RTC 2023

Signal problems this morning delayed the arrival at Kings Cross, and then followed a stopper up the Hertford Loop. Would imagine it will still arrive in York on time and hopefully those on board will be happy!

 

The path for the ECS move from Southall to Kings Cross hadn't taken into account of the fact that Scotsman was facing the wrong way from it's previous trip, so they had to go via the Greenford triangle to turn the consist, which caused the late running.

It's also had a WCRC 57 (believe it's the ECML thunderbird) running ahead of it to scout for trespassers etc

 

With the late running ECS I got a lot more than expected this morning, so here's Flying Scotsman at Finsbury (firstly hauling the ECS and then again on the down fast), followed by Sandy, and Grantham:

 

That valve setting seems to be getting worse.

 

She does sound pretty rough in the first shot. Sounds very much like the piston ring problem again that she had last year. I wonder if the material supplied for the rings is up to the job if they have failed again so quickly after replacement?

Sent from my XQ-BT52 using Tapatalk

 

60103 scurrying north against a backdrop of the Holy Island of Lindisfarne today.

 

Over the border, Scotsman passes Lamberton in some lovely sunshine.

 

Is it bad of me to say I was much more interested in the Mk. 4 set approaching at 05:44 behind Scotsman?

 

One of the tour companies has stopped doing this for passengers joining at Peterborough now.

They have lost my custom.

 

60103 Scremerston and sailing along the coast at Burnmouth.Taking a wave and chasing some

 

Just an observation, but I've noticed that on my shots from yesterday, taken near Beal, that there's that feather of steam from the safety valves, especially the front one. I had put it down to the train having been looped a couple of miles further south and I just assumed that the fire must have been being kept healthy, pushing the pressure up during the wait for the next leg. But then I see Jonathon's shot at Lamberton on the border showing the same plume and Henry's at Burnmouth a couple of miles further on with it still there. Is the valve set low, or was the pressure constantly high throughout, because of taking it easy? The 47 didn't seem to be doing a lot when it passed me, but that means not much.

 

Diesel definitely working at Burnmouth,Alan

 

Sign of a good fireman, feathering at the safety valves means the boiler pressure is right on the red line but no wastage from blowing off. One valve is normally set to blow first, if you see both going with no gap where the steam hasn’t condensed to water vapour it’s a sign that the boiler is priming.

 

Thanks folks.

 

Sadly my only bit of sunshine today, the return being 5 minutes early at Gleneagles meant it missed the sun! Roll on the Aberdonians....

Gresley A3 No. 60103 'Flying Scotsman' - Burntisland by Jonathon Gourlay, on Flickr

 

Not always, a safety valve in need of overhaul can blow steam from 1 psi upwards

 

Coasting towards a looping stop through Northumberland this afternoon.

Got nearly bowled again. An Azuma came through on the near side less than a minute later.

 

Bright and blustery on Saturday as 60103 hurried north past Holy Island.

Still blustery today on the return as it coasted towards the loop at Wooden, but the only brightness came from the rosebay willow herb on the trackside. (4k video for high quality)

 

Back in time :-
This had to be done !
I have history in this place, my earliest childhood holidays really started with crossing the platform from the Crewe-Perth to the Crieff branch train.
Later when my parents had a car, dad would escape the chatter of Scots ladies with an afternoon out for us to watch the trains.
So it was that one Perthshire afternoon delivered my first ever sight of an A3 - a gleaming 60037 hurrying south through the station seen from almost this very spot.
Scarily 60 years have passed since then, I wonder if the youngsters on the platform will remember five or six decades from now ?

And back in time -- the station clocks are right, I haven't seen that for years.