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

If it goes tomorrow I'm sure Saturday will too.

 

I'm hopefully out for the Saturday run and using what happens on Friday as an indication if it's worth bothering or not, I only have to walk 1 mile down the road to see a class 67 doing the ton.

 

You can't really compare the Shakespeare Al, A Castle/Hall on load 8 limited to 60/75 on section (Stratford - Bearly Jcn) which on Sunday barely see's two trains an hour, is a bit different to an A4 on say load 10, aiming for 90+ on the ECML on a Saturday, the SE has the timetable luxury to dawdle up to Wilmcote if required, Bittern can't hang about if sharing the fasts with class 91's and HST's.

I just don't believe the operating TOC has any bearing on fire risk whatsoever, WCRC have had more fires, but then again WCRC operate far more steam than DBS these days, of course if you run more trains, your going to have more incidents, doesn't make their "strike rate" any worse than DBS however.

Look at all the repeat itineries being operated at this time: Scarborough Spa, Scarborough Flyer, Fellsman, Jacobite, Shakespeare, Dorset Coast, Weymouth, Torbay, North Wales Coast/Mountaineer, 9 repeat itineries, WCRC operate 8, DBS operate 1.

Just seems to be fashionable to have a pop at WCRC, but they don't tell you they can't provide a driver at 24 hours notice...

 

I can understand why York area control re-imposed their requirement for all steam tours to have assistance as a short-term response to Tuesday's fires. Hopefully, this is just a temporary measure while they establish what happened. Someone with sufficient authority and time has to interview the crew, check the loco and report back. Unless/until NR or WCRC make some kind of announcement, we can't know whether this has already happened. We have to trust that professional railwaymen will do their jobs effectively (I'm sure they will), and hope that they will do it quickly (might be more of a problem!).

Until ticket-holders hear otherwise, we have to assume that the trips are going ahead. All we can do is keep an eye on Icons Of Steam, Railway Herald, UKsteam.info, et al and hope we soon get some news one way or the other.

Meanwhile, any news of Bittern today? I'll bet the FTR is even more thorough than usual, especially around the smokebox and ashpan...!

 

Bittern & the 90 mph runs - Pathfinder Tours' Peter Watts told Railway Herald Magazine today that 'all systems are go' for the two workings featuring A4 No. 4464 Bittern, which are authorised to include sections where a maximum speed of 90mph is permitted. He added that the trains will work as advertised, except for Saturday's outward which is now booked to start from Finsbury Park instead of London Kings Cross; the steam hauled return working will operate into Kings Cross as planned.

Since the discussion with Pathfinder took place, a serious Overhead Line Problem has occurred in the Retford area, which has caused major disruption to ECML services. Network Rail do not currently have a timescale for repairing the damage, and a company spokesman has told Railway Herald that is is currently too early to say whether this will affect the steam charter on Saturday. Railway Herald Magazine will endeavour to keep readers up to date with information, as we receive it.​

 

Phew! Sighs of relief all round. Thanks for passing that on.

Rats!! Get those tenter-hooks out again...

 

From National Rail enquires : -


Overhead wire problems are causing major disruption between Doncaster and Newark North Gate.
Approximately 600 meters of overhead wire near Retford have been damaged and because of this, the following changes will apply until further notice:

• Trains are unable to run between Doncaster and Grantham
• Where possible trains between Doncaster and London Kings Cross will be diverted via Lincoln to avoid the damaged overhead wire section. These services will not call at stations between Doncaster and Peterborough
• Journey times may be extended by up to 2 hours
• East Coast are running a shuttle train service between Leeds and Doncaster. Departing from Leeds at 45 minutes past the hour and departing from Doncaster at 41 minutes past the hour

 

Hmm... if the damage is cleared away by Saturday lunch time, so non-electric trains can pass, that might actually work in Bittern's favour - or is that hopelessly naive of me?

 

I'd imagine NR will want to get the line open again ASAP, even if that means temporarily without wires, Diesel (and steam) would be unaffected, assuming the section isn't too near a station or too big in distance, Electric trains could coast through the dead zone with the Pantograph lowered, was done for engineering work on the ECML previously so isn't that far fetched.

 

Hmm... I'd think 600 metres is too long for coasting through. Besides, the line is most likely blocked by the engineers while they clear and repair the damage.

The best we can hope for is that they get the up lines open, at least, by Saturday lunchtime, and the backlog is starting to clear by the time Bittern leaves York. At least the outward leg is due into York several hours beforehand, so a late arrival shouldn't have too big a knock-on effect.

Also, it's a small mercy that tomorrow's tour starts in Bristol and goes via Derby.

 

Bit from 4 Foot that looks to have relevance

 

I'll keep this brief, as its not steam related, but may answer some of the questions being posted. The latest update that Railway Herald have received at 16:30 is that the 'Down' (northbound) route should reopen by 18:00 tonight, with trains being operated bi-directionally. Network Rail will undertake repairs to the 'Up' (southbound) overheads overnight - we have been told that around 600 metres of OHL has come down. The aim is to operate a normal service on Friday, but that does depend on how repairs progress overnight. We have had no further specific comment on the situation of the steam workings.

 

Eh? Surely "down" is northbound on the GN ECML and "up" is southbound. Always was when I were a lad.

 

Sorry, yes - brain wasn't in a gear! I've amended the previous post

 

Seems someone's got their wires tangled!............................................................................

 

Perhaps ECT could find a couple of traction engines in the Reading area with almost silent A3 and V2 whistles to drag the 91s through the affected area......about as likely as coasting 600 metres....

 

CANCELLED AGAIN

 

Sorry your lordship, what's cancelled? Since when?

 

a4 TRIPS MARK

 

Where does the lordship come from Mark