Saphos Trains

Ok. The plan is to book and hope it happens. If 60007 is unavailable what engine is most likely?

 

I would guess 46100 but that's more than a bit hesitant. 46100 would be a very good choice but considering the route being used I would rather have 60007 (if ready) as an east coast engine. However if it was up the WCML and up the highland mainline to Inverness then I would take 46100 over 60007 as that is LMS territory.

 

Depends whether you think it's worth £400 for two.

 

Good point. Unfortunately the reality is that prices are now considerably more expensive than they were when I first started travelling on tours more than 10 years ago. Having booked on the Tornado & Flying Scotsman tour for September which is more expensive than this I might just take a chance and go for it. One thing I would like to clarify, did Saphos have to change their face mask rule?

 

You could always go for one of the much cheaper (£99 per person in standard) 'Aberdonians' run by the A1 Steam Trust where you are guaranteed a run behind Eastern motive power and a seat in a mark one coach if you are concerned about price/appropriate motive power?

 

Almost all steam tours I’ve done have been in first class. Price isn’t the problem I’m merely stating the fact that prices have greatly increased since I first went on tours more than 10 years ago. I’ve yet to decide whether it is worth doing the Tornado Aberdonian in April on top of the Saphos one in July. I also hope that SRPS will operate tours in Scotland next summer and I will be on most of or even all of them if I’m able to.

 

I this week booked the Aberdonian tour on 25/07/21. Very much looking forward to it and hopeful of a very good tour with a very good locomotive. My only problem is this is the first time I will have booked to travel on a tour (other than the Jacobite) without knowing what locomotive would be hauling it at the time of booking. Whatever locomotive is hauling it though Saphos have a very good fleet of Locomotives and I expect a high quality locomotive over an interesting route.

 

Very true and if we have a very hot summer it may be a class 40 or a Deltic.



<BJ>

 

Well I can tell you for fact that usually when there's a heatwave the north sea haar keeps the temperature right down actually below average. However, I'd be more concerned about it being dry than it being hot. Long dry spells do sometimes mean a change is necessary but in 2018 a lot of trains ran with the diesel in behind. As long as the steam locomotive is present and on the front I will be happy. A deltic is an excellent locomotive which I have been on as far north as Elgin and as far south as York. So is a class 40 which I have travelled on all the way up to Wick & Thurso (an overnight trip) although I don't remember a lot of it as I slept through most of it!

 

Saphos trains at once stage recently were considering buying the remaining part of the St Rollox (ex Caledonian) railway works as it was vacant.

https://www.glasgowtimes.co.uk/news/18385231.millionaires-locomotive-firm-talks-take-st-rollox/

The last I heard was that they couldn't agree on the price, in that the owner wanted far more money than Saphos were willing to pay.

Has there been any developments since ? especially as the Covid may have impacted the situation ?

 

If the Aberdonian is hauled by 46100 for instance is there any chance the route will change and include the Tay Bridge? Is the fact that the itinerary shows it running via Perth a hint that they intend for it to be hauled by a pacific?

 

Given the two day tour either side of this, I think the idealised intention is to use 60007. However being over seven months away it’s too early to say with any certainty what loco will be heading the tour. The advertising would assume Saphos intend to use 46100 should the A4 not be ready.

 

As I’m booked on this tour I hope obviously it will be 60007 ahead but if it isn’t ready and we end up with 46100 I would like to see the train go via the Tay Bridge if allowed.

 

Although the route between Ladybank and Dundee is RA8, there are quite a few "permitted with restriction" notes in the Sectional Appendix for the Tay Bridge for modern locos.
From memory A4's and the A3 are RA9, which means running via Perth.
What is the RA for a Royal Scot?

From a planning standpoint, planning to run via Perth is the best option. This will avoid a last minute retiming to avoid the Tay Bridge if 60007 is intended to work the train. ( Let alone recalculating range for water, coal consumption and replenishing arrangements.)

Cheers, Neil

 

The one good thing is that it will be 60007 or 46100 doing the honours and again its depends when SNG overhaul is completed

 

It would be extremely sad if an A4 or A3 never crosses the Tay Bridge ever again but unless I’m mistaken expensive work needs to be carried out for this to happen.

 

I have excellent memories of runs with 46115 so I have no reason to believe that it would be any different with 46100.

 

Is a West Country gauged for this far north?

 

Are you referring to Braunton?