Tornado Railtours 2020

Saving the best until last?

 

We've had our email too. Can't imagine they're going to be able to find a date this year before the dreaded leaf fall season in mid-October; and as you say Liam, it's really only a positioning train with passengers. Might be fun and we'd support it if they do a Crewe-Glasgow and return for a long day out!!

 

You had the same kind of thing planned as me by the sound of it. I too had The Caledonian, The Aberdonian and The Jacobite booked for that week. Oh well. Maybe next year!

 

We did indeed, though the Jacobite is still pending as is our Holiday Cottage. Everything relies on what Sturgeon decides to do and whether she'll allow tourism from outside of Scotland come mid July. Our party is happy to travel regardless if there's any steam as a change of scenery is high on our list.

 

So would we and I didn't like having to ask for a refund, but for us it was a means of travel and a holiday. I'd be well up for a another try maybe come next spring but personally we would struggle with a September or October date.

 

As expected the Aberdonian and all other dates up until 03/09/20 has kicked the bucket.

 

That is disappointing.

It was due to be a bumper year for Ferryhill.

 

I was stewarding the Caledonian originally, then my wife’s friends wanted to come, so I had to make up a table of 4 in posh dining. Oh well, we’ll see what other dates are offered.

 

With the emergence of Tornado from its Carnforth makeover, featuring a temporary guise as it’s would-be St Mungo class-mate, and given A1 SLT’s appetite for celebrating profile-raising anniversaries, I wonder if now might be a good time to revive the possibility of offering the Peppercorn Phoenix rail-tour, cancelled so disappointingly in December 2015 for want of sufficient bookings?

Just as a quick refresh, the Phoenix as originally proposed back then would have offered Tornado haulage from York to Newcastle return, with the added interest of a Morpeth/ Blyth and Tyne system Circular bolted on to the northern leg. With the upcoming winter season marking the 55th Anniversary of the A1’s final curtain call on ECML front line duties, and especially St Mungo’s outstanding final day exploits with a New Year’s Eve 1965 York-Newcastle special, it would just seem so appropriate to recapture these events at this juncture. Plus it could offer the sort of focused opportunities for promoting the various fund-raising appeals now being launched by the Trust with renewed vigour, and thus in some way make up for the loss of so many such initiatives as a result of the decimation of Tornado’s 2020 main line programme.

There may well have been very good and specific reasons, perhaps associated with the New Year’s Eve timing in 2015, why the tour failed to materialise on that occasion; but if (big IF) such a proposal could be made to make sense commercially and logistically, and it could be supported by Trust member-volunteers, then wouldn’t it be worth giving this one another go?

 

I’d like to think so as I always love the idea of rerunning a tour from the later days of steam on the anniversary day/weekend. Here’s hoping Tornados Aberdonian on the 10th and the Queen of Scots on the 12th go ahead. It might be though that the Queen of Scots would only run to and from Edinburgh rather than Stirling because of recent events.

 

Update from Tornado railtours regarding 10th Sept Aberdonian.


THE ABERDONIAN

Following the tragic derailment near Stonehaven earlier this month, we have been advised that the railway will not be open in time for our 10th September Aberdonian train to run. As there is no diversionary route, we have taken the decision to move the train to Saturday 3rd April 2021 and tickets for the new date will be on sale from tomorrow.

Passengers have been informed, and while we understand this news will come as a disappointment for some after a challenging year, we thank you for your patience and look forward to welcoming you on board 'The Aberdonian' in 2021.

Dave B

 

We’re awaiting news on that one too m

 

Had an email from the A1 Trust this afternoon confirming a itinerary change. This is due to the Edinburgh-Stirling mainline suffering excess water damage. The new itinerary still has diesel haulage on the outward, but a reversal at Newcastle is involved before taking the Tyne Valley to Carlisle where 60163 joins for a run over Beattock, but now with Edinburgh as the destination. Then Tornado returns to York via the original booked route through Berwick.

That’ll do rather nicely and well done to all concerned for saving and making this trip even more special, even though it was already that way beforehand.

 

12th Sept, The Queen Of Scots

York-Carlisle (diesel)
https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/U55219/2020-09-12/detailed

Carnforth to Carlisle (Tornado)
https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/U55247/2020-09-12/detailed

Carlisle to Edinburgh (Tornado)
https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/U55220/2020-09-12/detailed

Edinburgh to Joppa (Tornado)
https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/U55221/2020-09-12/detailed

Joppa to Edinburgh (Tornado)
https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/U55223/2020-09-12/detailed

Edinburgh to York via Newcastle (Tornado)
https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/U55222/2020-09-12/detailed

York to York Holgate Siding
https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/U55248/2020-09-12/detailed

York Holgate Siding to York NRM
https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/U55249/2020-09-12/detailed

 

The Caledonian is now running 10th April next year to make most of daylight. Now also goes to Edinburgh, rather than Glasgow, with steam to / from Carnforth, offering 330 miles steam haulage. Would have quite liked steam into Glasgow Central, however, this is a pretty good alternative and something to look forward to next year.

 

Kirtlebridge...


Tornado at Kirtlebridge

 

A1 No. 60163 'Tornado' - Harthope by Jonathon Gourlay, on Flickr

Harthope, on the climb to Beattock. A path with the sun predominantly up the backside of the train on the climb was always going to be tough, but to get any sunshine in this weather was a bonus!

 

Very nice Jonny

 

60163 at Scout Green , Harthorpe and near Beattock Summit .