2023 Aberdonian: Substitute motive power for Tornado

Yep booked back in November. My first main line 'steam' run of the year.

I'm a big Tornado fan and booked tomo and Sat, mate booked the two last week that were cancelled altogether.

Up here rail roving. Was hoping to get a pay on the day Jacobite, but as reported elsewhere there have been a few issues.... Still, did the Ivatt on the Strathspey.

No great expectations for tomo from a performance point of view, with shovage expected.

 

PM’d you Sean. TIA


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Fair crowd on P20 at Waverley and stock is on its way, according to RTT / Traksy. Currently at Abbeyhill Jn waiting for 09.24 Lumo to depart.

 

Load 10 plus 47804 at rear.

 

Not many in standard at the back, but first class looked busy.

Followed the 09.36 Perth stopper out of Waverley, so steady progress round the Fife coast. 47 made its presence felt on the climbs, but Leander also audible at times.

Arrived right time for Dundee water stop, but 9 late away following late running mini hst. With a tight 85 minute schedule from Dundee to Aberdeen, and another mini hst not far behind, not the 47 gave a helping hand getting away from slacks, and on the climbs.

Weather mist and drizzle. DEE - ABD 84m 49s so kept schedule and arrived P7 9 mins late.

 

Wee pic of the return near Gleneagles, got really lucky with the light.

 

Good pic, and if you look at the back of the train you'll see why speed increased rather than decreased on the final steep climb to Gleneagles!

A shame really, as Leander was doing well, and soon after we were spinning out time before Dunblane as we were early.

For the record, we left Aberdeen 3 mins late and ran Aberdeen - Dundee in 92m 57s, dropping a further 3 minutes on the 90 minute schedule having been checked by a northbound freight coming off the single line at Montrose.

From the water stop at Dundee we were booked 131 mins for the journey to Edinburgh via Stirling. We left 3 mins late and took 127m 44s, inclusive of a brief stops at Larbert and in Haymarket tunnel, arriving Waverley P7 1/2 minute early.

Leander sounded in good nick, and the diesel was fairly discreet in its assistance. Just a pity Leander wasn't entrusted to the train on its own, as I'm sure it would have coped admirably.

 

Call me Mr Picky but is the title of this thread still appropriate?

 

Just in case anyone is interested, Macc Aviation are doing a live stream from Edinburgh Airport this am - next to the East Coast line - and he's been made aware of the steam special passing........

Will make a change from all the 170's & 158's hes been focusing on as they pass (as well as the planes)

 

Whole train reversed on Niddrie triangle, so standard at front on outward leg today.

 

Screenshot from Macc Aviations stream......

 

Same path as Thursday. Left on time at 09.41 so caught the 09.36 to Perth as it was leaving South Gyle, so doing about 45 in the dip past the airport rather than 65 on Thursday. Held before Perth for mini hst to overtake, so 124m 09s EDB to PTH operating stop. Checked out of Perth but some nice noise from Leander, and a tell tale blue haze at the back.

Left Dundee 3 mins late and ran to Aberdeen in 85m 59s, dropping a minute on the schedule but had to contend with lengthy 20 mph temp speed restriction on North Esk viaduct.

Good recoveries up the banks from the regulation slacks at Arbroath and especially Montrose, but was a bit shy of steam after the latter effort and took things easy until bringing things around for the final climb up to the cliff tops after Stonehaven.

At the back for return, so will no doubt hear and feel what the diesel is doing.

Now having lunch in sunny Aberdeen.

 

Yesterday's return from Aberdeen left 1 min late with the 47 assisting from the start, but with Leander working hard, once we got away.

No checks apart from a slight temporary speed restriction after Laurencekirk and reached Dundee one minute early in 87m 30s.

Diesel pushed out of Dundee then Leander opened up. Checked Barnhilll Jn for down service and brief stop before Perth for crew to alight.

Cleared Gleneagles at 48 mph with Leander audible from back of the train, but so was the 47...

Dunblane local cancelled, so we got a better path back to Waverley arriving 21 mins early in 110m 49s from Dundee.

Yes some nice sounds from Leander, but it would have been really good to have seen what it could have done on its own. Would probably have needed additional water stop at Stirling on way back, and some tweaking of the schedules.

 

Loadings just about justified load 10. Could probably have ditched the brake and pax moved elewhere if support vehicle had been kept attached to the rake at Aberdeen.

Yes not a trip I would have booked from choice, but I understand the circumstances. Mate got refund for the 2 cancelled altogether, so we can re-book on something diesel-free in future.

 

Email just received that all remaining 21st Century steam trips for 2023 are cancelled. Only the Yorkshire Pullman is scheduled to run in 2024.

Email suggests they were not just sourcing replacement motive power, but also TOC, coaching stock and staff.

Interesting that West Coast felt unable to resource any of these remaining trips, as they have done for the Aberdonian.

Tornado is still expected to steam next month and is available for 3rd party hire later on in the year once testing is complete.

EDIT: just seen there was a dedicated thread for 21st century steam @bleeder4 has posted in. Mods, please feel free to combine.

 

The other Aberdonians seem to have been cancelled as they are no longer on the website.