THE PURBECK TORNADO - 16th June 2010

Tornado arrived at Swanage at 1338 - arrival shown live on BBC South Lunch time news - Hundreds of people reported to be watching in area certainly many people lining road by the station shown in the shots shown on air. DH 34105

 

If i count correctly she's pulling load 13, mainly mk1's, plus a 67 DIT - impressive stuff.

Chris

 

BBC report with no cringing errors for once!

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/dorset/10329341.stm

Also, it seems mad that the junction improvement work needed at Worget will cost the same as Tornado did to build! Brand new A1 = a set of points and some signals. Just goes to show how we sometimes forget the cost of the PW and just focus on the shiny paint and gleaming motion of the loco....

 

Top of Parkstone bank at 1800 with 67029 leading and Tornado helping gently at the back DH

 

To those who may be interested. This is it earlier today.

 

A nice picture Nathan, I got a a simular shot there with Tangmere when it brought a railtour to Swanage ( no cows).

Could'nt get down there today but hope to see her at Woking this evening.

Mike M. (70c )

 

Reported on time leaving Southampton/ Millbrook.

Mike M.(70c)

 

Nice pic, but isn't that cow trespassing ?, call the BTP.

 

Outrageous! and its not even wearing a High-vis

 

a few minutes early at Fleet, passed at about 20mph on a yellow.

 

Grass it up then.................

 

Amazing numbers of visitors at Swanage (although weather was absolutely brilliant which helped).
Train arrived only about 4 minutes late despite needing a little blow-up-ette at a quaintly named location - Creech Bottom! This may have been due to the train being only 9 miles from Swanage and, perhaps, the fire might have begun to be run-down to keep her quiet on arrival. Unfortunately those 9 miles included about 2 miles at 1 in 80 hauling load 13 (+ 67 on the rear) before reaching Motala Ground Frame and then another 1 1/4 miles at 1 in 80 after leaving Corfe Castle Station. The boiler seems to have come round quickly and it managed the re-start unaided showing how brilliant the loco really is!
Unfortunately we had a track circuit failure which delayed the return by about 15 minutes - although some minutes were re-gained allowing the train to leave Motala GF, onto NR metals, just a few minutes late. Suspect the 67 needed some rear-end assistance from 60163 up a couple of 1 in 76 gradients back to NR tracks.
Congratulations to UKRailtours and DBSchenker for a well run and timely railtour.
See you all on Wednesday 29th September for The Purbeck Tornado II.
Apparently it is filling up fast with only a few seats left:
http://www.ukrailtours.com/tourshow...trains&tourfile=100929_PURBECK TORNADO_II.txt

 

Support crew reports suggest that around 56mph plus over the top of Grateley with around 645 tons tagging along behind with messers Butch on the handle and Wayne bailing it in with a 1 minute early arrival back at Waterloo. Sounds like a pretty good day and the local BBC news were well impressed!

 

Wayne and Butch certainly are the Masters of the heavy train, mind you they do it all the time with Clan Line, impressive stuff.

 

She was early at Winchfield last night (passed through at 21.08) running on the slow with a yellow light ahead of her.

 

Yes they were both still working hard at Woking last night, as with the Clan Line test run Monday evening.

Mike M. (70c )

 

And what a wonderful sight it made in the late evening sunshine. Thanks for the whistle lads as the train approached Grateley.