SRPS Summer 2018 Programme

Not seen anything about these yet and the first one runs on Sunday.

Nothing on UK Steam or website about the loco on duty yet.

Will the rain have been sufficient to allow genuine steam haulage?

 

A move of 44871 from 10A Friday or Saturday?
The Borders line trains have a diesel on the rear for the drag back so this might suffice for fire risk assistance aspect if required?

 

Outward :
http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/U55218/2018/08/05/advanced

Return :
http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/U55219/2018/08/05/advanced

Locomotive was expected to be No. 45407 (45157), arriving from Fort William circa 1730 at Bo'ness Jnc on Saturday 4th. Unsure if still the plan for 54 to attend, but understand No. 44871 is penciled in for a move from Carnforth to Fort William on Friday 3rd.
There are also two separate paths for the return ECS on the evenings, to accommodate either the Black 5 returning to Fort William via an overnight stay in Dumbarton or the Black 5 returning to Bo'ness for stabling (subject to Jacobite requirements).

In regards to the fire risk, the timings issued by Network Rail have displayed consist as Black 5 + POB + 10 Vehicles + Class 37. While of course another diesel can be added behind the Black 5 if required, there has been a good amount of rain over the last 5 days experienced in Fife and the Borders in comparison to England. Whether or not it'll allow the tours to run with just the 37 on rear I don't know.

 

Good info there, does the diesel assist class 5 with load 11 at Falahill anyway?

 

That's quite a journey with no water stops.

 

Thanks for the comprehensive reply. Will 45407 not stay at Bo'ness for the month as the tour runs on a weekly basis since 44871 looks like it is back up to Fort William?

 

44871 + POB + a Diesel is currently on its way from Carnforth to Bo'ness. Expected on the link line at 19.05.

http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/O26219/2018/08/02/advanced

 

Now looking at taking a punt of on one of these. Are they affected like England with a steam ban?

 

Haven't seen any reports or images from the first run.

 

All steam ops on Network Rail are subject to fire-risk assessment and appropriate mitigation, according to the level of risk. Scotland has been 'Low' risk, for some time, which means normal operation.

The Tweedbank trains do include a diesel on the rear, as the return working is dragged back as far as Niddrie West Junct for reversal, as Tweedbank is a dead-end station, with no run-round facility, either.

44871 rostered for this weekend and next, with 45407 covering the final weekend.

JS

 

Thanks for the response. Appreciate it. I was aware of the need for a diesel on the back as you describe but good to hear that Scotland is low risk. Looking forward to the trip.

 

The past week or two in Edinburgh has been quite wet with showers most days. The forecast for Sunday is rain.

 

Apologies for not updating after last Sunday! Train was well loaded from viewing on the lineside, however there wasn't many instances of the sunshine meeting the train!

One of my own from Burntisland :

Black 5 No. 44871 - Burntisland by Jonathon Gourlay, on Flickr

 

So here we are at 11.07 still on Linlithgow station when there should have been an 08.52 departure.

Little, if no information to passengers other that rumour and speculation. Points or signal failure seem top suggestions.

Time at Tweedbank now burned up. Optional tours and lunch must be impossible.

Competing passenger demand. Some want the Forth Circle canned and get to Tweedbank for the extras. To some the FC is the main event.

May be after two hours a cancellation would have been sensible. No one will get what was booked.

Sad day for SRPS. Not their fault.

 

An update to the above,

Issues this morning with Edinburgh signalling centre releasing control of the ground frame at Bo'ness Junction. This was due to faulty TPWS modules, resulting in the tour leaving the junction 2 1/2 hours late.

I was called adhoc to run up to Kirkcaldy station for two hours to keep passengers updated, however we couldn't have staff everywhere and I believe there was very little Scotrail staff were doing at Linlithgow to keep those waiting up to date? Indeed there was very little info to go on until the train actually left.

 

Update from above.

Arrival into Tweedbank now estimated at 15.32. 21 minutes after we should have departed. Full route being delivered but with severe shovage from behind. Attempts to make up time thwarted by having to follow stopping service trains.

Despite this the excursions are going ahead. Lunch at 15.45ish??? Can people be fed in the time allotted and be back k I time? This means a return departure time of 17.11. Train will go direct to LIN after EDB with other passengers being sent home on service trains.

Quite a few having to bail out at Tweedbank and use service train to make home bound connections as two hours delay is huge.

May be would have been wiser to can the excursions and simply service the train leaving as soon as possible.

 

Note that SRPS will be doing Forth Circle in October, followed by Linlithgow /Edinburgh-York via Beattock and Ais Gill in November with 60163. For £99, the latter is pretty good value.