'Tornado': Paddington to Worcester. 14th Feb. 2016

A1 Class 4-6-2 no 60163 'Tornado'. Sunday, 14 February, 2016.

http://www.ukrailtours.com/product/the-red-rose/

Note that this train now runs via Oxford rather than Bath ...... reminds me of post 1962 on the Somerset & Dorset .

Thanks to uksteam. <BJ>

 

So no issues with West Coast crewing issues as this is a DB manned train?

 

Yep, DBS for Tornado isn't it?

 

Tornado up Sapperton? hmmmm - ponders - wonder what the light will be like.

 

Have booked on this and was rather looking forward to climb of Filton Bank....

Never mind. If it runs with steam and without shovage I'll be happy. Anything good performance-wise will be a bonus!

 

At 18:40 in February .....non existent I should imagine. Take a torch. <BJ>

 

I could mount a search light on my drone? Cant see anyone objecting to that.

 

Times are up for this one:

http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/U59854/2016/02/14/advanced

and

http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/U59859/2016/02/14/advanced


There are associated LE moves to and from Southall which seem to show that(as often with DBS) assistance is not planned for this one.

This trip seems to have been caught up in an engineering block resulting in the unusually late departure from Paddington. I suppose Sapperton was always going to be in the dark at this time of year,but the whole return trip is now in darkness which seems a bit of a shame for the passengers.

 

Original plan was earlier start from PAD and routed via Bath. Later start but routed via Oxford means Worcester arrival is around planned time with evening dep as before.

Looks like routed over flyover at Reading - is this a first for steam?

 

No Sean. Mayflower was the first steam loco over the flyover on St Davids Day train last year.

 

Thx. Have tracked down a couple of vids on you tube. Both were close(-ups from either side of line.

Is there a longer distance shot which puts viaduct into perspective?

 

Non-stop through Oxford, rather than an hour in Hinksey loops. First water stop at Charlbury.

 

Just got this from UKRT:

Dear Customer,

We have been advised that the return timings and route for this trip have been changed by Network Rail.
As a result of several well-publicised incidents involving steam trains, there is now extreme sensitivity regarding train length limits, particularly where sustained rising gradients are involved. This train is heavily booked and NR has stated that it will not allow 60163 to climb Sapperton Bank with twelve carriages and a support coach. We do not want diesel assistance so a route change is the only option available to us.
Our outward journey is unchanged, as advised with your tickets, i.e. going via Oxford and the Cotswolds and reaching Worcester Shrub Hill at 13.35. Departure times are still 10.30 from Paddington, 11.00 from Slough and 11.25 from Reading.
The train now departs from Worcester Shrub Hill at 16.25 (this is now a shorter break - but we did originally advertise ‘about three hours’).
The return route is now the originally advertised outward route, that is to say via Charfield, Bristol Parkway, the ‘Rhubarb Loop’, Bath and Swindon.
The benefit is a considerably increased ‘steam mileage’, with the first part of the return run now in daylight. For those dining, there is now more time to enjoy dinner too.
There are no changes to the return arrival times. We get back to Reading at 20.25, Slough at 20.56 and Paddington at 21.30.
Both we and the A1 Trust hope you have a thoroughly enjoyable day out aboard ‘The Red Rose’.

 

Though if anything can reliably get 13 up Sapperton its 60163.

 

So how can times be issued by NR on the 2nd for the route via Sapperton but a week later the same company says it won't allow the train to traverse that route? I doubt it's got heavier in the intervening week.

 

What's the weight of the Belmond Pullman that 60163 seems to have no problem in hauling over the Surrey Downs?

 

Bizarre isn't it? 5043 took 12 over Sapperton on the GB spectacularly yet a so much bigger and more powerful Class Eight isn't even allowed one more coach. Wonder if they're going to issue a route and load book at last?