The Cornishman Express with Clan Line: 17/06/18

Looking at the videos posted, I would think sand usage was also pretty high.

 

Using this site has got a lot more difficult with all these pop up ads. Especially frustrating when out and about trying to keep folk updated using the mobile. Would be grateful if moderators sort ASAP!

Have been doing a LOT of number crunching. Attached is my log of the down run, including table of power outputs. On this occasion no apology for the level of detail, given the switchback nature of the line west of Newton Abbot.

I reckon 1,254 edhp getting away from Bristol on the climb to Wild Country Lane (MP 123) and 1,529 edhp recovering from the slack at Uphill Jn, but wouldn't be surprised if the immediate departure from Weston was worth more.

Whiteball shows 1,601 edhp on the whole climb from Norton Fitzwarren into the tunnel (ave 1:156), but broken down shows a slight fall from 1,644 edhp as far as Wellington to 1,539 edhp above Beam Bridge.

Acceleration out to Exminster worth 1,667 edhp.

Then came Dainton. From Langford Bridge at 215m 45c into the tunnel at 217m 62.5c (average 1:50.6) I calculate 1,875 edhp. Very good indeed on such a challenging section.

For Rattery I take the 4 miles from the over bridge at 223m 08c, where the train is fully on the steep gradient and loco fully opened up, to the under bridge at 227m 08c, just before the gradient eases. I reckon the average gradient is 1:64, which works out an average 1,759 edhp despite a couple of slips in the mizzle.

The time of 62m 20s from Exeter to Plymouth is quicker than any single headed steam run in the Railway Performance Society (RPS) archive, which includes the published logs of Rous-Marten, CJA and Nock and many others. I appreciate there may be other logs that have not come to light , would be interested to see any that are quicker.

Clan Line itself could have easily clipped another minute or so from this down from Wrangaton and with a quicker entry into Plymouth.

I have less gradient info for the long climb from St Germans to around MP 263 1/2, but reckon 1,152 edhp above the easing at Menheniot. If anyone has access to the five mile diagrams please let me know where the gradient changes are and I'll work out the average! There was a final blast up to Treverrin tunnel worth 1,416 edhp.

Return log to follow shortly.

Sean

 

Thanks for this Sean - your work is much appreciated. Mike

 

After long weekend with the Cotswold Venturer and Cornishman Express and Monday Club on Tuesday, I finally got around to typing up the outward journey. I see Sean beat me to it!!

I was only timing actual mileposts which is getting more difficult all the time especially as grass and weed growth is high this year. Anyway, not just to put in a repetitious document, I've added 60163 on The Cornishman of 29th May 2017 from Exeter onwards where both had load 10. Unfortunately 60163 was held at Newton Abbot so Dainton isn't comparable, but from the west portal of Dainton Tunnel to Plymouth and then from Plymouth to Liskeard approach are.

 

Interesting comparison Mr S. Tornado did well to recover on Rattery and had the edge from St Germans, although Clan Line did better to Treverrin Tunnel.

Nearly finished the return. Just re-checking what looks a phenomenal output getting away from Tiverton loop....

So glad that Clan Line has had a chance to stretch its legs beyond the Surrey hills. Bring on those Northern fells.

 

I'll second that. Emphatically. A domestic emergency prevented my participation in this eagerly anticipated outing - absolutely gutted - but this profile of the westbound leg is just perfect. The next best thing to being there. Many thanks indeed.

Just hope 1020 Shireman is right about the possibility that this might turn out to be not just a one-off!!

 

To my comparatively unpracticed eye there doesn't seem much to choose - the differences could easily be explained by how the crew were feeling about progress at that moment and how hard they felt they needed to push. Both engines put up fine performances. What was the weather like, or more importantly the railhead conditions on the Tornado trip?
Btw spoke the Clan Line support crew at Par during the pickup and they said they'd only used about 1/3rd of the sand capacity on the down run (refilled of course at St. Blazey). Suspect there was more used on the return!

