there are not global shortages. It is also the policy of train operators to smooth out any immediate price rise by hedging purchases at a fixed price for future supply. If this imbalance continues, the expense of supplying traction current will become detrimental to the business case for electrification, as in the past the cost saving in diesel fuel has been a significant part of the economic justification.
If new overhead line equipment is to be provided it cannot be built on the basis of uncompetitive traction current tariffs and there will need to be alternative incentives such as carbon credits to ensure use by the train operators.
E