The Scarborough Flyer A1SLT/ UKRT 4th June

Do 60103 at Sharnbrook and then nip over to Holme to get 60163 departing the water stop.

 

Thought about that, but I'm on nights this week and need my beauty sleep

Anyway, times are up now on OTT.

http://www.opentraintimes.com/schedule/U50534/2016-06-04

 

Full times for all this weekend's mainline steam operations are available at www.uksteam.info

David

 

You'll need to sleep for a month at least and even then I don't think it would work.

 

Is Tornado heading to the NRM when she comes off the train at 7pm tonight? Chance of meeting up with Flying Scotsman in the yard outside?

 

Google and uksteam.info are your friends http://www.uksteam.info/tours/t16/t0604c.htm

 

Thanks for that, hadn't scrolled to the bottom of that page. Wonder if they will be together tomorrow morning at the NRM...But guess who's heading home tonight...

 

Running very early, possibly due to the cancellation of a down stopper due to crew problems.



John

 

A short 20 minute drive from Filming FS, and we have Tornado at Brookmans Park

 

7 minutes down arrival in Scarborough. Seemed to crawl from Malton onwards.

 

Fantastic day out from Peterborough to the seaside after having had to travel from the North to get another trip with her, many thanks to all concerned

Mobile shot here under the bridge in Scarborough - like many before her, prior to returning to York.

 

Is that bagged coal being humped up onto the tender? Needs a fit lad to do that

 

The young lady was showing every thing again at Corby Glen it seems she likes haveing her photo taken when steam goes by,the problem east of Malton was at level crossings

 

Not so young anymore - she's been doing it since at least 2009!

 

Not much retrospective coverage of this tour in evidence, so far. So here’s a brief overview of Tornado’s efforts, which hopefully will provide a basis for other contributors to paint in the detail (or maybe to anticipate more detailed coverage in a future Heritage Railway??)

The ECML path offered for the outward leg to York seemed at first sight to be customarily generous, at five hours and two minutes. Not much here to threaten any risk of lateness. And so it proved to be. York was indeed reached in a few seconds over the even five hours (1.5 minutes early) but the profile of the intermediate running was where the interest really lay.

The schedule for the 188.5 miles to York had allowed 247 minutes running time excluding stops, which in the event was accomplished in 226 minutes at a net average speed of almost exactly 50 mph. 55 minutes dwell time allowed in the path expanded out to 74 minutes, including two water stops, two station pick-ups, a pathing stop at Stoke and a brief signal stop at Grantham South.

So, a fit-for-purpose performance that meant that we still managed to arrive early at most of our booked intermediate stops (except Babworth Loop 3L), as a result of the very modest demands of the schedule.

We remained on the down fast line at Woolmer Green, and stayed there for the next 20 miles through to the crossover to the Down Slow just south of Sandy station. But despite averaging only 60 mph over this section, we passed Sandy 11 minutes early and even after a leisurely canter along the slow lines from there through to the Holme Water stop, we still managed to arrive some 7 minutes early.

Similarly we arrived 7 early at the Stoke pathing stop with no suggestion of any strenuous effort on the rising gradients north of Helpston, (60-62 max south of Little Bytham dwindling to low 50’s north thereof).

It was only after the Stoke pathing stop that matters livened up a bit. We were stopped briefly south of Grantham station, delayed by what appears (from RTT) to have been a very protracted station call by 1D09 10.03 KGX-Leeds, which had just passed us just before departure from the Stoke pathing stop. From the restart passing Grantham station to the slow passage of Retford station approaching the Babworth loop water stop consumed just 31m 27s for the 33.55 miles pass-to-pass - averaging 64 mph, with some prolonged fast running down through the Trent valley and on to Carlton..

Then once again we enjoyed a near even-time start-to-stop performance of 49m 51s over the remaining 49.5 miles from Babworth Loop to York – the highlight of the day’s running IMHO, and benefiting from a clear unchecked run into York station – a personal first!!

We resumed a rather more stately progress across the Vale of York to the Hambledon Hills, passing Castle Howard (15.78miles) in 21m 17s. Beyond there, we experienced a severe slowing for the passage of Malton Station, followed by a two-minute signal stop and then punctuated running through the nine level crossings between Malton and Seamer (as previously remarked). All of which extended the Malton-Scarborough overall time to 38 minutes and produced an arrival in Scarborough ten minutes late.

No such problems on the return, with steady but relaxed running through the Vale of Pickering and onward to York in glorious evening sunshine. Malton (20.86 miles) was passed in 25m 09s, with an overall Scarborough-York time accomplished exactly in line with the 58 minutes scheduled. This did mean that we didn’t recover a three minute late start, but this was largely due to a signal stop to allow the passage of an outbound Scarborough TPE at Scarborough Bridge Junction.

All in all, a most enjoyable day. Nothing dramatic, everything pretty much in line with expectations. Just as it should be. But these are just my perceptions, and it would be nice to get other more expert perspectives and insights into the running on the day, just as we were privileged to enjoy with the coverage of the Devon Belle back in April.

I think a generous helping of thanks and appreciation is due to the A1SLT, the DBC crews and all connected with the planning and implementation of this tour. But most of all, a special word of thanks to the on-board volunteer staff who worked tirelessly throughout a very long day to deliver a friendly and professional service to everyone who was fortunate enough to participate in this tour. And I would just observe that the association that operates between A1SLT and UKRT really does seem to add something to the prestige and esteem of both partners.

 

Another from Scarborough after arrival.

 

A very good summary and you can read all about the detail in the next Heritage Railway due out on 3oth June. Just to say it wasn't all plain sailing up front.

Don

 

Many thanks for that - the compliment is much appreciated. Great to learn that you have this one covered - roll on 30th June!!

 

Agree with your comments of WM's summary report Don and I'm looking forward to your report. Quite a disappointing run on the Stevenage-Huntingdon "racetrack". Used to speeds in the mid to high 70's not 60's. But we got to see what the big green engine could do from Grantham. Seriously poor train regulation between Tallington and Stoke Junction. The timers seem to path to 30 minutes on the ECML below Grantham these days. A far cry from two of the runs we did with 60163 when we hit the bottom of Stoke Bank at 75+ and topped it at 72+ with 13 up. Don't think we're going to see that again unless the A1 Group go for a 'limited' 90 mph ticket if that's possible, or even an 80 mph ticket would really open up the paths.