Chester Christmas Cracker with 60163 - 25/11/17

'Tornado' caught on today's daytrip at Slapton (Leighton Buzzard), Cathiron (Rugby) and Bletchley.

 

To round off - WFJ EUS 22m 28s with a max of 74. Arrived EUS P15 10 mins late, due to being held for late running VT services at MKC.

 

Thanks for all the updates on today’s run Sean. Fingers crossed for more sprightly running on the Ebor!

 

Nice work @Sean Emmett

 

x3 Indispensable commentary for those of us who couldn't be there. And a superb accompaniment to the tracking that is possible through OTT Maps and RTT!! Gives the whole picture of the day's running a much finer grain.

 

Pushing back through the steelwork at Chester, snow still on the tracks, and a shot at rest.

 

I saw the light and vegetation and so ventured a little further towards Apsley platform than Camraman and ended up with this and a very pleasing crop also:
IMG_4217c by Owen Chapman, on Flickr

 

Nice glint. Looks like you may have needed a machete to get to the location though.

 

Here's my log of the down journey. Highlights:-

• Tornado takes 14 coaches unassisted up Camden Bank!

• Frosty, NW wind, wintry showers around Lichfield.

• 64 mph at Tring extremely competent.

• Good climb to Long Buckby.

• Water taken at Rugby.

• Fast line through Nuneaton (Attleborough Jn - Amington Jn)

• Even time Rugby to sig stop at 132m 37c. 49m 73c covered in 49m 32s, ave 60.5 mph

• New down slow line after Stafford, via Searchlight Lane Jn.

Power outputs on the longer climbs:-

Tring ( 1:335) Hemel to MP31 - 1572 edhp @ 62 mph
Long Buckby ( 1:230) MP 68 to Long Buckby - 1650 edhp @ 55 mph
Whitmore ( 1:339) Stableford to Whitmore - 1050 edhp @ 55 mph

Not pressed up Whitmore as still early.

Will type up the return trip, and 5043 to York last Saturday, when time permits...

 

Been busy typing up logs of the class 800 IETs (!) but found time between icing the cake and baking the sausage rolls to type up Tornado's return run from Chester to Euston of nearly a month ago.

Generally more restrained than the outward run and, as I said at the time, was hoping for a bit better up to Tring given the way Tornado has charged the 1:200 gradients on the ECML in the past. Presumably cautious with an eye on water consumption?

Power Outputs ( edhp)
Beeston Castle ( 1:473) 1,413 edhp @ 62 mph
Madeley ( 1:177) 1,351 edhp @ 43.22 mph
Watford Lodge Tunnel ( 1:300) 1,518 edhp @ 52 mph
Tring ( 1:333) 1,238 edhp @ 63.43 mph