An Excellent Service, But...

Discussion in 'Off Topic' started by ARuscoe, Oct 18, 2021.

  1. ARuscoe

    ARuscoe Well-Known Member

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    Just completed timetable service 1D28/5D36, which starts as a GX service from Victoria to Gatwick, then continues as an ECS to Brighton Depot.
    I loved the service itself, with challenging yellows and reds from south of Gatwick onwards, BUT...

    The end of the service is about ten minutes at arrival at the depot and you're basically forced to wait until the timer hits the designated time. Surely IRL a driver doesn't have to sit in their cab at depot while time ticks on?

    Maybe the service should have been MORE delayed due to a Thameslink service so IRL would have arrived those minutes later, but for me terminating services should end with a cab shut down rather than waiting for the tick of a clock
     
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  2. Horizelux

    Horizelux Well-Known Member

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    I did the exact same service a week back, I had the same red signal, with 2 southern trains ahead of me. It was a long 10-15 min wait, but I personally feel it's more interesting than a straight A to B run. From Gatwick, the train was due to the depot after all, so there's not the issue of passenger delays.
     
  3. ARuscoe

    ARuscoe Well-Known Member

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    Not sure we're talking the same thing. There's a red signal at Gatwick where the player train waits until the end of the passenger service, and there's adverse signals where you follow a regional service in front of you. The delay at the end is where I was parked up at the buffers and couldn't do anything more than wait for the clock to hit 41 minutes past the hour. In fact the directive was "wait until..."

    If this was in real life I'm sure the driver would be in the canteen drinking tea or even better clocking off!
     
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  4. Horizelux

    Horizelux Well-Known Member

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    Haha I got confused again. Looks like an interesting service though. Let's hope drivers can watch Netflix when they're waiting for clearance. If that's the case, I'll be willing to give it a go!
     
  5. ARuscoe

    ARuscoe Well-Known Member

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    Personally I was on this forum and chasing down a missing rail whilst waiting at the depot, and I think I made a coffee whilst waiting at Gatwick. I'm sure in real life at Gatwick the driver would have had a chat with the platform staff whilst waiting for their departure time
     

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