Ebor Flyer - A1ST and Tornado: 14/04/18

Latest from UKR newsletter: "First-class dining is full and we're down to the last eight seats in standard".

Make that seven. I kept on saying I wouldn't do KX-York, having done it with Flying Scotsman's inaugural run - my first-ever mainline steam trip - but how could I say no to being on Tornado's first 90mph revenue-earning train?

 

Now reported as Fully Booked on the UK Railtours website as of this afternoon Tuesday 31st October. That didn't take long, did it? And still five-and-a half long months to go before the big event. Two thoughts.......Is this some kind of record? And maybe this will stimulate shed-loads of early demand for the Talisman in July too? Given the prospect of more 90 mph running by Tornado north of York, and the massive plus factor in the shape of Alycidon for the return, I would imagine that these rival attractions will prove to be just as appealing to those contemplating an early booking and/ or just not wanting to risk missing out. Like me, for instance!!

 

I'm not surprised it's fully booked and am very pleased I booked my ticket when I did. It was always going to be popular as it ticks a couple of significant boxes. Firstly, the Tornado project always envisaged 90mph running and where better to start than the ECML, which is 60163's spiritual home (for want of a better term) even though it is a new build. Secondly, there is the practicality aspect. 90mph makes it possible to do things which aren't possible with the restrictions of 75mph. I live in a village in East Sussex some distance away from my nearest railway station. York and back in a day just hasn't been viable with steam before. It still will mean getting up at silly o'clock on 14th April to ensure I get to KX in good time, but thanks to the journey taking 4 hours in each direction as opposed to the 5 or 6 which is more common with the pathing constraints of the 75mph maximum, it is just about do-able from here without arriving home at some ridiculous hour.

You're right to call it a big event. This must be one of the most significant steam specials to have run up the ECML since 60009's ground-breaking run to Peterborough in 1994. I'm really looking forward to it.

 

Yes, ditto. It will be a fine weekend of high speed running with 60163 and some rare track in GE territory with 61306.

 

I think Scotsman's inaugural run sold out quicker, but yes, I imagine the A1 boys will be pleased with ticket sales. Looking forward to seeing what they've got up their sleeves for the south-west next year; I would love a repeat of the 'Cornishman' charter and with a bit of 90mph running along the GWML may not mean a box all the way back to London too...

Just speculating!

 

Surely it won't really be 4 hours will it? The Top Gear run in 2009 was scheduled to do KX/York in 3hr 8m including one 13 min water stop at Grantham, and that was 75mph max. :


Saturday 25 April 2009

LNER A1 Class 4-6-2 no 60163 Tornado

TIMES

Steam hauled: Kings Cross-Edinburgh
Load: 10 coaches

1Z63
0.0 London Kings Cross d 07.25 60163
2.5 Finsbury Park 07.30
12.7 Potters Bar 07.44
27.6 Stevenage 07.58
44.1 Sandy 08.13
58.9 Huntingdon 08.25
69.3 Holme LC 08.34
76.4 Peterborough 08.40
84.6 Tallington 08.47
105.5 Grantham a 09.07 water
105.5 d 09.20
120.1 Newark 09.32
138.6 Retford 09.48
155.9 Doncaster 10.05
169.4 Temple Hirst Jc 10.17
182.8 Colton Jc 10.28
188.5 York a 10.33

 

This may or may not be news to you, but the back cover page of the Tornado 2018 Main Line Tours brochure does carry a small footnote (just above the excellent schematic route map) that specifically says "Further Railtours to be announced in January 2018 including Tornado visiting Scotland and the West Country.

So its a case of "when", not "whether", but maybe that's just as well, as I understand (but not 100% sure, though) that Tornado isn't on the roster for the TBEX outings next year, and the Bath/Salisbury outing in March is the nearest thing to a West Country encounter that has been announced so far.

Nice to reflect, too, that 90 mph running opens up all kinds of new possibilities for "just speculating", however under-informed such musings might eventually turn out to be. And harmless enough in the Real World, when you consider how extremely well-versed the A1SLT seems to be in the skills of "Expectation Management"!!

 

Not news to me - hence the wording

On the subject of the brochure, I'll echo other comments that it was very well put together. As mentioned before, the A1SLT know how to market their big apple green machine (I like the wording!), don't they?

 

Considering the 'impossible' jaunt to Walton-on-the-Naze this year, Barnstaple or Okehampton would be rather nice...

 

Or Okehampton. You could attach/detach a diesel at Exeter quite easily...

 

Indeed.

 

While both have been done before , the the last time the former was done( 1/6/06 ), it was in the evening, but the later has been done during the day (6/9/11).

 

But that run only had 1 pick-up. Graeme Bunker said it would not be viable with only one pick-up, and the East Coast mainline is now significantly busier. Graeme has stated that he thinks 4 hours should be achievable like the SD trips to York on a Saturday in 2009, such as this one http://www.uksteam.info/tours/t09/t0919a.htm

 

If you have a look at the Saturday ECML schedule, I suspect that they will need to be at Grantham from around 0955 to 1020, then they will need to be overtaken at Retford by two trains and at Doncaster by another one. Maybe around three and a quarter hours running time including the stop at PB and 45 mins for water and pathing stops.

 

According to the latest Steam Railway Tornado, 46100, and 6024 will be the locos used on a 12 day trip next October for 38 passengers with Golden Eagle Luxery Travel prices from £ 29,995.00 sharing! Edinburgh to Inverness, then down to Penzance and back to Darlington.

 

I'd expect to be able to drive the locos for the duration of the trip for those prices.

 

When I travelled across Russia with GW Travel as it was then, a packet of fags to the driver and fireman got you on the footplate.

 

Likewise in Poland.

 

The 2018 Golden Eagle trip probably deserves a thread of its own (mods?)