From what i can gather the standing pilots were only introduced after the introduction of the non stop trains. I believe this practice continued well into the 1960s. Prior to this it was take what is available.
If a down pacific working was ailing at say Longhoughton(Quick plug for the aln valley railway society) a coded whistle alerted the signalman to telephone Tweedmouth shed to arrange a swap this would be repeated at Littlemill and succeeding signal boxes to ensure message got through. At Tweedmouth the non stop would be diverted from the main line to the platform road and the standing pilot swapped with the pacific or coupled on in front for the rest of the trip.
The pacific could be repaired at Tweedmouth or Haymarket and sent on its way with a local working to work it back to its parent shed.
ECML stand-by arrangements
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East coast pilots
Hi interested in the area served by 52D. also researching colliery wagonways from same area.