The Mad Hatter 11/05/19

I've just booked tickets for my wife and her aunt to travel on this trip - I'll sadly be away at sea on the day, or I would have been on board too, but the route looks very interesting, and I'm sure it will be an excellent day out. I'm confident that many NatPres regulars will be on board

 

http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/U55358/2019/05/11/advanced
Outward times via Calder Valley and Copy Pit.

 

Return times,
http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/U55361/2019/05/11/advanced
Looks like steam off at York on return.

 

Yes, I think that's right. The UK Railtours (acting as Booking Agent) tour description specifically states that the return leg will be diesel-hauled from York to Darlington. There is, however, no mention of this on the A1 SLT website (or 2019 Tours brochure).

 

Going to keep my eye on this - a particularly excellent, and somewhat surprising return route.

 

My thoughts exactly, the Barnsley-Horbury Jn section has only been covered once before by steam in preservation (I think) and it will be my first time through Northenden Jn to Hazel Grove HL. Plus a journey through Delamere Forest is always a pleasant one.

 

Remember doing a Coast to Coast with 45690 which took in Runcorn, Hartford Jn, and Northenden. For a while, those trips always had the potential to surprise. Quite a pleasant run, but there was a tractor on the back, so an opportunity to do it diesel - free is to be welcomed.

That said, another commitment that day means that I'll have to let this one go. Can't do everything!

 

http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/U55369/2019/05/11/advanced
Tornado to NRM

http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/H34230/2019/05/11/advanced
Diesel from parcel siding to take train to destination.

 

So its steam from tees yard to darlington pick up passengers outward and steam on return as far as york just so i know im booked on this trip from wakefield kirkgate return fortunatly i was considering york outward york return for extra steam mileage depending on what time i can get to low moor at on that night.

 

Tornado positioning move.....
http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/U10875/2019/05/06/advanced

 

Somewhat surprising to send it all the way to Upperby on the WCML rather than via Blackburn and Settle (and turn on the triangle), which I would expect to have less service trains to fit in amongst.

 

Tickets received today

 

According to an entry dated today on RTT, the positioning move via Carlisle has been cancelled.

 

Something failed on 60163 or just set for another day its move perhaps?

 

From the A1 F/B page:
Tornado Railtours
After a successful run to Holyhead, Tornado returned to Crewe Heritage Centre and on examination a leak on a main steam pipe was identified. A repair is needed, and this can be done much more easily at Crewe than at Tyne Yard as there are very limited facilities at the latter location. Consequently, the locomotive will not move today as planned, but is expected to move later in the week ahead of ‘The Mad Hatter’ tour.

Dave B

 

Is there anymore updates about tornado as of yet?

 

For God's sake give them time to do the repair
.

 

You can observe what is going on with the Crewe Heritage Centre Webcam, not a very clear view but you can see if there is any activity, which there was earlier when I looked. https://crewehc.org/finding-way-around/live-cameras/

 

Good to see a helpful reply,some people just overeact

 

Yes well the mad hatter was aready posponed once last year cos the valve link motion was been repaired and so were a few other tours halted it came to doing the and finally when tornado was fixed the poor travellers from leicester and loughborough got diesel halfway to and from crewe along their part of the trip cos of a gauging issue on the north staffs line to uttoxeter and now im on tenter hooks again.