ScotRail Steam

Interesting the EUDL is calculated using imperial tons but the RA axle load is referenced in metric tonnes.

 

The simple formula of total vehicle weight divided by number of axles is fine for pretty well all modern traction and rolling stock, but seems simplistic for steam locos, which typically have very different weights on leading, driving, trailing (if any) and tender axles. However I'm quite content to accept that the responsible parties can work out whether as far as RA goes any given loco is OK to run over any given line with or without an extra speed restriction at particular places. Loading gauges seem to be more of a problem, as discussed in other threads, with particular combinations of loco and route sometimes ceasing to be allowed all of a sudden.

 

When Tornado was wired up for the November 2008 test run the hammer blow exerted by each axle on the locomotive and tender was below every axle on the 67. In fact as I recall the loco hammer blow was less than some of the coaches!!

 

Hammer blow (ie dynamic variation in the axle load as the wheel rotates) would normally be assessed by sensors in the track rather than on the loco. There should be no hammer blow at all on axially symmetric wheels on the coaches and the 67 diesel unless there were bad wheel flats ! The same applies to the loco bogie & pony wheels and also the tender wheels.

 

Correct but you need the kit to tell you what the track sensors are saying and there were plenty of VAB bods doing that.
Can't dispute your other comments as not qualified to do so.

 

Hi Big Al,

Can't yet see the Border Reivers Carlisle - Carlisle on 27th - maybe 'all' is 'not quite all', or am I missing something?

Peter in Manchester, hankering to relive part of last year's Scottish Lowlander
http://pjhtransportpix.zenfolio.com/f731739511

 

Anybody fancying a very cheap day out behind Tornado this coming weekend should look here.

https://www.itison.com/Edinburgh/de...tison.com/Edinburgh/deals/category/activities

£29 (£55 in first!). The bargain of a lifetime.

 

One could take the sleeper from London to Inverness on Sunday night, ride behind Tornado to Stirling, take a service train to any of several places and come back to London by sleeper on Monday night, or any night subsequently if one fancies more time in Scotland.

 

It's up now at http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/U63647/2015/06/27/advanced

Looking forward to it!

Peter, at the end of a lovely summer's day in Manchester
http://pjhtransportpix.zenfolio.com/f731739511

 

How do they create these timings. There should be no need to go I

 

Into beattock sumit loop

 

Stirling to Inverness or vice versa is £33 any time single. So it's cheaper to do it by steam!

 

What does that say about the bookings on what already were cheap steam hauled trains. Doesn't look like the Scots want to support 'Scottish Steam'. It was too much of a risk for us way down south to travel to Scotland and risk 'pay on the day' as knowing our luck the trains would have been full. Thought it was a bit of a bargain until today.

 

I'm not sure it says anything about Scots not wanting to support 'Scottish Steam'. The SRPS promoted trains sell well and then there is the Jacobite operation which seems to do very nicely. Probably the fairly late change of operator after the WCRC troubles and the marketing of the trains have been the cause of slower than expected ticket sales. I think it's a very attractive package for anyone (from anywhere in the UK!) interested in travelling behind mainline steam, and with 60163 having demonstrated that she is back with a very successful test-run yesterday, I would be thinking very seriously about one of those trips over the HML. It could have been a plod with an 8F or black 5 with a class 47 shoving you up Slochd - now you get a racehorse with no diesel locomotive in within miles.

 

So you reckon the Jacobite is full of Scotsmen on holiday then?

 

I'm pretty sure it's not exclusively filled with men (and women and children) from the rest of the UK or abroad just as the Scotrail-promoted trips will not be filled only with patrons from north of the border.

 

Where are any further details about yesterday's test run please?

Peter in Manchester

 

The answer's simple. It's badly planned - you have to either come straight back from Inverness or stay over. I may be wrong, but I think the Highland Festival trips in 2000 were poorly patronized on the Highland legs, but very well on the Kyle and Aberdeen trips. This should have been run as out and back in a day, maybe only as far as Aviemore if neccesary, and possibly do Brora and Kyle trips over a week at some other time.
If it was marketed as a weekend tour, with hotels in the price, then fine, but I doubt that would be possible at this time of year at relatively short notice, plus would Scotrail want the hassle?