ECML mid week steam ban or not?

It's hard enough for a Yeti to try and spell, even harder to do some maths.

But I think from York to the water stop at Peterborough via the route being used is close to 130 miles Al?

Yes, I know such distances can be done with UK pacifics: we had a railtour on 28th Feb 1965 with 35022 and ten cars that was fast from Waterloo to Yeovil Junction, just under 123 miles. "Spot" King from Nine Elms top link was, I am told, chosen specifically as he was known to be able to get a long distance out of a MN between water stops. Good old Dave "dropgrate" Wilson was fireman, (he does come to Nat Pres sometimes). And the elapsed time for the trip was a little under 133 minutes. With one signal stop, two other checks and the severe service slack through Salisbury. Running was ok, net time was 117 minutes. No hard hill climbing, gentle accelerations on the easier grades and a couple of 90s when "Spot" King let the downgrades do the work. All in all, excellent enginemanship.

Not much over 2 hours running time and few slowings to recover from, allowing a lot of good continuous running.

But I'd be amazed if all the issues re the SD trip haven't been thought through, so I guess all will be fine on the day. We don't know everything here on Nat Pres. LOL!

PS. Were you on that 1965 trip Al? I was the spotty faced young Yeti in a milepost seat in the front coach!

 

there is a 20 minute's stop at the doncaster rmt which has been a watering place before, so maybe it is having a topup?

 

Aaah yes. At the Royal Mail terminal. And I thought that was so all the pretty Bavarian Serving Wenches on board could have time to post their Christmas Cards to me. LOL!

 

Correct. You are effectively marooned on board the train.

 

Had the same at the ex-terminal at Low Fell when the Duchess took water 3/4 years ago.

Platform height is about 6" above door bottom height.

 

Yep, the A1 joins the train at P'boro'. Does it spend Wednesday night on the NVR? No move shown on the UK steam L/E movement page.

 

Why would that be then? Rolling trollies on and off trains?

 

I guess so - the vans used for post when these depots were in use had roller doors, so the platform could be level with the coach floor.

Steven

 

uk steam info is showing 60163 in donny station at 18:09/18:13 then donny rmt at 18:23 /18:43 .10 mins from the station to the royal mail depot what is that all about then

 

My question has now been answered; Tornado leaves Southall in the early hours of Thursday, goes round the NLL to Finsbury Park, then down the ECML to P'boro' and wait three hours for the train from KX. If nothing else, that's a breakfast break for the footplate & support crew.

 

Tornado was not in steam yesterday afternoon as I passed Southall heading west, but was outside parked next to DoNZ.. Looked more like top shed than Southall...

However there was black stuff coming from the chimney around 2pm on my return today

There was also an assorted rake of of virgin mark2's as stock in Southall shed.

 

I think WCRC are going to use these to provide stock for Olympic specials next summer.

Regards,

Dan

 

deleted

 

What ban


60163 Tornado Cathedrals Express 24-11-2011 Peterborough - YouTube

John

 

Both Steam Railway and Railway Magazine confirm the same story this month, that DBS are no longer banned from operating steam on the ECML.
However a ban remains in place for WCRC.
no idea about the new 3rd mainline steam operator DCR.

 

Doubt they'll be on the ECML for a while, but hypothetically you'd assume they start with a clean slate.

 

could it be devon and cornwall railway? as they have class 31 and 56 loco's for use on the main line