4464 Bittern to do 90mph on ECML - 29 June & 27 July 2013

Sorry but anyone slagging WCRC is a fool, you think dry weather cares who the operating TOC is ?, even if the SSE wasn't running it doesn't stop the conditions being the same for Saturday, while the 8F may have form for this, I can't recall 46115 doing it before, who's to say Bittern would not of done exactly the same had she been heading to Scarborough today ?.

I'm as frustrated as anyone at another potential spanner in the works, but lets not go looking for unwarranted scapegoats.

 

Suppose that you had gotten a seat on a special one of these 90mph runs behind Bittern, You would not be happy should a steam ban require a diesel doing all the work on the back of the train or behind the locomotive. These people know what they have paid for.

 

So 4464 on a DBS train is less of a fire risk than 4464 on a WCRC train-please elaborate.
Or is it because dbs are more likely to cancel the train due to lack of crew.....?

 

Al, as a fellow confirmed steam speed freak from the 1960s I can fully understand your frustration at the possibility of another postponement of the 90 mph runs: if that happens of course, I'm unaware of any official announcement yet.

But regardless of which or whose loco caused the two reported fires yesterday, NR have to operate the railway on the basis of the recent evidence in front of them. I don't know what the conditions in the area are like and if there is still the possibility of a mega fire being caused, rather than "just" smaller outbreaks. But can you imagine the furore that would be caused if, in the light of yesterdays happenings, NR let Saturdays run go ahead and then be faced with trying to explain why a big fire occurred.

 

There's a bit of rain forecast on Thursday and Friday evening around the York/Doncaster area and the weather is meant to be relatively cool later this week.

 

Haxby, very pancake indeed. The steepest climb on the York - Scarborough route is 1 in 200 just before York on the return so unless the train was pulling away from a slack very little should have been happening. If the fires were trackside then there is always the ashpan question, field of crops the spark arrestor question. There is always the thoughtless clown with matches, lighter or cigarette ends alternative, sometimes malicious, other times quite foolish, to be considered.
With hindsight, maybe WC could have reshuffled their pack and put the least incendiary locomotives on the east coast work. The damage has been done now, all we can do is wait.

 

45231 and 61994 are the only 2 locomotives based at Carnforth that I would have any real trust in riding behind right now based on performance and maintenance.

 

Trains are accelerating at Haxby to get up to line speed. Remember that there is a water stop at Bootham only a couple of miles before.

 

Any idea as to how much it costs??? Can't see any price details unless I'm having a blonde moment.......

 

You have to add to cart to see the price but its £14.95 for a normal DVD and the Blu-Ray I ordered was £17.95 but also has an extra £1.50 for P&P. The Blu-Ray is in a different section though.

 

I don't think you're having a completely blonde moment, you have to click on "add to cart" and then you find out! https://www.paypal.com/uk/cgi-bin/w...737ba21b08198dbcfd9e439351aac748846c5173df4f4

 

Has anyone heard anything more regarding the motive power situation?

 

If the train was cancelled or postponed, I think we'd have heard by now. I guess Bittern should be in steam at York today, and going through the FTR . Is anyone going near the NRM today? If so, please have a look and post.

 

Wouldn't trust 45231 not to start a fire tho, checkout my video of it throwing out a fire bomb on last nights Dorset Coast Express.

 

I'm more concerned as to whether it will run as advertised or in accordance with the terms of network rails steam ban. Some kind of announcement from the promoter or someone in the know would be hugely appreciated, although I guess this is unrealistic as I'm sure the situation can vary day to day. Fingers and legs are crossed!

 

Day to day? Even hour to hour!

Fingers and legs crossed yes, and toes as well!

In 24 hours we shall know all, one way or the other, at least about the Newcastle run

Peter, in a cloudy Manchester
http://pjhtransportpix.zenfolio.com/f731739511