'Tornado' to Salisbury. 19th September

Timings now available for this train. Thanks to Realtime Trains. <BJ>
http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/U53322/2013/09/19/advanced
http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/U53326/2013/09/19/advanced

 

Third time lucky for me hopefully!

Chris

 

I thought the ECS would be diesel hauled to Canterbury, but instead it seems to be steam hauled via Ashford and Dover, with a water stop at Headcorn.

 

Looks to be the case, "Tornado" is already at Wembley attached to the train and pointing that way

 

Spoke too soon; 66138 has now re-appeared and will drag the train (and "Tornado") to Canterbury. No idea if the diesel is staying with the train all day or not though guessing it might do seeing it is only steam hauled to Willesden on the return.

 

Excuse my ignorance but just to clarify - is Tornado due to haul today's trip in its entirety on the outward leg from Canterbury to Salisbury and then back from Salisbury to Willesden, where it will then be hauled by diesel for the last leg back to Canterbury? Or have I got that wrong?

 

60163 reported as departing from Canterbury 4 late at 08:58. <BJ>

 

From uk-rail. .....Sailsbury? .....proper way? <BJ>

1Z41 Proper Way
''Canterbury West to Sailsbury away from Ashford at 0922
66138. Tornado tucked inside, proper way!''

 

No DBS steam driver who signs the road, perhaps?? Someone gone sick at the last moment?

 

We simply do not know. But you can be sure that the list of disgruntled passengers that have paid to travel behind steam gets longer by the day.

Another nail in the coffin for mainline steam? <BJ>

 

Proper way?

Didn't that used to be called the "Missionary Method?"

 

Fingers crossed that means the box will come off at some stage on the way down?

 

I understand that the diesel will be detached at Willesden.

 

Tornado leading through South Acton Jn at 1155 - no box to be seen.

 

Whatever the reason, having a diesel tow your 'steam' train for such a significant part of the journey is still not what people are paying for. If the 66 is there owing to route knowledge issues, then I assume it will have to come back on for the return leg. If not, Canterbury to Willesden is still a big chunk of the journey 'wasted'. I saw the ensemble pass Crofton Park and 'Tornado' appeared to be in light steam, with no discernible effort at all. They did manage to blow the chime whistle though!

 

Not necessarily - it will almost certainly be a different crew on the return leg.

...although I've now noticed that uksteam shows it as diesel only from Willesden anyway.

 

No 66 but plenty of bad weather through Woking:

http://simonwhittinghamphotography.zenfolio.com/p356717695/h7de75832#h7de75832

 

Three photos of Tornado passing Chiswick Business Park between South Acton and Kew East junctions. The right arrow will take you from the first image to the other two.

Tornado Chiswick Sept 19 2013

 

Whatever the excuse it certainly isn't fire risk.
Of course it is the infamous DBS.
Looking at UKsteam almost exactly half the outward journey was box hauled.

 

More like couldn't organise a "P"up in a brewery.