Makes you cry out for full instrumentation on the locos including coal and water consumption, firing and injector rates, regulator and cutoff settings, not to mention smokebox vacuum and pyrometer readings, sanders on/off etc etc. Without all of this we really are just guessing! Even speaking to a member of the footplate crew the day after he was struggling to remember the cut-off used up Hemerdon and Whiteball and he was in the LH seat for at least one of those. Thanks again Sean and the Shire.

 

Yes 71000 started the climb at 40 mph starting from Newton Abbot.

The time 35028 set on Dainton (3 min 12 sec) I believe is the third fastest recorded and easily the fastest with 10 coaches (previous best with 10 was 6233 3 min 28.5 sec).

 

Well, all I'll say is 4 mins 24 seconds onwards as the video proves. I don't want to cause controversy but why didn't anyone pick up on the priming that is clearly taking place?

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Not sure what you are referring to - at 4:24 two of the three safety valves have lifted - as far as I know that has nothing directly to do with priming and everything to do with steam production. I see no other evidence of priming but perhaps you have spotted something I have not - please clarify exactly what you you mean otherwise it could easily cause controversy. Thanks.

 

From memory they weren't great for Tornado's run on Dainton or Rattery, but not as wet as Sunday. I remember Cornwall being drizzly and reports of poor rail head.

 

Look at the steam coming from the chimney, white and fluffy with no gap between the top of the chimney and the steam itself and it sounds muffled. Look at the other videos that have been posted and this is the only instance of it happening.

 

I think it's a bit risky deciding that an engine is priming because of what you think you see on a video but perhaps you are right and the guy on the footplate was wrong. It's unfortunate to suggest that no-one on the footplate did anything about the situation if indeed it existed - it seems you are implying unprofessional handling of the engine by four qualified people who were on the footplate and either in control or providing advice. I'm not interested in an argument over this - I reported what the TI on the footplate said on Sunday evening - you can choose to disbelieve him if you prefer.

 

Been looking back at another Tornado run over Dainton and Rattery. What struck me from memory was the luck we had on Sunday at Newton Abbot. Rarely have trains had a clear run at speed through the station. On 9th March 2013 on a Pad-Ply and return CathEx we were checked down to 31 through the station and only got to a max of 52 at mp215 1/2. Clan Line was doing 60 at the same point. Tornado definitely suffered a bit more over the final 3/4 of a mile to the tunnel to end up 11 mph slower. We've always been told the crews are afraid of a slip with the bigger wheeled engine over the final 3/4 mile. Rattery that day was a bit good but no indication of it being a wet climb.

 

It's taken longer than I thought, but here's my log of the return.

Away from Par right time. Barely half a mile before the 1:100/63 gradients bite. We got up to 31 mph before a slip near MP 280 1/2. Speed fell back to 24 before entering Treverrin Tunnel at 30 mph. I was timing from the rear coach, so folk at the front will have noted a lower speed into the tunnel. The average grade from Marsh underbridge (281m 21c) to entering the tunnel is 1:81, giving 1,146 edhp for this loosener.

After the 45 slack through Lostwithiel Clan Line was progressively opened out for an ear splitting climb to Brown Queen tunnel, entered at 60 after a max of 61.

One of the concerns expressed when the tour was announced was the restart from Bodmin Parkway, from where there is a 6 mile climb to Doublebois, including 4.4 miles averaging 1:83, but with stretches as steep as 1:55. The crew used the mile or so of easier grades to work speed up to 44 mph before we hit the initial 1:71. With the exhaust clearly audible from the back coach we pressed on up the bank and kept speed around the 40 mph mark all the way up, recovering to 44 as we passed under the road bridge at Doublebois. I calculate this was worth 1,850 edhp. Simply stunning.

The restart from Liskeard has a short but tricky rise, surmounted without difficulty, but ominously there was mizzle in the air again. Nice run down to the Royal Albert Bridge and on to Plymouth, including the sharp rise from Keyham to Devonport. Checked into platform 7 for water.

