"Water Cannon" trains on LU

[tubeguru]

In case anyone's interested, National Rail are running RHTT (Railhead Treatment Trains) or "Water Cannons" up to Marylebone from the 2nd of October to the 8th of December daily.

As a result, the trains will run along the Chiltern tracks from Amersham to Marylebone, running over the LU lines between Amersham and Rickmansworth. They will also be running to and from Neasden South Junction.

The southbound timetable is as follows (all times are passing times except for arrival/departure times at Marylebone):

14:08 Amersham
14:12 Chalfont & Latimer
14:16 Chorleywood
14:22 Rickmansworth
14:24 Watford South Jn. (Metropolitan Line)
14:36 Harrow-on-the-Hill
14:46 Neasden South Jn.
14:57 London Marylebone

21:38 Amersham
21:42 Chalfont & Latimer
21:46 Chorleywood
21:52 Rickmansworth
21:54 Watford South Jn. (Metropolitan Line)
22:06 Harrow-on-the-Hill
22:13 Neasden South Jn.
22:24 London Marylebone

Northbound:

05:55 Neasden South Jn.
06:01 Harrow-on-the-Hill
06:13 Watford South Jn. (Metropolitan Line)
06:16 Rickmansworth
06:20 Chorleywood
06:23 Chalfont & Latimer
06:27 Amersham

15:04 London Marylebone
15:13 Neasden South Jn.
15:23 Harrow-on-the-Hill
15:34 Watford South Jn. (Metropolitan Line)
15:37 Rickmansworth
15:41 Chorleywood
15:45 Chalfont & Latimer
15:53-16:12 Amersham (19-minute stopover)

The train used is likely to be one of Chiltern Trains' converted "Bubble cars". Most of the other WC trains being used on the NR network are being operated by two locomotives in top-n-tail configuration. I was hoping they'd use them for these trains too, but one can live in hope.

Keep an eye out for them if you're in the area at those times ...

[barrykas]

Actually, the "Water Cannon" is a former Class 117 DMU, and also known as the "Green Goddess". As well as sporting Chiltern logos, she sports British Railways "Lion" logos.

For anyone who's got TOPS/TRUST access, the runs are usually under a Class 3 headcode and tonight we had a run from Aylesbury as 3S70, arriving into Marylebone at around 22:21, with the return working (3S71) due to depart at 22:51.

And next Wednesday, there's going to be a special run from Marylebone to Wrexham General and return.

HTH,

Barry

[tubeguru]

Am I right in assuming that TOPS/TRUST access is only for those "in the know"?

[barrykas]

Only for those working at various railway locations...Unless you fancy paying something like a grand a year for the privilege.

I fall into the former category, currently temping (though I've been doing so since January!) on Chiltern in various Ticket Offices as required.

I'll do some digging when I get into work and see if I can get exact timings for the runs.

Cheers,

Barry