On Tue, 06 Nov 2018 11:44:57 +0000, David Cantrell
wrote:

I saw this (well, I think it was this) running through Peckham Rye this
morning:
http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/trai...11/06/advanced

It consisted of a diesel locomotive, a bunch of freight wagons, some
fancy modern passenger stock, then more freight wagons. What on earth
was it, and why the bizarre mixture?


The "fancy modern passenger stock" is a class 802. Designed by
Hitachi plan A was to build all the 800/1/2 trains at the new plant in
the NE of the UK. That ran out of capacity so the 802s are built in
Pistoia in Italy and then hauled across Europe and through the tunnel.

Until it's been commissioned here in the UK the brakes can't be used
and the brake force of a locomotive alone is insufficient hence the
use of "barriers" to provide braking - they usually run the control
lines along the outside of the train from the front barriers to the
rear. The barriers are old, repurposed, stock and I've seen
passenger carriages as well as old tank wagons used.