CathEx to Holyhead - 20th April

The Jacobite is a WCRC operation.

And also, DBS would operate a Vacuum train as long as the stock is all Dual Braked and the engine as at least a through air pipe, so can be rescued/shunted by an air braked diesel. That happened with the K4 to Kyle on a CathEx last year.

 

She might be air braked, but still has the ability to create a vacuum brake, she's operated on enough preserved lines with Vac only stock.

I'm not sure who's stock it was, but while some that DBS use regularly might be dual brake in theory, the vac braking might not be operationally maintained as there's never any need to use it.

 

The stock used is the SRPS set on hire to Steam Dreams. Which then meant the SRPS's own tour yesterday around the Forth Circle had to be made up of WCRC stock brought North from Carnforth.

 

I didn't make myself clear. The locomotives brakes are operated by air. Not steam or vacuum. So no air, then no move/stop the loco.

 

Just whizzed though Crewe. Thought I saw 60163 in the line up outside the Heritage Centre.

 

Yeah, it was there looking sorry this morning...

 

Getting back to train rescue times even normal service trains take ages to recover when they break down. Witness the HST at Southcote Junction near Reading the other week, that was delayed by 2/3 hours as well by the time they popped & squeaked finding a rescue loco & sending it to the failed HST. Does that mean HST's should have "insurance" on the back as well? All goes to show how rubbish the network is run these days. Not like the good old days - yes some will not agree with that.

 

I see UKSteam has been updated for Thursday. Presumable repairs are either complete or in hand. Just passed Crewe again, and 60163 is in light steam. Looking hopeful.......

 

Part of the problem on Saturday was bad luck. The up line on the North Wales coast only has loops left in place at Junction Mostyn and Holywell. Had it happened on the Down, it could have happened in the loop at Rhyl or Abergele...

 

Quite a few photos of the tour including the rescue of 60163 here.

 

I heard a conversation along the lines of its pointless having two air compressors because if one isnt working at the FTR stage the entire system is given a fail. But i suppose if both were working at the outset the chance of a complete fail as has occurred here is much less
Are the old style steam driven compressors fundamentally unreliable then ?
Hope not, THe characteristic hiss/clunk -clunk is entirely in keeping with the steam loco. whereas a diesel generator isnt really.
Wonders if even Tornados mighty electric provision would be able to dr ive an electric compressor ...

 

It's not only Tornado in trouble at the moment .....

15:00 Portbury-Fiddlers Ferry coal train stopped between Filton Abbey Wood and Patchway for 90 mins. Now on the move once again behind 66.099 and 66.201. Other services were diverted via Bristol Parkway.
Realtime Trains
<BJ>

 

There have been a number of disruptive failures on the marches recently. I saw the delay figures from Saturdays incident and they wernt actually that bad. I'm not sure what the incident cost will be when all the road transport costs will be in though.

 

Some photos of No. 60163 "Tornado" in happier times before the failure :


Tornado Attack On The Castle by JonathonAG, on Flickr


Bangor Pacific by JonathonAG, on Flickr


Blowing Off Steam by JonathonAG, on Flickr

 

Most of the trains that were detailed would have been Arriva i presume, who are owned by Deutsche Bahn. Will Network Rail still pick up the bill above £5,000.00 where Arriva has been delayed by DB Schenker ?

 

You have a nice touch with the lens there Jonathanag

 

Looking at track diagrams, it seems like there is a crossover just beyond Rhyl station, though that doesn't, of course mean it's still operational...

Does anyone know if it is, and if so, whether consideration could have been given to setting back over the crossover onto the through line, allowing trains to pass in both directions, maybe it was, and the risk of failing completely over both lines was too great to contemplate.

 

It is operational and it is used for passenger trains in down direction when they are terminating at Rhyl from Chester. If assume the reason for leaving the train in the up platform was as you say, and also as, if an assisting loco had been available at Crewe it would have come straight on. It took some time for those in control to find out the Crewe loco wasn't an option and get 002 in from Holyhead.

Incidently, I am reminded by this failure of a WCR charter some years ago that chose Rhyls up platform to fail during a midweek morning peak. It had 2 loco's top and tailing and that did not fare much better in terms of recovery.

Found a link to SixBellsjunction... http://www.sixbellsjunction.co.uk/10s/110723ll.htm