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

Totally agree with you there, a very high class way in which to deal with unfortunate circumstances.

 

I doubt it but we live in hope.

 

Damn right. Top marks to Mr Bunker, and let's not forget a word of thanks to ALL who contributed on Saturday doing their best under difficult circumstances to 'rescue' the incident as best they could. There have been some 'regrettable' posts about the matter since Saturday morning

 

Sorry to put you on the stop, but do I read from this that the actual power outputs required/delivered for high speed running on the ECML are not unduly large compared with slower speed work on more heavily graded lines (e.g. Shap, Beattock or parts of the S&C)?

Many thanks

Steven

 

I would agree that sudden fractures of seemingly perfect metal are not unknown, and can happen even at slow speeds, too.

 

Yes, an MK3 set with opening windows and waste tanks IIRC.

 

A1ST have been a beacon on how to react at a very difficult time. Communication to passengers both on the day and today's email - excellent, professional. Information on possible cause of problem clear and logical and if it proves to be a lubrication issue does not raise any speed related bogeymen. The offer of credit is generous and the promise of first dibs to do it all again (we hope) is more than fair. I hope that the matter can be swiftly resolved and Tornado repaired and back in action. Best wishes to the guys and gals.

 

I'm afraid that Mrs W has been unable to produce a drawing. She has had an email from ET (Elephant's Trust) saying that they have detected some stiffness in the motions. This may be due to a surfeit of stale buns (currAnt thinking). They intend to increase lubrication ( a gallon of castor oil) and this will lead to a 100 yd exclusion zone.

 

Data transcribed from my GPS recorder’s GPX file. Recorder set to record at nominal 0.1 intervals. By nature of the recording method distances between consecutive points will vary, these will be known accurately but will not be exactly 0.1 miles.

Table starts at the point of minimum speed (after braking) and continues to the final stop. I selected those segments which best gave approx 0.5 mile intervals for acceleration and braking. All segments are reproduced for the really fast bit. Column 1 is the distance to the mid-point of the relevant segment.

I was at the very front of the train and have added 0.15 miles to better align GPS and track diagram distances (column 2).

Accuracy depends on the number of visible satellites and their position in the sky. Overall, experience has shown very good correlation between GPS distances and distances taken from track diagrams. Typically less than 0.1 miles between Hellifield and Carlisle and repeatable trip after trip.

 

You have got to feel for the A1SLT, the offer of credit is very laudable but its going to be a further dent in resources when you also consider that the repairs will cost money plus the loss of other tours while they are fixing her? I assume they also get clobbered for additional from DBC due to having to use the 66 to York and then back to KX plus the costs to also borrow a loco (and crew?) from GBRf for the rescue etc?

Just out of interest I know that there is a cap on delay charges for charters, does that also apply to DBC trains which seem to run in the system as freight services, unlike for instance WCRC trains which have passenger head codes (why are they different)?

 

Does that suggest she went bang at 80+ - setting any question of speed causing the issue aside I suspect that must have been squeaky bum time up front as I cannot imagine any bits that detached went quietly,if it was left in the four foot I imagine it must have made some racket as it passed under the front of the train before coming to a stop!

 

My friends in coach H heard the offending parts quite clearly as they bounced along underneath.

 

The A1ST and ECML operations have indeed set a shining example of how to deal with a major failure and communicate clearly with passengers and the media. Congratulations to all involved to all involved for recovering the situation and minimising impact on the wider railway.

Can some other TOC's, routes (and occasionally emergency services) please learn lessons about communications from this?

Cheers, Neil

 

Cannot comment on the A1ST however as the ECML seems to sit down on a very regular basis (Only threatened for regularity by the WCML at Hest Bank where the overhead lines seem to be made from sewing cotton) perhaps they just have the practice to deal with such eventualities....?

 

As a regular traveller, the issue is not the contingency planning (as you say, quite good), but the information and consequential disruption.

 

Tornado at 90 mph – briefly! 14 April 2018

Since way before the completion of the A1 Pacific No 60163 Tornado, it has been an objective one day to run her in public service at 90 mph. For years after her inauguration nothing was heard, and meanwhile A4 No 4468 Bittern stole a march in 2013 with a series of three memorable runs.

At last Tornado undertook a test run last year reaching 100 mph, and the stage was set for her first public run from Kings Cross to York and back, which was quickly fully booked. The timings were only announced a couple of days before the run, and they were mouthwatering, with only one water stop each way and many stretches, each many miles long, cleared for 90 mph running.

So it was with great anticipation that the crowds gathered on a bright April morning, to see Tornado looking magnificent, albeit with a motley collection of Mark 1 and Mark 2 vehicles, because DBC has no authority to carry passengers in Mark 1 vehicles at speeds of more than 75 mph behind steam!

We set out up the hill from Kings Cross more briskly than I remember behind steam, reaching 33 by Finsbury Park, 47 at Harringay, 54 at Hornsey and continuing in the mid fifties to our last pickup at Potters Bar. Another smart getaway saw us pass Welham Green at 63 before reaching 70 before Hatfield. We were slowed on the approach to Welwyn Garden City before the pathing stop at Digswell Junction.

Away from this on time, we stormed over the viaduct to pass Welwyn North at 48 and Woolmer Green at 56, then Knebworth at 59 and Stevenage at 67. We reached 72 before being slowed at Wymondley. Then we accelerated again through Hitchin in the mid sixties, flying down the next five miles to pass Arlesey at 86, and two miles later the magic 90 mph between Langford and Biggleswade. This continues for a few hundred yards before the brakes went on due to the incident up front.

This is not the place to dwell on the details of the disappointing failure of parts of Tornado’s middle cylinder, but all parties came to the rescue and eventually we were drawn forward to Peterborough, where those who chose could return free to London as guests of VTEC. The rest of us continued to York and after two hours returned to London with a DB Class 66 which kept Tornado’s schedule pretty well n0twithstanding its maximum speed of 75 mph.

We did not have the day of high speed running we had hoped for, but we did reach 90 mph behind Tornado and we did reach York, where I was able to remind myself in the NRM of happier days of East Coast high speed, which I have used to pad out the very modest collection of photos obtained at Kings Cross.

Many thanks and commiserations to the A1 Trust and all its partners, and we look forward to the promised repeat run before too long.

14 photos are at http://pjhtransportpix.zenfolio.com/p723017633

Peter on a bright Spring afternoon in Manchester
http://pjhtransportpix.zenfolio.com

 

An excellent response from A1ST, who value their customers , and if they have to take a short term hit, accept it.

Many, many others could learn a lesson from this....

 

Maybe 60163 should be fitted with waste tanks. I've heard they're pretty good at catching loose motions....

 

Hello John,

We were sitting directly behind you!! we took advantage of the VT back to the Cross that let us get home a reasonable hour, 1830 rather than 0035 on Sunday morning. Know young Mr Emmett well. No doubt we'll catch up on a train soon. As the ad used to say 'Follow the (red) bear'.

Cheers,
Graham