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SRPS Railtours 2021

Discussion in 'What's Going On' started by Sam 60103, Jan 21, 2021.

  1. Sean Emmett

    Sean Emmett Member

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    Nice turn of speed down to Larbert, then signal check Polmont Jn - despite nothing else being due for hours (due to Scot Rail industrial action).
     
  2. Sam 60103

    Sam 60103 Member

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    Currently at water stop near Torryburn. We left Dalmeny late due to the late running Aberdeen Azuma but made up the time and were early through Dunfermline.
     
    Last edited: Aug 15, 2021
  3. acorb

    acorb Part of the furniture

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    Tornado must get the hardest working mainline loco of the year award (away from Fort William of course!) already, full credit to the support crew - those light engine moves between Bo'ness and Carnforth aren't insignificant.

    However, I should think the A1 trust will be welcoming the extra revenue (and marketing opportunities) the Northern Belle has given.
     
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  4. Sam 60103

    Sam 60103 Member

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    The Forth Circle 15/08/21

    After enjoying my first real outing in more than a year last month on the Viking Venturer I was back behind Tornado for the 2nd time in a month on the afternoon Forth Circle tour organised by SRPS Railtours. This tour started at Dalmeny with more passengers boarding at Inverkeithing. The start at Dalmeny was delayed due to a late running LNER Azuma service that being 1W11 10:00 from London Kings Cross to Aberdeen formed by Azuma 800113. After that passed Tornado arrived at Dalmeny station to start the afternoon Forth Circle. The driver was Peter Walker and we duly set off from Dalmeny 5 minutes late. We then picked up further passengers at Inverkeithing and set about making up the lost time. As is always the case with the fife coastal line it is beautiful but also quite slow and not the easiest place to make up lost time but after cutting out our scheduled pathing stop at Burntisland we started to go from being late to being early. After passing through my home town of Kirkcaldy the line leaves the coast and it starts to become easier speed wise. The run from Thornton Junction to our water stop near Torryburn was really good with Tornado being 5 minutes ahead of schedule passing through Dunfermline.

    We left our water stop more or less on time but then came a sudden stop that was to put it mildly unexpected. What had happened was that the signal which for reference is still a semaphore signal was obscured by the vegetation meaning that Peter Walker who was driving could not see whether the signal was at danger meaning that a sudden application of the breaks was necessary and a sudden stop. It meant that the footplate crew had to phone the signalman before proceeding. The blame for this has to be laid at the door of network rail for allowing the vegetation to grow dangerously but unfortunately the line between Dunfermline and Alloa is not used regularly anymore although there has been talk of restoring passenger services between Dunfermline and Alloa. This meant that having been 5 minutes early before the water stop we were now 10 minutes late! We remained 10 minutes late as we headed through Alloa and on to Stirling. This line was reopened in 2008 which has allowed these Forth Circle railtours to happen successfully with various other locomotives over the years. The photo stop at Stirling was shorter than intended but I had enough time to take a photo of the locomotive. I also found out that the fireman was Phil Akester with Neal Woods firing the morning train.

    We eventually left 10 minutes late and headed south toward Larbert, Falkirk, Polmont and Linlithgow. This is the fastest section of the route and is the most likely part of the route where higher line speeds would be reached. Despite the higher line speeds we ended up losing a little bit of time between Stirling and Linlithgow even though we were the only train about as a result of strike action from Scotrail meaning that the only train services were those of Cross Border operators such as LNER. We were schedule to have a short stop at Linlithgow but this was bypassed and as a result we made up some of the lost time which had grown to about 14 minutes. After leaving the Edinburgh to Glasgow mainline at Winchburgh we took the little used line towards the Forth Bridge through Kirkliston. This line used to see one train a day in each direction Monday to Saturday but this has at least for the moment and possibly permanently been axed. As a result of the late running we did not have to wait at Dalmeny Junction for 1W20 14:00 Kings Cross-Aberdeen to go in front of us. This meant that we arrived at Dalmeny 1 or 2 minutes behind schedule. A really good trip but I'm a little bit disappointed and I will explain why.

    Sadly the tour on the 4th September to Aviemore & Inverness has been cancelled due to DB Cargo not being able to operate the train. This was desperately disappointing as the sight of a pacific climbing the fierce gradients of Drumochter and Slochd on the Highland Mainline is an outstanding prospect. It is a great shame that this tour has been cancelled and I also have sympathy for others whose tours have been cancelled either this year or in the past as a result of crew resourcing issues with DB Cargo. I would like to thank SRPS Railtours for another outstanding tour my 7th forth circle and they've all been really good with this one being no different and another outstanding performance from Tornado after the trip last month. I also feel sorry for SRPS Railtours having to cancel the 4th September trip. At least I have one more trip to look forward to with Tornado & Flying Scotsman over the S&C in October.

    Thank you for reading my report.
     
    Last edited: Aug 16, 2021
  5. Sam 60103

    Sam 60103 Member

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    100% agree. A huge thank you should go to the Tornado support crew particularly for the 24th July trip in getting the loco south at the last minute. Lets hope that Princess Elizabeth is able to run again soon as she makes a fine sight hauling the Northern Belle over the Northern Fells.
     
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