60163 Cathedrals Express 14th December

We were told problems with the fire. Much scepticism on board though.

Return run so far has been awesome. Tornado is a lot more vocal than my last trip behind her in 2010.

 

From what I was advised from staff on site, there was an issue with the fire causing a lack of steam. This was quite evident at Tisbury as it went by on the outward journey. IIRC didn't Tornado suffer a couple of years back with some dodgy coal?

 

Just through Petersfield-46 down now

 

Apparently, the train will now run straight up the mainline from Woking to Waterloo.

 

This is true, we've been told an arrival at Waterloo via the main is what's now happening, likely to arrive before our original Victoria arrival!

 

arrived and departed Haslemere around 50 late,unfortunately behind delayed stopper which overtook it during the water stop. quite smart chocolate and cream set,will this be the regular coaches for the Cathedrals now DBS are doing a lot of their runs?

 

Now back to the original route via Staines as signalman had not had authority to send the train via the mainline!

 

Signaller has refused to acknowledge the STP planned by DBS to Waterloo. Currently on route to Waterloo via Staines. Farcical end to a rather good return run, albeit late. Driver is now doing best to get us to Clapham and London, Tornado going mad trying to make up for the re route!

 

Saw the train at Woking and great to see Geoff from Barton Hill as traction inspector. Also caught up with Graham Bunker who announced to the crew "First stop Clapham Junction up the main line then Waterloo" and off she set into the darkness.

What is astounding is that the platform staff at Woking assisted passengers who got off the train for Staines having been told to get taxis!!

Pardon the pun but I don't think they will be very chuffed to hear that the train did in fact go via Staines after all.

Seems to me like the left hand doesn't know what the right hand is doing. Someone at DBS clearly received authorisation to proceed up the fast and let's me honest it's not as if steam has never gone mainline to Waterloo, and then someone at the last minute vetoed that request. A ludicrous situation and no credit whatsoever can be handed out to Network Rail control. Puzzling indeed.

Nick

 

...or maybe simply that the authorisation didn't get communicated to the signalman.

The problem is that, nowadays, the left hand and right hand aren't always attached to the same body.

 

Arrived Waterloo 2330 hours

 

Unfortunately Malc is right, the request or authorisation never made it to the signaller. We ended up at Clapham at 2315, having been routed via the Hounslow loop too as booked. Tornado was in excellent fettle on the return, but there were many worried folk for connections out of Kings X in our carriage.

Just a shame that plans to try and speed things up failed. On the plus side the stock looked and felt immaculate, good heating in our coach thanks to the generator, but the fire problems on the outbound remain a mystery.

 

Or maybe that loco doesn't have current route clearance for the fast line from Woking to Waterloo? I don't know how that works, but I do remember it causing a few problems near Bickley a month or so ago.

Even though most here know Tornado has probably got better clearance than the regulars on that route.

 

A shot from the earlier, happier part of the trip - Botley station.

 

No video's from anyone?

Was going to go out last night but when I read Tornado was 75 minutes late then I thought a warm house was the better option!

 

If everyone took the same option, no wonder no videos then !!!!!!!!! LOL

 

Fair point Pete, I guess I should have said any video's during the day as I was at work and would have been dark last night. Mind you, may have been a good excuse to try out the night vision view on the camcorder???

 

I was at Cosham to Video last night but when I checked & saw she was running 75minutes late I didn't fancy waiting oddly enough, thus I went home & to be honest I just couldn't be bothered popping back out. I'm obviously not as dedicated as some of the hard core members of this forum