ORR to Reduce Mainline Train Lengths - the end of 12/13/14 coach trains

Get the Stirling Single approved for 90MPH then at 8 foot

Presume Truro has the lower limit due to it's age and being around a class 2/3, it could hit 75, but would it maintain it without being unduly pushed ?.

 

How exactly does the VT business model work then with fairly short trains?

BTW COT is a gauging nightmare with plenty of things for those fly cranks to destroy

 

Truro, as we all know, can hit 100!

 

There was similar talk when 7802 was going to be 75MPH rated before it came off the mainline, getting it up to 75MPH was fine enough, but maintaining it mile after mile as pathing today often requires ?.

 

I never said it didn't happen, obviously it did, when 2968 was requested at short notice I believe 9 was the load over the S&C..

First trains over the Central Wales line were in 1993 was David Ward still in charge?
7 coaches was the BR limit for a single 5 45110 was seen to struggle a bit on the climb to Llangunllo due to some poor coal.

Why push a 5 to that extent, the line between a fine run and disaster is a fine one.

The only locos to exceed normal loads on the CWR were 48773 and 48151 and nearly illustrated how close to disaster things could get.
48773 romped up with 11 but 48151 was down to walking pace at one time but recovered well.

I wonder what 45699 would be allowed would be nice to see her back on the CWR.

Cheers Dave

 

They own their own rolling stock and apart from the occasional "guest" loco, they own the motive power as well. No hire fees to pay so one assumes their overheads are lower therefore.

 

GWR, pioneers of metrication. So that would be 100 kph then.

 

Harsh. A bit. Maybe........

On the subject of loadings this spectre has been looming for years. It is a tricky one. Some owners have little or no problem when it comes to loads to be hauled others are far more cautious. The search for economic viability on the part of tour operators would tend to concentrate on class 8 provision with locomotives of less power being restricted to those routes which excluded the larger types.

The shortage of class 8 locomotives coupled with the desire to witness smaller engines working to the maximum of their ability with the utmost dependability has not helped the cause of steam on the mainline.

Engines sitting down on the job, failing to perform the task allocated to them, call it what you will, are just not acceptable on the mainline.

So what could be agreed to address the issue? You could say that only a class 7 can be allowed to substitute for a class 8, a class 6 for a 7, a class 5 for a six. Looks simple enough. However there are anomalies. A certain class 6MT has little trouble dealing with class 8 loads providing that a maximum permitted speed of 60mph does not present an issue. (It wouldn't have stalled on Parkstone bank either).

I don't see braking of longer trains as being an issue. Adequate acceleration is more of a concern. It is a pity that the A1 Trust did not start off as the P2 Trust. Tractive effort with adhesion is lacking from our current pool of available traction. We are rapidly approaching diesel hauled excursions with a token steam locomotive going along pretty much for the ride, a bit of sound, a few visuals - how the once mighty will be fallen.

 

Nothing to do with braking. Loco + 13 will stop in shorter distance than loco + 7. LNER knew that with Coronation and GWR with Chelt flyer. BR re-learnt when class 47 + 5 HST substitute had trouble stopping from 95 mph. Must be down to realibility, to have more in hand and so less pressure on crews to keep to time and poss compromise safety?

 

Just a thought. This suggested 11 coach maximum may only apply to West Coast. It is hard to imagine the ruling, should it happen, effectively ruling out steam traction on the Belmond Pullman.

 

Belmond Pullman is exempt as always runs with a diesel on the rear.

 

Does it? This has been debated above and received short shrift see post #23

 

As I posted earlier, this is no longer the case. It runs without a diesel more than it runs with one. And what is more, it is there not to shove Clan Line but to provide other services. Apart from the push out of Victoria over Grosvenor Bridge, the driver of the diesel if it remains on the back is told that he must only apply assistance if the steamer is in trouble and that request will be radio'd to him. With Clan Line that request is seldom, if ever, made.

 

Happy Friday

 

My apologies Pete.