Cathedrals Express Woking-Lincoln Thu 15 Sept with 60163

The diesel was reported elsewhere as being attached at Peterborough, assumingly to help climb the Kings Cross incline.

 

The diesel was attached to the rear at Peterborough. We had assumed that this was to assist up bank just outside Kings Cross, but apparently there was no driver in it (DBS crewing problem?) and the steam driver even had to shunt it on to the back of the train.

 

Yes, that makes perfect sense, adding a driverless diesel to the train in order to assist up the bank - in reality adding two coaches worth of weight to an already heavy load.

Was this just an exercise to placate someone at Networlk Rail?

 

Thanks for the answers.I was unaware that the box had been added at Peterborough and that there was no one in it.If you look at the video of it leaving St Neots you can clearly hear the thing ticking over as it passes by.

 

I do not know the route but if the diesel was tagged on the back for no particular reason - remember it was driver-less - then this was asking for trouble. An equivalent load of 16 coaches even with Tornado on gradients steeper than 1-in100 would have been asking for trouble. The fact that it seems to have got back to Woking safely is great credit to Tornado and its crew. On the other hand a greasy rail due perhaps to a rain shower and a stall on a busy mainline and we are then back to square one again. Beggars belief really.

Nick

 

It just reminded me of an incident some years ago when a Black 5 pulled out of Victoria with 10 coaches plus diesel, but again the diesel was driverless. The result was the train got stuck on the climb to Grosvenor Bridge. Absolutely crazy when you consider that is one place where a diesel usually is required to assist!

 

Something similar happened on a SD trip to Barrow Hill with 60009 some years ago. There was a dead Class 33 on the rear of the train. 60009 struggled with adhesion throughout the day. Eventually one of the footplate crew from 60009 had to get off after 60009 slipped to a stand and had to go and fire up the 33 for assistance. I remember that being a very long day!

 

The box was making some odd noises, but the engine was definitely not running as it left St Neots.

John

 

The operator Green 5 and I were referring to was the now defunct FM Rail who managed to conjure up a number of incidents that not even Rev Awdry could have made up! I would not have expected this sort of thing from DBS however although the incident where 71000 failed at Tiverton and the driver had to catch a taxi to Bristol to fetch a diesel doesn't inspire much confidence.

 

Tornado passing Swinderby 15th September 2011.

Nice old fashioned location with manually operated level crossing, semaphore signals, elderly signal box and station building.

In fact the most modern feature in this clip is 60163!


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=spCAt0ivo18

 

Sadly, the video at that link is "private" at the moment.

 

Still getting used to this YouTube lark.

Should be OK now.

 

I see there was an interior decorators convention on the platform! :laugh:

 

Luv that Stuart
H