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VT - 5043 to Edinburgh - 26/27/28 May

Discussion in 'What's Going On' started by Ben Vintage-Trains, Nov 25, 2011.

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  1. RalphW

    RalphW Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Administrator Friend

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    Be aware that the Castle will most likely be in the loop waiting for both a stopping Pendo and a TP to pass. Sods law says that one of these will be in the way of getting both locos in the shot.....
     
    RalphW, May 25, 2012
    #81
  2. Guest

    Guest Part of the furniture Account Suspended

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    It certainly looks like lunch at the Agricultural Arms - a pint of Jennings and Cumberland Sausage - excerllent!
     
    Guest, May 25, 2012
    #82
  3. david1984

    david1984 Resident of Nat Pres

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    Yep, I'll prob look out the window on hearing the Duchess to be greeted by the view of a uninspiring platform building blocking my view, on a personal view im bloody sick of Penrith loop, I've been over Shap northbound 5 times and been put inside here every damn time.
     
    david1984, May 25, 2012
    #83
  4. RalphW

    RalphW Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Administrator Friend

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    You've been on the wrong trains, Duchess will be going straight through in the morning.......
     
    RalphW, May 25, 2012
    #84
  5. Paul42

    Paul42 Part of the furniture

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    Network Rail have insisted we take a diesel due to fire risk. To be attached at Carnforth.They are worried about Beattock where Diesel will assist.
     
    Paul42, May 26, 2012
    #85
  6. jonathonag

    jonathonag Well-Known Member

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    Oh, not the best news but can agree to the need perhaps. This may sound like an odd question, but with today's warm weather, what's the exhaust like? Sadly I couldn't travel today ( only currently left Wigan myself ), so may try a photo but due to the distance can only work with a little bit of exhaust trail I imagine
     
    jonathonag, May 26, 2012
    #86
  7. buseng

    buseng Part of the furniture

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    Crap timings, now this. I really feel for VT & the passengers. Knew damn well this would happen.
    I don't care what anyone says, but it seems that NR are trying to drive steam off the network via the back door.
     
    buseng, May 26, 2012
    #87
  8. 3855

    3855 Member

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    Setting fire to the greenery around Beattock, the train stalling or even worse a loco failure all of which would disrupt services on the West Coast Mainline are risks worth avoiding in my view.
     
    3855, May 26, 2012
    #88
  9. arizonagcs

    arizonagcs New Member Account Suspended

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    Best stay at home then!
     
    arizonagcs, May 26, 2012
    #89
  10. 26D_M

    26D_M Part of the furniture

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    Spot on 3855, anything less would be reckless with potentially dire long term consequences. By the way a charter set containing mainly choc/cream and maroons passed great Strickland at about 13.25 top and tailed by type 4s. Has this any connection with this tour?
     
    26D_M, May 26, 2012
    #90
  11. Big Al

    Big Al Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Moderator

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    Just read this thread after returning from Steam Dreams Explorer trip. Yes, it looks as though VT is suffering the same late (and at times bizarre) pathing and timing issues as we had. The vast majority of the network runs to prearranged schedules so why on earth it isn't possible to produce paths (even if they are provisional) earlier than this is incomprehensible. There is just a chance that some of the people doing the job aren't up to it and don't know how to manage the information presented to them by the computer systems. I'll give you an example. On the Explorer we were originally given easy timings up Stoke on the slow to allow a service train to pass because it was believed that Tornado couldn't be cleared into Grantham before it was due. I understand that this was spotted by SD who made the observation that even time running up Stoke was easily within Tornado's capabilities. As a result we went main line at 70+ all the way and were taking water at Grantham when the East Coast train came through.

    So whilst I can reluctantly accept the pecking order of things, were we to see a little more intelligence from the Charter Dept then perhaps they would get less flack. That said, there seems to be more flexibility at a day to day operational level as a late change was made to allow Bittern into Waverley through Haymarket although I gather only one line can be used for steam.
     
    Big Al, May 26, 2012
    #91
  12. Neil_Scott

    Neil_Scott Part of the furniture

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    How irresponsible of Network Rail to want to protect its infrastructure, the ownerS of land adjacent to railway property and to minimise the potential disruption to services on the WCML that a lineside fire could cause...
     
    Neil_Scott, May 26, 2012
    #92
  13. Anthony Coulls

    Anthony Coulls Well-Known Member

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    Had a phone call from Dad onboard around Lancaster around 12.45, 8 mins down but sounded good. He seems determined to enjoy himself whatever.
     
    Anthony Coulls, May 26, 2012
    #93
  14. hatherton hall

    hatherton hall Well-Known Member

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    The reason why spark arrestors were installed and tested under extreme conditions (i.e. night time testing to see spark throw) is to avoid this crazy situation about fire risk. if the spark arrestor is not up to scratch, take the steam loco off the list. In steam days, spark arrestors were fitted around industrial areas where sparks were a danger with perfect success. The King ran Bristol to Kingswear on a Torbay Express a couple of years ago in the hottest summer for many years with temperatures in the 90's. No diesel assistance, no line side fire, no problem.

    Trains have run over the past couple of days in exactly the same conditions as today.

    The whole thing stinks just as much as that box that will be attached - and probably at the front too.

    What with the long extended timings, this will surely rank as the worse tour of the year, Ruined by Network Rail.
     
    hatherton hall, May 26, 2012
    #94
  15. hatherton hall

    hatherton hall Well-Known Member

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    Regarding the awful timings of this tour, I earlier posted to say that if it were Bunker of Steam Dreams or the late great B. Staite, that they would have banged on the NR's door, if it were one of their tours and get the timings improved.

    An now, would you believe it, confirmation from BIG AL that this is exactly what Steam Dreams did when they notice unacceptable timings. They were simply not prepared to sit back and just take the knock.

    A lesson to be learned there for sure. But unfortunately, too late for those poor souls out today.
     
    hatherton hall, May 26, 2012
    #95
  16. Horwich-works

    Horwich-works New Member

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    Horwich-works, May 26, 2012
    #96
  17. Big Al

    Big Al Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Moderator

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    Without implying any criticism of a particular locomotive, even though all engines were pushed hard at times on the Cath Exp it was only Bittern that seemed to be throwing out the sparks and cinders.
     
    Big Al, May 26, 2012
    #97
  18. 5944

    5944 Resident of Nat Pres

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    Reports of a lineside fire at Tebay. Maybe it's related, maybe it's not, but it was reported on one of the gen groups about 30 mins after the Castle was due.
     
    5944, May 26, 2012
    #98
  19. Christopher125

    Christopher125 Part of the furniture

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    Since when were spark arrestors ever 100% effective at all times? With lineside fires on both Beattock and the WHL in recent days im amazed that anyone can seriously suggest taking the risk with a Castle and a heavy load over such a busy section of railway - just the latest criticism of NR on this forum that ignores their wider responsibility for reliably operating an increasingly congested railway network.

    Chris
     
    Christopher125, May 26, 2012
    #99
  20. campainr

    campainr Well-Known Member

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    Here here.
     
    campainr, May 26, 2012
    #100
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