UKR "The White Rose" to York now 7th July, Deltic D9009 out,Tornado back

Thanks for the report Al, next best thing to being on board. Is Paula Majors a first for mainline steam?

 

Well DD did say...."She had the hammer down through Welham Green"

 

I think one should have higher expectations. This century A4s have run comfortably between York and KX in both directions in around 4hr. Somewhat exceptionally Tornado ran to York in just over 3 hr for the Top Gear special. I have no doubt that given the path any of good mainline class 8s could perform similarly if not overloaded.

 

What was yesterday's load plse?

 

My humble effort from Welham Green can be found Here!

 

Tornado at speed on Gamston Bank trying to make up some lost time

https://www.flickr.com/photos/10257146@N05/19338782370/

 

Was that the longest mileage to a water stop with just a tender in preservation? It was just over 121 miles, and that after some 'blowing off' at the platform in York. As Al's report said, Steve didn't actually have a light hand on the regulator. Can't think of any tour that's come close in the thirty odd years I've bashed mainline steam in preservation.

 

Yes it was a great run by Tornado didn't see any clag from the back of the train just sustained running in the 70's. Furthest I've been between water stops was some years ago by a black five between Blackburn and Carlisle non stop through Appleby past the man with the hose, must be over 100 miles.

 

Clag from the back? The Deltic had gone home. When they propelled the train into York station, the rear vehicle was a carriage.

 

Given that main line steam in 2016 is in about as fragile business and political/regulatory position as it has ever been, this is probably not the best time to have higher expectations, or to be experimating with performance envelopes. This is a time for "doing the knitting" and staying out of trouble.

"Covenantor Castle" has done Tyne Yard to Edinburgh on one tender full, and its keepers have done some tentative work on London to Bristol non stop, and think they can do it. But it takes an intimate knowledge of the modern railway to do it, and I don't think there is an appetite among the serious players for even suggesting new performance risk.

The White Rose did not get back through a sclerotic ECML in such good time just because of NR. The on board team negotiated the ad hoc path after the railway had collapsed and NR trusted them to deliver. Without that trust on the day, it would have crawled back or terminated out in the sticks. That was a micro triumph in its own right.

 

Doing a bit of window hanging in Connington loop. They emptied the BTT Tank. If my memory serves that was the smaller 2500 gallon tank so there probably needed to be some water management on the rest of the 67 miles to the Cross, though blasting through Hatfield at 66 and south of Hadley Wood again at 66 tended to suggest the KX top up was as the Traction Inspectors say, 'if there's water available, use it'. Don't know how long they stood at the buffers as had to rush across london to get train home.

 

In the eleventh coach back, I meaning me didn't see even the merest waft of smoke from Tornado.

 

Ah, gotcha. Would have to agree that there was very little (dark) exhaust all day. The Deltic was smokier. On the way home, I was sometimes forgetting which sort of traction we had on the front.

 

Strangely there are those who are jealous of the A1's success and equally dislike the loco. The most common disparaging name I've heard is "Yawnado" but "Covenantor Castle" is a new one. I'm sure the A1 team will lose lots of sleep over this one - NOT.