Although their multiple working abilities allowed them to control (with a single crew) each other, Class 73, EP multiple unit stock and any blue star coded mainline diesel locomotive, multiple operations were exceptionally rare. Wherever Class 74 was noted with another locomotive, it would invariably be 'dead in-train' - i.e. failed and subsequently rescued. One exception to this were the frequent balancing runs between their home depot of Eastleigh and their day-time out-stations of either Clapham Junction yard or Stewarts Lane depot in readiness for night-time postal and newspaper trains from London Waterloo. These were nearly always pairs running light-engine or occasionally combined with empty coaching stock (ECS) moves. With both locomotives under power resulting in a combined power output of over , a spirited run was assured.