Ebor Flyer - A1ST and Tornado: 14/04/18

I'm on the train and I'm disappointed that it's running with Mk2s but not moaning. UK Railtours have confirmed that Generator car 6310 will be in the train. Isn't that chocolate and cream?

 

I'm on the train and I did at least try to counter my "moan" about bureaucracy by saying that the A1SLT has done an amazing amount merely to be running the train at all. I'm sure I shall enjoy the day immensely and will probably give very little thought to the less-than-ideal rolling stock when we hit the magic 90mph

 

Chocolate and cream, usually seen on the Belmond stock I believe.

 

With the warm weather moving in at the weekend, I wouldn't have thought a any ETH will be needed anyway. Temperatures expected in the mid-teens.
If a diesel on the back, I am glad I chose the Plymouth Argyle versus Portsmouth "Dockyard Derby" instead with promotion possible for both via the playoffs!!

 

But you'll need air conditioning in that case.

 

why? what short notice involved? the ORR didn't suddenly say at the last moment with 48 hours notice "we need to consult" Surely was known a few weeks back.

What change? there is no change. The 90mph proving run was made with Mk1's, Mk1's are approved to run at 100mph by NR what's the sudden last minute "change"?

Part story here I think

 

I was on the last of the Bittern 90+mph runs in 2013 with Mk1 stock. It was totally exhilarating, but I couldn't hear anything from the locomotive because of the noise from the coaches. I had the window open, but all that achieved was covering me with ash! I'll be on the Ebor Flyer on Saturday and look forward to experiencing 21st century steam at high speed. I enjoy hearing a loco working hard as much as anybody and fail to understand why no-one seems to have thought about setting up a wifi system to relay the sound of the loco into the coaches, or at least some coaches for those who want it.

 

Actually, it wasn't. Take a good look at this:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-eng...comotive-hits-100mph-on-mainline-rail-network

Note that the only Mk. 1s are the support coach and the generator coach. All the passenger-carrying stock is Mk. 2 aircon.

I suspect the issue is that the Venn diagram for Mk. 1s, steam-hauled, and revenue-earning service no longer has an intersection.

 

Mark 1s are approved for 100mph, or certainly were, if they had Commonwealth, BR4 (or5) or even BR1 bogies with a special maintenance regime. With the right traction, I believe they have run at 100mph on charters quite recently - not sure if the Class 86 is passed and runs regularly at that speed when taking steam charters from London for steam haulage in the North West.

I think 90pmh was the historic top speed for Mark 1s even with standard BR1 bogies, and certainly 90mph will be what Class 47/57 hauled charters will run at when linespeed permits even today.

Steven

 

Well they have had my money for some considerable time yet they, the A1 locomotive group, did not make sure that they could run the train with the correct stock.
This will be the last one I go on, if it is diesel free, until they sort this out.
To say that I am disappointed would be an understatement.

 

It moved to Burton yesterday (btw it is a Riveria genny car nothing to do with Belmond)

 

Well, according to RTT Les Ross averaged 77 from York Holgate to Peterborough start to stop last Saturday evening including seventeen and a quarter mins for the 26 miles from Grantham to Werrington Jct. But, as @60835 says, that is probably beside the point.

 

Firstly, 'they' (A1LST) do not 'run' the train - they contract a Train Operating Company - in this case DBS - to do so on their behalf. DBS ran Mark 1s at 90mph with Bittern in the recent past, so I suspect may have been as surprised as anyone when the ORR stated that they needed a consultation.

In fact, it isn't easy to see how this arose but one can suspect that the exemption from the total ban on running Mark 1 stock on the National Network which DBS has (and which is a document upon which there is consultation) may have only included running to 75mph with steam, but that doesn't make total sense with 4464's earlier runs. The fact the consultation hasn't been completed in time suggests that the issue must only have arisen quite recently despite the long stated intention to run 60163 at 90pmh and the period for which this train has been advertised as the debut.

Steven

 

Steven,
The point I would make is that if we had been advised two weeks before the tour we were due a refund. Because we are told after that time we have to accept what is being offered.
I would not have booked if I was told it was Mark 2F but because of there actions I loose my money. Not satisfactory as far as I am concerned.

 

Wait for NR deciding that locos with two wheel front trucks cannot run at more than 60!

 

FFS* don't give them any ideas...

'History repeats itself as P2 is converted to Pacific'.

Wasn't an issue for Green Arrow....

 

I can understand that and perhaps it is worth giving them a ring to see if, given the last minute change, they might consider a refund.

30 seconds web search has produced the answer as to what the problem is - attached, Para 3 (b) - top of second page. Amendment or new exemption has presumably been the question with the answer coming too late to complete the process required to issue a new certificate. I would be interested as to why a lower top speed was considered necessary for steam - I suspect simply because that was the top speed for steam at the time! (There seems to be a number of clauses that exist to remove any doubt that this certificate allows things not permitted by other regulations or rules).

Steven

 

HELP! HELP! I'm trapped in a Mk2 coach and have been moaning for ages but no-one can hear me. (I am booked on the train and so, by the rules of this forum - lol, am allowed to moan). It does seem likely that the use of mk2s has been made necessary not by any practical considerations but by the fact that the paperwork wasn't worded to anticipate any upward changes to the 75mph steam limit. There was a time when one off exemptions or derogations were granted to cover such situations, alas no longer.

 

I was booked on this but due to family commitments I won’t be travelling. Seems I’ve dodged a bullet on this one. Role on full bore thrash and window hanging in Germany in a couple of weeks.