York Yuletide Express 17/11/2018

Just checked Realtime for return with 60009 ,stops at Barrow Hill /Melton Mowbray and Kettering reduced to 3mins or so ,Diesel?

 

The Duchess at Bolton Percy.

"The York Yuletide Express", 17/11/18.

 

60009 taking water at Kettering vice Melton.

 

Gloomy at Souldrop this morning. The bridge here is now a temporary one for pedestrians only (the old one is closed off to be work on), has high sides and of course I had forgotten to bring my stool so had to be on tip toes! Interestingly the masts here look taller than the road bridge in the distance which has been rebuilt, so I guess the wires are going to hang down a lot?


Much better at Frisby on the Wreake, despite a cloud trying to spoil the party as she approached the sun shined on the Duchess!

 

It's the same with pretty much all of the rebuilt bridges between Bedford and Sharnbrook now.

 

Through Harlington 2210 on the UF with Jim Clarke on the regulator, really seemed to be struggling, slipping a few times before and in the station.

 

[6233] Milton Ernest, Sharnbrook Junction, Glaston Tunnel & Cossington.
[60009] Langley Mill & Harlington.

 

Beautiful

 

Over 400 miles of pure steam in steam heated coaches with 2 different locos what's not to like!! (Except for getting out of bed at 4.30 in the morning and not getting back into bed until 1 o'clock the following morning!)

 

6233 and 60009 seen either side of Loughborough:

 

Thanks to RTC and WCR for a very good day,i hope NRM get the turntable sorted for the next time it is needed to turn 6233

 

Oops! But isn't the new York 'table actually NR's responsibility? They had to install it after the Engineers' Triangle was lost during the building of the new signalling centre.

 

I popped out on Saturday morning hoping the sun would break through, unfortunately it was still a bit on the murky side when 6233 passed me just outside of St Albans

 

Just shows it CAN be done!!

 

That's easy for you to say, but I suspect you have no idea just how close it came to being caped at York on Saturday afternoon with the A4 stuck on the turntable and no spare loco - steam or diesel - anywhere close at hand. We were given a deadline of being away by 17.00 to beat later engineering possessions and made it with only 10 minutes to spare. That was all down to the ingenuity and dogged determination of the Support Crew with No 9 who ended up jacking the table into position after over two hours of struggle. Had they failed then the passengers would have had to be found alternative ways home and all the evening catering would have gone to waste. All the experts on Nat Pres and elsewhere would then be blaming WCR for not having a diesel accompanying the train. Please do not underestimate the difficulties and risks associated with these all steam operations.

Peter James

 

Thanks for that Peter and well done to everyone involved.The would be experts on Nat Pres will be silenced again or will they?

 

Been done before, 60007 to London, 60019 return to York, as a placing move.

 

Whilst it may seem harsh to some, it is only fair to acknowledge torgormaig's point that had the support team NOT been able to solve the problem the return trip would have been cancelled (at great expense to all concerned) hence the "diesel on the back" can be seen as insurance. It may not please many but given the complexity of today's busy network that "insurance" could be the only way that certain operators will be prepared to run hence I wonder what the reaction would have been on Saturday had the return trip been cancelled.