60163: Paddington - Hereford. 24th November.

I understand that quite a few of our readers don't post gen in fear of having their heads ripped off at a later point by fellow members. It's a shame really but I can see their point. <BJ>

 

[video=youtube;3IhFG1sNNPY]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3IhFG1sNNPY[/video]

My footage from yesterday's run, taken at Ashbury Crossing near Shrivenham and at Swindon Station.

Enjoy.

 

My footage from yesterday's tours with both Britannia and Tornado, taken at Severn Tunnel Junction, Llanvihangel, Bishton, and finally again at Llanvihangel:

[video=youtube;hvxqpdZywwo]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hvxqpdZywwo[/video]

 

DCR 56312 + support coach + Blue 60163 Tornado arrives into Didcot Railway Centre at 10:01.

Thanks to Zac for the gen. <BJ>

 

A first opportunity to see the new livery in sunshine - Tornado passing Didcot East Junction on 5Z63 Southall - Didcot GWS move

Tornado in Blue | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

and a slightly wider view

http://www.flickr.com/photos/d1059/8216174497/in/photostream

I think the new colour really suits and the loco looks superb


STEVE

 

Very impressive. Nice photograph Steve. Thanks for sharing. <BJ>

 

Thanks - it was so bad yesterday I didn't go out for Tornado, so this at least partly makes up for it

STEVE

 

An enjoyable trip yesterday despite the weather. Good run over the marches both ways. 58mph Llanvihangel on the return (thanks to a fellow passenger).Outward there was a lot of slack in the schedule between Bristol Parkway and Maindee N.J. We left the water stop 37 min late and were on time at Maindee N.J.Arrived 7 early at Hereford( left on time since we were picking up passengers)and arrived 6 early at Shrewsbury.
We left 3 min late following a service train, were 12 late leaving Ludlow, 8 late at Abergavenny and 2 early on entering the Severn Tunnel.We left the water stop 4 early, checked at Wootton Basset Junction due to a late running serice train crossing our path and ended up 8 min late arrival a Swindon. We left Swindon on time, the service train due to pass us was late there was late. We were on the fast line from Didcot to Paddington ( except at Reading ?), and were overtaken by HST on the slow near Slough.Arrived at Paddington on time. Thanks to Steam Dreams, DBS, and the A1 support crews. Photo of Tornado at Paddington in the morning Zenfolio | Paul Simpson | Cathedrals Express to Shrewsbury with 60163 | Photo 1

 

I think she looks great in that colour! But whose support coach is that?

 

6024's

 

I saw 60163 heading north on Saturday but she didn't leave much of an impression. I could hear 70000 for at least 5 minutes before she came into view - that was fantastic! 60163 glided past with hardly a beat from the chimney. Somehow the engine seems to lack a bit in character compared to other regulars on the mainline.

On the colour, I hardly noticed it. Like BR green, when the light is poor it just looks extremely dark. I couldn't have told you what colour she was carrying.

 

Bit harsh Neil !! ?? !! Actually I noticeed when she left Twyford that the exhaust sound was very 'soft' but then perhaps I have been spoilt by listening to the King drawing away ?? The light, yes, was absolutely dreadful, but then everything looks better in the sunshine and our vids were challenging for the cameras. But I think the colour does come through in the main. I see that we now have FOUR steam runs down the GWR in the 8 days from Sat 1 Dec onwards, so plenty of choice there ( 46201; 70000, 60163, 60019). E X C E L L E N T

 

Maybe I am being a little bit harsh but this isn't the first time I've been out to see 60163 and been a bit disappointed. On the same day last year I went over to the Marches but on the climb to Church Stretton when 6024 worked the turn that 70000 did. I'm sure I don't need to say which engine could be heard for miles and made a terrific sight going past (the exhaust sounding like a jet engine!). A few hours later 60163 glided along and hardly made a sound.

 

That's what happens when you put a Kylchap or Lemwosit (Bulleid) exhaust on a powerful machine, but for a blast on the chime for some track workers, I would probably have thought similar, though to be fair my overiding thought at the time was *s**t, that's shifting!, best put the shutter speed up!*

Certainly doesn't leave an impression like a Castle or Princess, but I doubt that comes into the thinking when designing as good a machine as you can.

 

Of course - I know I'm being a bit churlish with these points. The sound and impression the engine leaves at the lineside is not important. When I go out I like to see and hear something that's quite exciting - in the last year I could list 6024 at Stokesay Castle, 46115 at Drumochter, 45407 and 45305 at Barrhill, 45407 and 44871 at Knucklas and 70000 on Saturday as genuinely exciting performances! But locomotives aren't built to excite us photographers and videoers!

 

No, that's right, and for those on board, I would imagine there was quite a thrill in the realisation that such speed was being achieved without much noise up front !

We all know Tornado CAN be noisy, it just takes a bit more than the mere hillocks of the Welsh Marches !

 

November 2009 - Sapperton, sounded great that day

STEVE

 

I just noticed from my video that Twyford Station were so excited about Tornado stopping there on her first trip in blue, they had the canopy and bike shed repainted to match! :becky:

 

Very good King Stephen !! From your frequent visits, you know that it all got done in blue when the overbridge and lifts were all installed some 3-4 years ago. Quite impressive actually....and always clean at Twyford. Waiting for the wires.....NOT !!