Flying Scotsman to Surrey Hills 1/6/16

The following list of speed restriction may be helpful to those videoing the trains tomorrow. Unfortunately I didn't see this list before last week's trains otherwise I and one other on this forum would not have been at Worplesdon! I did advise friends not to film at stations but didn't heed my own advice!

Syon Lane/ Isleworth London Rd bridge 5mph
Isleworth 30
Ashford 15
Byfleet 30
West Byfleet DS P3 5
Woking (both down) 15
Worplesdon 15
Guildford P4 30
Reigate 30
Redhill P2 15
Merstham P1 up main 15
Coulsdon S " " 30
Purley Oaks both up 15
E Croydon P4 15
Gipsy Hill 30
W Norwood 15
Tulse Hill 15
These are just the ones I think are relevant from an enormous list of restrictions and prohibitions.
We still don't know which bit of the A3 is such a problem passing platforms.

 

Again, très gut gracias.

 

Must make piloting this thing round the circuit a complete nightmare.

 

Not sure you can compare Tornado Al, 60163 is a product of the modern world with discreet tailored mods to suit the modern NR, can we really butcher an icon like 60103 to suit apart from the obligatory 13'1 max height ?.

 

Al - does it not occur to you that the guaging issue problems may lie elsewhere than with those apparent incompetents who restored the loco? It was restored to the Network Rail guaging profile just like Tornado and any other Network registered steam loco. I remember the cab being modified at York some while ago and I'm sure that there were other parts that were tweeked as well. There is little special about 60103 and guaging restrictions - other locos suffer similar restrictions and have done for a long while. Look at the recent restrictions placed on 45699 for example. The loco has not changed but seemingly the network has. So please lay off the unnecessary insinuations about the people at the sharp end of all this - they have enough headaches to contend with as it is.

Peter

 

Your last sentence makes a whole lot of sense, aka wise before the event

 

Ah Ralph dont think you will get away with that, brown hatters are us will strike you down lol lol lol

 

Doesn't seem that way to me, by way of the "elsewhere than with"

 

Not at all. It is Al's last sentence that implies that no one thought to check the guaging during the overhaul - Does that not imply apparent incompetence? And already people are agreeing with him (Post 7). Why would anyone not overhaul their engine to agreed network specifications? I find it unbelievable that the question could even be asked let alone by a supposedly knowledgeable member of the Moderation Team. There are major and seemingly increasing problems with guaging management control across the network but do not go blaming the restoration engineers for that - they are not moving the goal posts, others are.

Peter

 

It very simple. There is a gauge. Either the loco is too big, or the gauge is not maintained. As this loco was built to run within the gauge, and indeed used to do so quite happily on this very route, but no longer does so, then its easy to see where the fault is.

 

What is the difference between gauging and guaging is one out of gage

 

Are we sure Scotsman is out of gauge, or are the speed restrictions due to anticipated crowded platforms ?

 

I think you have hit the nail on the head there

 

Surely if the issues were that bad then it would be banned from the route altogether, as many locomotives are from many routes. It may well be the case that other locomotives would be "banned" from some of the routes Scotsman is allowed onto, but dispensation has been given simply because it is Scotsman and banning it would be awful PR for everyone involved. As such, a compromise has been reached of severe restrictions at the dodgy bits to make sure it doesn't knock lumps out of the infrastructure and vice versa.

Scotsman is a lot bigger (read "fatter") than most of the engines which regularly take to the tracks in the South (Tornado, Mayflower, Cromwell / Britannia or one of the Bulleids) which may explain why it is subject to more draconian restrictions than others. Take a look back at the videos of 60103 from Worplesdon with the restriction posted previously and compare the profile with the many similar videos at the same location of Clan Line or Tornado, those are both noticeably narrower in profile and as such sail through without causing the man and his laser to break sweat.

 

I doubt it , I had assumed the routing via the West London Line and Willesden Junction outward bound and West Norwood and Tulse Hill on the way back rather than the normal Belmond route via Streatham.

 

It used to fit through Putney & Barnes in 2003.
Barnes, 23rd December 2003 (35mm film)