The Lincoln Imp - Saturday 14 July 2012

Does anyone know whether this tour will actually depart from St Pancras as advertised ? I know its a whole 9 days away yet but given The Peak Forester of 27 May was diverted into Kings Cross, and fairly close to the running da, it would be good to know whether this time steam will make an appearance at St Pancras or not.

 

Service will start at Kings X not St Pancras!
Booked to dep Kgx at 09:18

 

Timetables

Neil

 

That's a shame. I'm on this train and was particularly looking forward to my first crossing of Harringworth Viaduct.

Dave

 

If you want a trip over Harringworth Viaduct, then Vintage Trains are running 2 trips on August Bank Holiday from Melton Mowbray to Corby. These days an excursion starting from St Pancras is a rarity as there are only 4 platforms for the mainline and they are pretty busy.

 

I am sure you are right Alan re the platforms at STP - but why pretend in the first place? If one were cynical, you could suggest that RYTC promoted this train from STP to get bookings in for what is a farely rare route nowadays knowing it might/would switch to KX. I would have been on this but have now cancelled since steam out of KX is not that rare an event (which is a minor miracle in itself given where we were 15-20 years ago).

Mike

 

Had a email from RTS offering £10 off this trip so bookings can't be very good

 

The tickets have just arrived for this trip together with an explanation for the change of route.
RTC were informed last year that they would be able to gain permission to run out of St. Pancras, but due to a change of management at Midland Main Line they were unable to obtain permissions from Network Rail and London and Continental, who own St. Pancras station.

Dave

 

I wonder if that should be challenged under the open access agreement, if there's a path and no technical argument for saying no, how can they refuse ?.

 

Ralph, perhaps you are right - but when did Midland Main Line management change - they have been East Midlands trains for some time now - and why would a change of management at MML (presumably to EMT) mean that NR and L&C would change their mind - it doesn't make logical sense to me. And finally, if it is due to a management change (that as far as I know hasn't happened in the last few weeks and I travel on East Midlands 4 times a week) why leave it until now to tell us they are not running from St Pancras? So Ralph, is it me being cynical or you being naive? Perhaps a bit of both?

 

Oh and further to David's post the Thameslink route is now open at weekends which takes some of the pressure off the EMT platforms at STP - but maybe Network Rail and London and Continental just haven't noticed yet (oops that old cynical me creeping out again). If there is a genuine reason for the move to KX that stands up to some sensible scrutiny then I am happy to be a cynic on this occasion - but I am struggling to accept the RTC explanation!! And it would be really good to see a Brit (or pretty much anything else) on the old MR main line again - they put up some fine performances in the late 50s and early 60s.

 

I have to say I am a little suspicious myself about this turn of events. When I first read of plans to use SPI, one with steam into, and another out, part of me thought, that'll never happen, and indeed that is exactly what's happened. I'm not saying RTC deliberately went out to mislead, but they do advertise their trips a lot further ahead than others, and unlike their competitors, they aren't always tried and tested itineraries.

Cynical it may seem but when the tour is advertised many MONTHS in advance, and the subsequent (and rather significant) itinerary change only a few DAYS in advance, one does have to wonder. I can't say I've ever found RTC's communication / customer service skills very reassuring, (and after experiencing the total opposite from SD yesterday) I'm left wondering whether the same thing let them down here ?

 

Departed Kings Cross on time.

Dave

 

Just flew through hitchin at 10:10 on the down slow. Beautiful sight in awful weather!

 

Weather still awful as it went past Offord.

70013 Oliver Cromwell on the Lincoln Imp 14/7/2012 - YouTube

John

 

While losing a departure from St Pancras this morning, running the train from KX over the chosen route via Spalding and Sleaford means the train no longer reverses at Lincoln, therefore the loco doesn't have to be turned.
As regards St Pancras EMT, it only has 4 platforms and cessation of its use by FCC trains may not have liberated the 4th platform for use by this train as envisaged if EMT has changed their timetable to use this available platform from May.

Brian.

 

The one thing I don't get with St Pancras is, who was the pillock who decided 4 platforms would be sufficient for a trunk mainline ?.

 

Certainly not hanging around! Lovely clip,many thanks for sharing

 

Obviously not many out for this today. Return working here

Lincoln Imp 14/7/2012 Return working with 70013 Oliver Cromwell - YouTube

Ollie was storming well on both occasions today.

John