Clan Line special duty tour.

The mods may want to merge this into another appropriate thread but the official Clan Line Twitter account posted this a few minutes ago:

"Hi everyyone Clan Line has just departed Battersea yard on special duty 6day tour more later"

 

10:53am Twitter update from @ClanLine28

"Clan Line now on ECML heading north psssing Welwyn GC 1050 on route to Tinsley Yard"

 

Supposed to be doing a VSOE on Friday.
http://www.uksteam.info/tours/t13/t0614b.htm

 

So what about Clan Line's VSOE duty on Friday?

 

Presume it's coming back for Friday? Know there has been speculation about Clan Line on other threads but unless I'm missing something, until we get more info this is all a bit mysterious? Anyone?

 

Being dragged by a 67 unfortunately.

 

Well, I've just asked on Twitter why it's heading that way and whether it'll be back in time to haul the VSOE on Friday. Hopefully we'll get an answer.

James at SVN

 

12:27pm Twitter update:

"Now at Peterborough on timr" (obviously typo re 'time')

 

Is this the one..
5Z35 0846 Stewarts Lane T&R.S.M.D to Tinsley S.S.
http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/U54812/2013/06/12/advanced

 

Yes, that's the one

James at SVN

 

It is listed as Cancelled on the 35028 Rail tour page.

 

She's going North to pick up a 12 car train at Doncaster. Then a 1 minute stop at York before an unlimited speed run to Darlington with a clear road and no checks.

With one of her crews who really know what she can do totally flat out, (Gordon Hooper or the Late Gordon Porter will be advising, but not Sootie as he was an 85 mph man).

Doing that will certainly set new benchmarks and raise a few eyebrows. Presumably being done to commemorate that wonderful "Sootie" Saunders run with 35005 on 12 on 7th June 1965 on the 5.30pm ex Waterloo. One highlight being after a signal stop and getting back up to 74 at Byfleet. Then speed rose to nearly 79 at Brookwood on the long unbroken climb from Byfleet, that before Brookwood was on a grade at 1/314 up. IMHO one of the great UK steam performances, but as always with the MNs never given much acknowledgment. Clan Line will eat that stretch from York to Darlington. And , I've just checked, Dave, "Dropgrate, Ace fireboy" Wilson was on the shovel back then and has come out of retirement to supervise things from the footplate. Go for it Dropgrate, show them what a real loco can do.

Oh, just woken up. But what a wonderful dream!

But, all based on what actually happened on June 7th 1965. And 35028 herself did once get up to 103/104 mph on almost level track around Fleet, (11 cars). Later on the same run recovering from 30mph at Woking to the mid 90s again on virtually level track near Hersham, not much more than 8 miles after Woking and with a mile uphill included as well.

But I doubt she will ever be worked as hard again now as she was back then. So the dream of it happening today will just remain a dream. Oh well, back to my Owls.

 

Brian, have you ever considered writing a book based on your experiences with Merchants, BoBs and WCs? It would be a fascinating read!

Anyway, 6 early at Grantham...

James at SVN

 

I'm hoping elder brother Don will do that. He missed few of the really great runs, and was on some I missed. I'll send him a link to this thread as a sort of prod!

It is a book that needs writing. So much happened that would in effect re-write a lot of history concerning UK steam locos. The only thing missing being proper details of very high speed indeed. As I said elsewhere here recently, I just wonder if Fred Burridge, during his last week on the last up Weymouth in June 1967, had not had 2 axle 75 mph limit parcel vans in the train behind 35003, would he have used full throttle and a longer cut off. From where I was standing that night that worn out loco was totally unstressed and had a lot in reserve even at 106mph when he had to ease right back for a short distance to stop us taking off!.

Premeditated and with a bit more planning, (like a later arrival at Basingstoke to get a shorter stop and hopefully a hotter fire on departure), 90 plus at Newnham siding, (84 actual), would have set up something in excess of 110mph, (possibly well in excess), after Fleet and before braking for the 70mph tsr at Farnborough. Checking my footplate log briefly he opened up from 2/3 to 3/4 throttle, but still on just 2o% cut off as we got onto the level track around MP 38. And it was on that level track that we accelerated to 106 mph. Still not on full throttle or a longer cut off! Very light load yes, but astonishing steam loco running. Virtually repeated with 35003 again 2 days later. And oh, my notes state the safely valves were lifting at around the time of the level track acceleration up to 106 mph. And stayed open for some while.

The net start to stop average of that run was circa 81 mph. Light load or not, I suspect an all time UK steam record for such a short distance, (23.5 miles).

And for those who doubt 90 mph plus possible at Newnham Sidng starting from Basingstoke, I think on Gordon Hooper's utterly amazing run on the up Salisbury - Waterloo stopper with I think a slightly heavier load and a West Country, (yes a Light Pacific!), I think he either reached 90 there or got close. Before the Hook stop!

Perhaps the best thing about all that amazing Bulleid running is that very little got missed and most was well recorded by a group that even back then were called the "Top Link" of timers. Of which I was very proud to have been one. And still am of course. Amazing Locos, wonderful crews. And Loco Inspectors who kept emulating Admiral Nelson, good men that they were. They knew those drivers would never compromise safety, and that they knew what those locos could do without such a compromise.

 

Yes, have also just seen Friday's cancellation notice on the updated UK steam info site.

 

Yes my old friend, two of the greatest Merchant runs ever, both close to 3,000 ihp. 35028 on 12 York to Darlington in probably around 34 minutes start to stop max 95+ I would guess based on what Clan Line did that night in 1966.

Don

 

This book has been planned for many years and hopefully I wil find time to write it before I get too old, with help from Dave (dropgrate) Wilson and brother Bryan plus the others from our 'Old Timers Steam Group'

Don

 

I shall keep those gentle prods coming Don. And maybe others here will too!

Now. What IS 35028 doing up North? LOL!