The Aberdonian - 2019

I thought this tour deserved a thread of it's own. Quite a significant one, I think, being the first return trip to Aberdeen with a steam loco for quite some time, as well as Tornado's 2nd mainline trip since last year's failure. I hope the reinstated TT at Ferryhill is ready for action

 

So do I. Its a stretch of line I've yet to do. Hopefully the details will emerge over the next few days.

 

A Scottish friend told me on Saturday that they're sure the turntable has been weight tested and is therefore ready to go. These on the Ferryhill Railway Heritage Trust website showing the rotation of the turntable in Jan 19 and also the tamping operations of the newly laid rails leading to the turntable in Dec last..

http://www.frht.org.uk/images/video's/Turntable Manual Rotation Test.mp4
http://www.frht.org.uk/images/video's/tamping 11-12 18.mp4

This on their twitter site dated March 3rd. Getting there....but not many days to go. More piccs https://en-gb.facebook.com/FerryhillRHT/

 

It's looking highly promising.

No.9 due to make an appearance on may 1st and 5th also!

 

Wouldn’t Mind living in one of those house

 

It's pretty exciting, but there can't be many routes to choose from?

It is a busy line and it doesn't have a lot of loops, plus that shunting question at the end, I think Id be surprised if there wasn't a diesel...

 

The minor issue is whether it goes via Tay Bridge (as advertised) or Perth (my suspicion is that it'll end up going this way). Would prefer the former to get it done, and it would allow a bit of line-bashing with 60009 in May.

 

Both 1st & 5th May (RTC / SRPS ) are advertised via Ladybank and Perth.

 

Excuse my ignorance but which bit is a new steam route?

 

Is it not the case that the last loco to use Ferryhill Turntable was Blue Peter in 1992?

I had head that. K3 or 4 had used it, or a B1, but that was unofficial? Anyone able to substantiate any of that?

 

If a K3 used it after 1992, that'll be the best kept secret of the preservation era.

 

61264 on 30/9/00 probably on the Inverness to Aberdeen trip , I don't recall any return trips to Aberdeen with a single loco since then.
60532 hauled the Aberdonian north and south 0n 21/8/94, can't recall if there were any between these two.

Scott

 

Charters are very hard to path via Elgin but Sundays are fairly easy if you pick the right times of day. Monday to Saturday is ok for diesel but still very tight. Will see if capacity improvements on the southerly end aid this in any way as Inverurie to Aberdeen is blocked for a few months from May. If the service increases as is suggested though the paths for charters may go again.

Steam would be harder whatever day you picked although I'd say ok on a Sunday. It'd be a Landcruise no doubt though as can't see anyone organising a day tour along there given the lengthy ECS runs required and steam moves on top.

 

Ah, you're talking recently then. As I did Edinburgh - Aberdeen and back in '73 with 4498.

 

As suspected, new edition of Tornado Telegraph states that Tay Bridge a no go due to weight restriction. Aberdonian going via Perth.

 

All the Tornado "Aberdonian" tours will be operated under the WCRC umbrella. The tectonic plates are moving.

 

Diesel charters have mostly only been permitted top and tailed over the Tay Bridge ever since I can recall. Sadly that does mean not all bigger steam locos will be ok to cross even if gauging is ok. Losing that on the route is a big blow for the marketing of any train usually but imagine steam return trips to Aberdeen are so rare it'll not put too many off on this occasion. Were it a diesel job then it'd be a bigger issue.

 

46115 did it in 2012 with a 37 on the back on the way to Inverness. Unfortunately we decided to stay in Perth as it proved impossible to get from Edinburgh to Glenrothes in time for the departure, and I wasn't driving. Sadly, I think it'll be another gap like Talerddig on the steam map, but having said that, you never know what's around the corner with these things.