(23 Apr 2016, 1:02 pm)northern156 wrote My apologies. However the number of drivers that do sign them must be very limited?
I don't see the point in whole depots training up on units they're going to take ECS occasionally. Same boat as Heaton/York/Darlington drivers signing Darlington to York via Northallerton with no booked services of their own (again excepting the odd ECS move from Neville Hill/Newton Heath). Surely those would do sign them would be drivers that were at York when 156s were the norm?
Incorrect again ALL York drivers sign 156s and most Leeds drivers. This is incase they have to take one at short notice from Newcastle - York / Leeds for a visiti to the wheel lathe at Neville Hil as Heaton does not have those facilities.
It is not an occasional ECS it is a nearly nightly ECS move (northbound Knaresbrough to Heaton empties, southbound Monday to Friday its 2221 Newcastle to Darlington then empties to York) plus any movements as required. Usually 2 X 142 but can have any combination of 142 / 156.
142s / 156s do have set depot allocations however the unit diagrams can have a Heaton unit in Lancashire or it may have been as a result of a set swap at the start of the day. As mentioned if a Ex FNW 142 ends up in the northeast (especially the ex merseyrail examples) they don't last long before being swapped back