Borders Railway Steam Services - Autumn 2015

Worth remembering for those planning a long trip that due to the rather basic nature of the infrastructure at Tweedbank there will be a diesel locomotive involved in borders steam even if it is dead weight on the drawhook one way (and with Falahill to conquer there's every likelihood it may be required to shove a bit!!)

 

A1 and Deltic combo....... you know it makes sense,

 

A3 & Deltic combo, even better

 

Just had a look at the gradient profile...... That's a formidable bank, both ways ! Should make em bark a bit...

 

6201 is not currently registered to run with DBS. I am told the certification process could potentially be close to £10k per loco. This is quite the investment for any loco group, so don't hold your breath on seeing it run on a DBS charter anytime soon.

 

Where did you find that?

Don

 

Ian Allan's gradient profile book has the Waverley Route in it.

 

Google-waverley route gradient profile.

 

Dunno where andalfi1 found it, but it's in my copy of BR Main Line Gradient Profiles ISBN 0-7110-0875-2. Southbound (up?) it's about 5 miles averaging about 1 in 150 followed by about 8 miles of mostly 1 in 70. Northbound about 16 miles averaging about 1 in 150.

 

Aye. Southbound, Falahill is every bit of a challenge as the climb to Whitrope

 

Now, just need to find out the axle loading the new railway is built to and, if available to Black 5 and above, i'm really looking forward to it...

 

For me traveling to Edinburgh from Southport by road is 214 Miles and a 4hr drive where as Tweedbank is 175 Miles by road and only 3hrs 20mins drive. But what I might do if neither of those options is viable is leave the car in Carlisle and then travel by rail to Edinburgh and start from there, if WCRC do get to keep their licence I hope that the engine they choose is 61264 as the B1's were a common sight on the route in steam days, if not her either 61306, 61994 or one of the Riley Duo sisters.

 

With concrete sleepers and the rail specification, and with all structure rebuilt to current NR standards, I would think that the route will take anything short of a steelworks cradle.

 

That'll do me, now where's the Ticket office....

 

Now your talking, 1264 & 1306 top and tail, NICE !!!

 

Fairly flat by Scottish standards then?

 

I doubt a fireman with a poorly steaming loco would agree.

 

I was under the impression they had rebuilt the 30 miles to Tweedbank ? Plus the 5 miles or so from Waverley to the former railhead, makes it 35 miles each way.....

 

For those who understand these things, here's the opening timetable for the Borders Line - so how does this look from a steam point of view? http://www.scotrail.co.uk/sites/default/files/assets/download_ct/122963_newcraighall-edinburgh.pdf