Ebor Flyer - A1ST and Tornado: 14/04/18

The full story will be made public, the A1 Trust is not a secretive organisation, the story of the TPWS failure was fully aired. If you want the more in depth story, why don't you join the trust and get the Tornado Telegraph delivered direct to your inbox!

 

Interesting Al and thank you. In detail the 66 dropped and gained time over various sections and also recovered from a hold at Fletton J. However Tornado would not have accelerated the train as quickly and would have needed more than 75 mpg max to keep time. This is my opinion and I would appreciate the view from one of the expert timers if they were in the train??

 

To JohnB - because Clan Line takes all my money

 

Doh mph not mpg

 

Makes a change from the "don't be rude about WC brigade" I suppose........

 

I think the A1 Trust is looking to the future and the Network will become even busier. As you know in addition to the A1 Trust I'm a member of another group that runs a darker green Pacific that you have a lot more commitment to but that one has a different niche market away from a 125mph main line. Today the schedule may have been attainable at 75mph but it doesn't leave any margin for out of course delays and a train regulator may take a different view on letting steam out in front of other traffic in the knowledge that it can run at 90 rather than 75

 

Funnily enough I'm a member of both Clan Line and the A1

 

Indeed

Bits fall off “modern” trains now and then: cardan shafts, gearboxes, brake pads, you name it.

Nobody calls out for DMUs or wagons to be banned!

 

On the subject of Tornado's apparently disputed right to run on the network, whether at 75 or 90, there have been excursions on the railways since Thomas Cook organised one from Leicester to Loughborough in 1841, and they have been an integral part of the UK scene ever since.

I don't think anyone can say that one person's journey is more important than another's. It is important to the person making it, or they would not be doing so.

If that logic is extended, half the taken seats in scheduled services would be empty because the journeys undertaken by those passengers are for leisure or other purposes deemed non essential by some commentators. That might mean half the services would not be necessary and if that were the case, then there would then be plenty of room for Tornado and many other excursions...

 

One thing I would like to say on the hand-wringing around whether this is going to be the apocalyptic outcome some are prophesying about for mainline steam, it's worth pointing out this is a rare event which happens to have happened on a busy part of the main line. But **** happens, and for all manner of different reasons. A few years ago some containers were blown off a Freightliner working on the WCML (and across the up line from a down train, which would have set many more alarm bells ringing than this). I still see plenty of them running around having not been banned on the basis of an isolated incident.

Right now the important thing is that the A1SLT guys get to the root cause of what went wrong and get Tornado back up and on her feet as soon as possible.

 

I’ve now walked into my house, and sat down on my bed.

On my wall is a canvas print of a photograph I took of “60163” on the cabside of Tornado whilst she underwent testing in 2008.

Framed and on the wall is my invitation to her naming ceremony together with my ticket stub from Loughborough and my NX ticket from the day.

On the opposite wall is my framed drawing of one of her boiler tubes.

Now sat on a quiet shelf is the model of Tornado I posed for the gents in coach H and is in all of my photographs when we were waiting for 90mph.

I’m hurting. It’s not a bereavement, or a heartbreak, but it is a sadness.

I am but a covenantor. Imagine how the members of the trust are feeling tonight.

All I ask is that we remember that there are people at the heart of this.

A locomotive crew, who stopped immediately, followed protocol and secured the line, thus ensuring passengers safety not just on their own train, but on that of others.

On board train staff who worked tirelessly to help and inform the passengers on board whilst juggling the rigours of the rescue required.

Network Rail, GBRF and Virgin train staff who all played vital roles today in recovery, assistance and also getting passengers home today.

Far from this being a disaster, I see this as a triumph of communication, training, resilience under pressure and professionalism.

Perhaps we could remember that.

 

Don't say that! I'm clinging onto the hope of 35011 being in steam within the next 20 years and flat-out on the SWML in 30...

I agree with the others in identifying the valve gear parts shed as the drop link, union link and combi lever. That is, IMO, a substantial chunk of the valve gear, so I believe my original comment, if emotive in wording, was not unjustified.

For the avoidance of any doubt, I am not seeking at present to make a criticism of the A1SLT - while I find their claim that the failure is not thought to be speed-related a little hard to believe, I have seen no evidence of incompetence on their part causing this failure, nor do I believe that the cause of this failure is yet in the public domain. We will doubtless find out what happened to poor old Tonka in due course, and in the interim, there's no point in starting a flame war.

ETA: I agree with Simon that the people involved, Mr Allatt and his crew, must be in a state of shock, dismay and distress at the moment. I am deeply sympathetic to them, and for their sake as much as that of the wider steam movement, I hope that they will get their 90+mph day in the sun in due course...

 

One of the most sensible posts I’ve seen regarding today’s events. Nice one.

 

...but were you seriously going to drive/fire wearing that suit?

 

No, I prefer doing the talking!

In all seriousness, the professionalism and determination of the people at the A1 Trust never ceases to amaze me.

Can I put in a specific shout out to Graeme Bunker though - the man is a saint and possibly one of the hardest working people on the railways, and he did so much today with not a moan, not a hint of stress and with a calm air that invoked great confidence.

 

Hear hear. A voice of reason amongst all the other white noise!

 

Quite so and there has been a number of serious episodes involving steam hauled trains in recent times without, it seems, much in the way of long term negative consequences. The crucial parts of any incident are handling it properly, learning from it and preventing a recurrence or similar.