Saphos Trains 'Golden Arrow' - 26/10/19

Seems to have stopped at Ashford, 162 late. Is it proposed to terminate there?

 

I see it's 190L now and continuing its journey. What a day for the poor participants, passenger and staff alike.

 

My thoughts exactly. 'Saphos Trains' is quite a new player in the steam 'game'. Now, I have no idea what experience exists within its team, but even if there is plenty, it should have been controlled properly by NR. Surely someone there must have questioned the load/route/season combination? Is the crew given any leeway to refuse to work a train in these circumstances? I imagine some might relish the chance to work a genuinely challenging trip (not a criticism of them in the slightest). The buck must surely stop at NR for permitting the train to work as it did.
Edit - I see it's got to Canterbury now, 192L. I wonder when was the last time a daytime train in the UK was so late and not turned short?! The passengers may now get about an hour in daylight in the rain in this beautiful city, although the return trip should have left six minutes ago.

 

Saphos are indeed a new player, but seem to sub-contract (if that's the right word) a lot of the crewing to DB Cargo. I suspect DBC are crewing this tour throughout as I doubt that Saphos have any drivers with the necessary route knowledge. It's therefore surprising given the vast amount of knowledge of operating steam within DBC that they agreed to take this one unassisted.

 

What no diesel,

Well that's a cock up then.

Weather's rubbish and it's leaf fall.

Feel sorry for those delayed by bravado over playing it safe.

 

I thought after that trip from Minehead that failed to get up to Exeter Central (which I think the crew said there were not allowed to refuse a train they thought was too heavy) the rules changed and a crew was able to do that these days. Of course without knowing the diesel crewing position it may not have been as easy as just leaving it attached at Victoria.
Great shame for all those in involved though, and of course those on service trains delayed.
Also noticed from Rail UK that a different Class 66 is being sent from Hoo Junction for the return leg. Guess there is some operational reason for that but seems a lot of light engine moves.

 

I haven't got access to RTT more than a week but maybe the WCML trains last Saturday after the PHBT near Milton Keynes?

My impression is that the steam on the main line sector as a whole has done very well this year in terms of delay minutes.

 

If it’s the Saphos rake presumably a MK2 coach is lighter than a Mk1?

 

It had the generator on the back as well

 

Just before and Just after the drama.

 

Apparently the 66 detached at Ashford and 70000 worked alone to Canterbury, losing another 16 mins in the process. Another 66 will be at the rear for the journey (or part of it) home.

 

In the 2016 “Guidelines to Train Loads and Lengths” published by NR to assist operators’ Risk Assessments, and the appended “Information about Significant Gradients” (> 1 in 100), there is no reference to any of the Kentish locations which would have – maybe should have - qualified for a mention. The listing specifically doesn’t claim to be 100% comprehensive and I can only assume that the omission of Bearsted and indeed Martin Mill would probably have been a reflection of the relative infrequency of use by steam hauled excursions compared with other routes and locations identified in the NR tables.

But looking at other Southern England locations cited in the tables, I can’t find a single climb where it is recommended, under the separately identified “Autumn” seasonal conditions, that a Class 7 should take any load greater than 8 coaches over any of these banks (examples given include Upton Scudamore, Victoria-Grosvenor Bridge, Camden), while others (Parkestone, Upwey) are cited as suggested Load 7 maximum. These may be only “Guidelines” but the difference between the suggested loads and today's Golden Arrow formation is quite stark, and brings into question just what sort of prior consideration might (or might not) have been given to DL support from the outset– however disappointing that might have been for some.

Incidentally, maybe Bearsted is an NR “blind spot” where it comes to gradients – looking closely at NR’s “Network Statement 2019” the Route Capability Gradients map given at Annex B fails to show Bearsted as a location with a >1 in 75 condition – although it does show Walmer/ Martin Mill as such.

Just to say, very sad for all concerned today – both those directly affected and those disrupted. I just hope that in the light of what now might seem (to some) to have been blindingly obvious risks of going unassisted today, perhaps the best way of avoiding any kind of future blunt/ blanket response to today’s incident will be to strengthen the use of NR’s Guidelines as the planning tool that it surely should be to guide the determination of appropriate train weights.

 

I see your SWR unit jinx followed you the the SE network then. Loved that yellow line on the platform at Bearstead, barely wide enough to stand behind if you flattened yourself against the wall.

 

Just what was wanted yet again - idiots right at the platform edge! The "grubbiest 66"? Not even close. See this:

 

NR spends enough time and money surveying its network to make such a blind spot unforgivable (if that's the case). Even if Bearsted is taken out of the equation, the rest of the route contains enough problems in autumn to have sounded a deafening warning to train planners! This is quite frankly a bizarre and very costly failure by NR. Let's hope it is not 'spun' to make steam the scapegoat.

 

Ok Hands up beaten there as badly as the all blacks

 

Oo no Jinx, given the way the Sugar Puff Fairy, Sorry I mean Iron Duke was shedding time by that point, that was a close but lucky shot. Think the unit driver held it back a bit for us.

 

Jim Clarke was worried about Bearsted bank and he was right! 193 late at Canterbury. We have given up and caught a service train home as I very much doubt the charter will leave at 1745 so I doubt if we would get home tonight

 

Or the 'All Brown' in the case of the 66!