Yorkshire Pullman with Tornado: 15/06/19

60163 tornado Yorkshire pullman 2019

 

Saw it at Welham Green (video will be up later today) was put on the fast and coasting through but at a fair pace, arrived at the Cross 44L, so well done to the crews for clawing back so much time.

 

Went to Hitchin and as often happens to steam runs, she was checked at Cadwell (north of Cambridge Jct.) as a unit off the branch was let out in front of her. Opened up nicely and she accelerated steadily through the station only to ease off as she cleared the platform. Opened up again as she passed me and then really got going as she accelerated away up the gradient towards Stevenage. Was really hoping for an unchecked run as I fancied a recording of her being given the beans at speed.

 

The A1 seen at Great Paxton, Burton Coggles (Stoke Bank) and St Neots on June 15th's 'Yorkshire Pullman'.

 

Tornado on the return Yorkshire Pullman, seen speeding through Welham Green!

 

Where the oil sidings used to be?

Pity you didn't get your recording

 

And a big 'well done' to the support crew for moving the turntable. It's not often (sadly) that those lads get a mention.

 

After the earlier disappointment at Markham Summit in pouring rain a quick dash back south along the A1 to get ahead of 60163 after the water stop at Newark Northgate station. Location is the foot crossing at Hough Lane in the village of Claypole near to the loops in much better light. The A1 sounded magnificent on the straight a wonderful way to end the day. Full marks to all involved with this charter in that 60163 was 97 late leaving Newark and arrived into King's Cross 44 late.

 

I agree about the distance to the water stop, that was impressive. Every other loco it would have been tenterhooks even making it to Doncaster. But the run itself, 150 miles from Loversall Carr to KX in 160 mins running time with three stops and a more or less clear run is a good sustained performance, a bit like the run on the Auld Reekie from York to Edinburgh. Tornado can reel the miles off at 65-70 apparently effortlessly. So that's good, Tornado is back and the KX to Newcastle run in December should again test its stamina. But the real eyebrow raiser yesterday was the original schedule. 95 mins for 57 miles from Huntingdon to KX is just ridiculous. They did it in an hour which is what you would expect. So effectively what they did to go from 98L to 44L was to do a bit better on the pathing, thanks to the chaos further north, and take all the padding out of the schedule in the last 60 miles.

A good result for the passengers though. I wonder what some of them were thinking as the train progressed through deepest Yorkshire at 1830, no doubt with announcements about signalling problems ahead.

PS If RTT is to be believed, then 5 mins for the 5.5 miles up the 1 in 200 from Grantham to Stoke Jn is probably a good indicator of how much Tornado had in reserve. Just as quick uphill as down.

 

They worked like Trojans getting it turning. They deserved a pint or nine after that.

 

49 down, but taking it easy, tailing a DMU at Seamer.

 

How come the turntable isn't equipped for power operation, either electrical or from the loco's vacuum brake system?

 

Certainly do. Looked like a mate of mine down in the pit with a pinch bar if i'm not much mistaken. Wonder why the table was so reluctant, give the recent Jubilee trip there? Extra weight maybe?

 

Stunning!

 

Does anyone know what yesterday’s load was please?


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It was coaled before it ran back on to be turned and when it wouldn't budge at first, they shifted the loco back and forward a few inches to try to balance it a bit better. Even then it took the whole gang over ten minutes before they got any movement at all. Your mate's pinch bar seemed to make the difference. When it did start moving it went around like the minute hand on a clock, an inch at a time. Then when it was turned, they had a problem putting the brake on the turntable, so they had to do the balancing act again.

I don't think it's weight, they turned BIL OK last year. I reckon it could do with a couple of buckets of grease and a great deal more TLC than it appears to have had. I think I heard someone saying they had trouble turning the Jube too.

 

Could someone please tell me who the crews were yesterday? Special praise to the return journey crew making up lots of lost time.

 

That is mainly a case of weight redistribution. So there should not be a great difference.