Tornado to haul certain timetabled trains on S&C: Feb 14-16

Here http://www.steamrailway.co.uk/steamnews/2017/1/13/exclusive-steam-to-run-sc-timetabled-trains

Cannot find any details from Northern as yet?

 

think I'll wait until the line re-opens in full

 

Hence why I also posted it on here (plus I suspect many have (like me) stopped normally looking at the SR thread as no one can post on it.

 

Does the week coincide with schools half term? How about WC running a Carnforth- Hellifield connecting service?

 

If the fares are the normal fares for these services then it really is a bargain. I'm sure I'll take the opportunity to both ride and photograph.

Compare this with KWVR's Oxenhope-Carlisle special with Flying Scotsman priced at £220.

How will Tornado be turned? Surely they won't allow it to work in reverse at speed?

 

Perhaps we will find out how fast one can go tender-first!

 

It won't.

Like most such operation's (e.g. trips to Wymouth, Tweedbank, etc) I expect it will have a diesel on the opposite end for the return journey.

The saving grace (for those who get vexed over such things) is that with Tornados track record in performance terms, its extremely unlikely she will be pushed around unless absolutely necessary.

 

There would surely be enough capacity on the S&C to allow the diesel to chase one block behind on the northbound leg and couple up at Appleby.

 

I won't complain. Haulage by both the A1 and a main line diesel at a bargain price ... can't grumble at that.

 

The diesel locomotive is likely to be required for ETH (I think it's mentioned somewhere that coaches will be mk2s). I can pretty much guarantee however that no assistance will be provided when 60163 is leading.

 

If it's MK2 does that mean we will get hideous mixed set of coaches ?

 

Actually the normal service train in that slot from Leeds to Skipton is the 0947 which is usually a two coach 158. It will be interesting to see how Northern manage that part of it.

 

Only thing is steam locos are subject to a blanket ban on going faster than 40mph when running tender first. Given the plan is for the train to replace an ordinary service train (upon which normal national rail tickets are valid and which presumably also will count towards Northerns PPM figures, having Tornado leading both ways might not be the best idea. Still given its a initiative by Northern - if they want to take the hit, then great.

 

The announcement refers to "the 10.45am ex-Skipton and 15.07pm ex-Appleby". I looked at Table 42 to see how much time Tornado will have between those trains, only to find neither of them shown. The nearest are a 09.47 from Leeds, 10:24 at Skipton, terminating at Appleby at 11:37; and a 14:47 from Appleby running through to Leeds.

 

I seem to recall that the 40 mph limit doesn't apply if a diesel (or a boiler-first steam loco) is leading. Can someone confirm?

 

Northbound it makes reasonable sense-- decant people from the 0926 and 0947 from Leeds and 0941 from Bradford on to the train. That sort of works. Only question then is whether the 1045 will stop at Settle and Kirkby Stephen (which would be interesting).
Southbound it's even more interesting because the 1447 is all stations. More likely the 1507 replaces the 1543.
Or more likely still it will turn out that the steam train is actually an extra non stop Skipton-Appleby. There are bus connections from/to the service trains at Appleby for one thing.
All will be revealed.