2023 Aberdonian: Substitute motive power for Tornado

I can only speak as a volunteer (having retired from the SRPS board at the end of 2022) but our mk1 stock is unlikely to run on the mainline this year. Vehicles are costing more and taking considerably longer to overhaul than anticipated. This wasn’t helped financially by our own 2022 programme of tours being severely curtailed by rail strike action and the cancellation of every job booked by the A1 Trust from July 22 to March 23 leaving a significant 6 figure gap in last year’s income.

 

Sorry to hear this. Fingers crossed for a bright future.

 

Are the coach toilets and door locking being upgraded as part of the overhaul?

 

Not harsh at all, you wouldn't think so if you knew the full story, which by the way I am not at liberty to divulge here.
Enough to say a bit of honesty is sadly lacking.
We transferred our booking for a third time. Won't be a fourth.

 

We ended up having to get a refund on a thrice rebooked Glasgow tour. About time a few pairs of rose-tinted specs were removed …..


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Leander confirmed for the 27th and 29th July Aberdonians.

https://m.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=749792180479225&id=100063453497675&set=a.627221489402962

 

21st Century Steam Website now also stating that the July tours will not be hauled by Tornado, implying they hope for the loco to be ready for the trips in August and Leander is only doing the two in July.

 

It was just the 27th that was asterisked last week. So the 29th has gone too? I’d be amazed if it hauled any of them myself.


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I was booked on 19th August Aberdonian and they notified me in June that that one was cancelled.

 

Not a chance, the frames aren't wheeled yet, the boiler is being lagged and cladded in Darlington before being shipped to Loughborough. Be lucky if there is a rolling chassis with boiler mounted by September!

 

From telecon with A1 Trust, sorry 21st Century Steam, yesterday I'm expecting Leander and diesel shovage. Class 6 loco on a class 8 schedule, etc. We'll see.

 

Just seen the timings on RTT and notice they are giving the same warning they have done on trains 60103 has done. Has Leander (or, as planned, Tornado) earned the popularity of such?

 

In light of the WRCR prohibition on the Jacobite’s, I’ve ask this question on A1 fb ….

“Following the ORR’s prohibition of West Coast operating the Jacobite due to un-manned doors, how will this affect the Aberdeens, which I believe will use stock from the same company? Will there be enough stewards to ensure compliance? TIA”

Scotland not the easiest place to rustle up enough stewards to man all the vestibules I imagine.


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Isn't the problem with the Jacobite more that WCRC don't use any stewards? Certainly when I've been there before it's been a few catering staff and a guard on board, very few other staff. Hence why it's only that operation that's affected and not other WCRC or third party railtours.

 

I’ve never travelled on it, but the censure was for having doors unattended. I don’t know what the loading is on the Jacobite, but I’d guess 6 or 7 bogies? The Aberdeens are likely to be 12 or 13, so the number of stewards required will be greater still.


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As it is a train chartered by the A1 people they will provide their own stewards just as they have done in the past. Similarly the likes of RTC and others provide stewards for the trains that they charter.

Peter

 

The Aberdonians have previously run with SRPS stock, for which the SRPS supplied appropriately trained door stewards under our risk assessment, training and competence management scheme. Not sure what the A1 Trust’s plan is this year.

 

Tomorrow sees the first run of Tornado-less Aberdonians. Anyone on this?


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