A class 66 diesel was on hand just in case, but we didn’t need it. Away 4½ minutes late on a 74 minute booking to Exeter and immediately faced with the sharp climb to Mutley tunnel, entered rather gingerly at 15 mph. The line then falls to Laira and runs alongside the Plym estuary, but an all-out attack of Hemerdon is hampered by the 60 mph slack round the curve at Tavistock Jn (MP 243). Apparently this used to be limited to 35 mph in steam days, although you’d never tell from the logs.

We reached a max of 64 before the gradient steepens at Plympton (MP 242), passed at 63. Milepost 241 was passed at 46 mph and speed continued to fall on the 1:42 to 35 mph at post 240½ where the loco slipped and speed fell off alarmingly to 26 mph at post 240¼, 21 mph at post 240 and 15 mph at 239¾. But the crew dug in and rallied the loco on the ‘easier’ 1:51 to reach 23 mph at the Sparkwell bridge (MP 239½). By then we were assured of getting up and Clan Line simply romped away on the remainder of the climb to Wrangaton. I reckon Plympton – Sparkwell (posts 242 – 240½) averages 1:45.7, which gives an average 1,414 edhp for the climb, but Clan Line was clearly working far harder than this before the slip.

A restrained run down Rattery and through Totnes was the prelude to the mile or so averaging 1:41 up to Dainton. We passed Bow bridge (219m 09c) at 53 mph but speed fell to 33 at Cockleford Bridge (218m 08c). I calculate this was worth 1,983 edhp. The loco slipped as it entered the tunnel.

Despite some sprightly running around the coast we had lost too much time at the start and on Hemerdon to reach Exeter within the hour, the final check resulting in a time of 60m 45s start to stop, an average of 51.4 mph for this famously difficult road.

After setting down a few passengers at Exeter we headed off for the water stop at the former Tiverton Junction, speed reaching 76 mph in the dip at Hele & Bradninch and 73 at Cullompton before easing for the loop.

The restart was notably vigorous. Horsepower calculations rely on accurate assessments of speeds and gradients, and are clearly more reliable and meaningful over longer distances. But for a bit of fun I have calculated the output from Clan Line for the half mile or so from Venn foot crossing to Tiverton Parkway, during which the train accelerated from 41 to 50 mph on the 1:496/211 (average 1:239) gradient, which works out at no less than 2,356 edhp! The loco was eased somewhat after the station, and the outputs on the climb to Whiteball from Tiverton Parkway and Pugham work out at 1,488 and 1,471 respectively, with speed falling to 48 from 54 after Tiverton Parkway.

Little more to report other than that the acceleration past Cogload Jn was worth 1,362 edhp and the climb to Flax Bourton 1,204. We finally crawled into Temple Meads a couple of minutes late, but that didn’t matter after such a wonderful day out.

 

A stunning performance once again!
Might also be worth adding, for interest, that 35028's WSR driver on the Quantock Intruder on 26th May has confirmed that as conditions fortunately remained dry, the power controller on the class 33 on the rear remained in the OFF position throughout on the outward run to Minehead and only requested assistance getting away from the 5mph restriction on Washford bank on the return. Otherwise it was 13 coach equivalent load.

 

If the year ended now it is a 'no contest'. If Tornado comes back as strong as previously, she has a lot of trains all over the country to run up performances to challenge the MN, including Shap both ways, the S&C, Copy Pit, a couple of Westbury TBEs and the South Devon Banks in September. No.9 is back and sounding in fine fettle, and then there's the promise of 6233 if she's allowed off the leash. Hopefully the year is young as they say...but can't see anything beating Clan Line to Railtour of the Year for last Sunday's train. I keep trying to get the NATs instigated but fail miserably. Perhaps the 'management' will support them this year.

 

For the benefit of the those of us without great technical knowhow, can you explain in simple terms what "priming" is, and what action in your view should have been taken.

Thanks.