East Coast Diversion Sat 22/05/10 CANCELLED

Not content with trying to cremate the ECML on Saturday, 60019 has started a number of fires along the S&C today, and understandably Network Rail and the fire brigade aren't too impressed. Hence Saturday's East Coast Diversion run by UK Railtours is now cancelled.

http://www.ukrailtours.com/tourshow...2_THE_EAST_COAST_DIVERSION_TOUR_CANCELLED.txt

 

My return to UK steam has not been long enough to embrace a hot dry spell. The problem was less severe in Germany with the use of some oil fired locos.

But presumably all main line locos here are fitted with regularly checked spark arresting equipment etc? (If a failure with that was the cause of the fires). So it seems strange to me that the loco that is said to have caused fires a few days ago, could go out and supposedly do the same thing today?

 

The ban apparently only applies to 60019 at the moment all other locos are seemingly ok to run so the problem would seem to be an issue with Bittern's spark arresator. Anyway full marks to UK Rialtours in cancelling the train and not providing second best by running it diesel hauled.

 

3 weeks in a row I have been booked on steam tours and all have run without steam or not at all. The NELPG charter on the 8th ran with 37516 due 62005's failure the night before, then the Spitfire on the 16th ran with 37’s again due to 70013’s failure a couple of days before the tour and now with the East Coast Diversion being caped May is turning into a joke of a month. I completely understand that no blame can be given to any party and it is part of steam on the mainline, but the amount of money I have wasted on travel and accommodation for these tours is a lot to waste. Never mind I hopefully will be off to Fishguard with 5029 instead.

 

Do you think the crew had been listening to this too much and got carried away? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wmin5WkOuPw