Cathedrals Express Basingstoke - Lincoln 13/04/11

Sadly the diesel wasn't holding back 34067 on leaving Stevenage and passing friends in the Biggleswade area, it was pushing as hard as it good with barely a sound from 34067. Would be interesting to learn why so much assistance was being given on that section.

 

From post 4 "Since this tour is joining the East Coast Mainline at Copenhagan Junction, will it require a diesel on the back for the return ? (due the gradient up the bank once it leaves the East Coast mainline). I sure when Cromwell went this way, on a trip from Norwich to Poole in 2009, it was restricted to 8 or 9 coaches. "
Yesterdays train was 12 coaches according to another post.

 

The gradient on that incline is mostly 1 in 40 and it's far from straight. It's all academic now but 34067 would have needed a "shove up" with that load.

 

If the diesel was only needed for the shove up the incline, it could have been attached at Connington during the water stop rather than dragging it all the way to Lincoln and back.

 

Other posts mentioned that Tangmere was short of coal, and an extra stop was being scheduled at Sleaford (?) for a top-up. Another post mentions only "sweepings" left in the tender at Lincoln.

 

This is my interpretation of what happened from the point of view of a passenger: It may therefore contain technical inaccuracies.

Everything was going fine until we got to the Peterborough area travelling northwards.
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At Peterborough the diesel failed for the first time. I think that the vacuum that operates the brakes could not be applied to pull the brakes off. It took over an hour to get it started again so that we could continue, by which time we had lost our slot in the East Coast system.[FONT=&quot][/FONT]
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In the Spalding area the diesel failed again. Another half hour lost and the diesel could not be started at all, so this time they isolated it from the steam loco and thus Tangmere had to pull it along with the train to Lincoln.
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The operators tried to get a new diesel but perhaps one was not available at Lincoln, so the steam loco finally left without one and was scheduled to pick one up at Peterborough (Conningsborough Loop) on the journey south.[FONT=&quot][/FONT]
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Back on the system and without the dead weight of the diesel the train flew along, probably getting up to its 75 mph limit. It stopped at Conningsborough Loop to take on water, and hook up the new diesel, but during the operation the Tangmere failed and had to be withdrawn immediately!

So the new diesel had to pull us back to Peterborough, where it could run round the train, and hook up to the front and pull us back to our destinations, leaving the poor steam loco in the sidings where it had failed!

Net result, we should have arrived back at Farnborough at 10:30. We got back at 1:15!

And do you know? We had a thoroughly enjoyable day out! Congratulation to the on-train team for working so hard for all the passengers.

 

"If the diesel was only needed for the shove up the incline, it could have been attached at Connington during the water stop rather than dragging it all the way to Lincoln and back. "

Look, the ECML is busy. A LE move requires an additional path, would sit there usuing the loop that might be required for another movement, and would require manning with PNB for the crew in the middle of nowhere. As has been stated before on this and other threads, this isn't the railway of the 50's or even the 70's with bags of spare capacity and little consideration of cost.

Sounds like the guys did a good job in difficult circumstances. When it all goes right it's fine, but whenever there is a risk to that it has to be managed to safeguard steam's future on the mainline. And if that means a diesel as insurance then so be it. It is, however, incredible misfortune if that diesel actually adds to the problem with its own technical problems!! (But hey, it's the real world out there and not a trainset!)

 

Here, here. There was a time when the "assisting" diesel would shadow the main train a short distance behind but that's another path that needs paying for these days. Sticking them on the back of the train may not be ideal but we do not live in an ideal world.

 

Totally agree wih everything. (Except perhaps the trainset bit. Mine were always failing or falling off the track !!!!!!!) Its great to know that passengers DID enjoy the day though. Makes it all more acceptable. Who'd have guessed the 'insurance' would go wrong ????

 

Just found this on youtube - 35028 passes 34067

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uD0ye1DTbzA

 

Yes , agreed, we had a good day out too , and the on-train team's efforts certainly helped to smooth out a difficult situation. By the time we had driven back from Woking to the South coast it was 2.20 am. Woke up bright and early ready to book the next one

 

34067 going through Swinderby station two hours down from the original planned passing time.Nice station at Swinderby still retaining some old features like the small waiting room,signalbox and semaphores.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/10257146@N05/5619585640/sizes/l/in/photostream/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/10257146@N05/

Simon.

 

Is it just me who thinks that all the stepladders and things on the platform is just as dangerous as someone standing inside a gate at a foot crossing near the track? I mean seriously,why do so many people need to stack up in one specific place!

 

Very nice. Any passing trains due on July 9th.

 

A friend of mine has just passed Connington Loop on his train home and reports 34067 as in steam with fitters attending the loco.

 

Well as standing inside a gate at a foot crossing near the track isn't necessarily dangerous at all, it all depends.

 

What do they do with them all afterwards?

 

Spot on.