STDR CATHEDRALS EXP; PADDINGTON-SHREWSBURY 60163 12MAY2012

Looks a BIG day out for Tornado, 12 hours of steam haulage, and plenty of pick-ups including Slough, Twyford AND Reading ! It seems also against recent trends that we may have some SUNSHINE which will help the photos ! ! Tornado certainly being busy this week

 

Not as big a day as yesterday when it was out for about 21 hours including ECS moves! Hope it's still got some puff left in it for tomorrow. I haven't done the bit from Newport to Shrewsbury before so it should be interesting - and I haven't been through the Severn Tunnel since the days when HSTs were new and South Wales was full of Class 37s hauling coal trains. Showing my age!

 

ON TIME Twyford. Waited at station for 5 mins + so easyish schedule so far. Shame she ended up nearly 2 coach lengths off platform end but 13 on ( I think) so suppose they needed the last coaches in platform ! Looks magnificent again in brilliant sunshine (at last)

 

60163 left Hereford on time in glorious sunshine

 

Sonning | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

Sonning Cutting this morning. The bridge and drifting exhaust help mask the four different liveries on the coaching stock!

 

60163 heads along the relief at Goring as a Voyager powers its way towards Reading. The modern looking Voyager probably predates Tornado by some 5 or 6 years.

 

Tornado on the return near Bayton Hill and looking fantastic:


60163 Tornado by Teenage Steam Photography, on Flickr

Thanks,
Lewis

 

Does anyone know the speed of Tornado on the climb to Llanvihangel on the outward leg yesterday? I was amazed at the speed of the 13 coach train at the summit. Excellent work from the crews on what must be the Rolls-Royce of locomotives. <BJ>

 

This was another good do with the A1 yesterday.Slow schedule leaving London as expected but got going after Swindon on the outward.Stuck at Maindee North 25 mins awaiting right time and a unit which then impeaded our journey till past Little Mill.Good climb of Llanvihangel and about right time at Shewsbury.
The return I found more interesting.Left a bit late again following a unit which impeaded our journey somewhat.Slow start to Sutton Bridge but then got going Ludlow in 42 mins and Hereford in a further 32:30 with a near stand at Shelwick Junct.Good start from Hereford only to get pulled at Pontrilas for a minuate because of the late running service.O but what a start from there with 43.5 at the summit and a near time arrival at Parkway as we were given a clear run from Maindee.
Good running from Parkway just outside even time to Swindon but we got one from Swindon to Reading.Unexpected.
Well done to all involved.Its a very fit machine.

 

Good running from Parkway just outside even time to Swindon but we got one from Swindon to Reading.Unexpected. Looks as though all went really well but what does this actually mean ??? 'we got one' perhaps I'm not keeping up with modern language lol !! Cheers, Pete.

 

I think he means we got a clear run from Swindon to Reading which we did. Our correspondent Wayne was at the regulator.

 

Ok, thanks for that. Yeah, saw him in the cab at Twyford (even though he parked well outside platform, long train to fit in) Seemed to be enjoying himself, as usual. Must be really satisfying when everything goes so well throughout the day.

 

Bill
It was 39mph, from 60 at foot of bank and 54 at Abergavenny.
Andover

 

"Even time" means covering a number of miles start to stop in the same number of minutes or less, ie 60 mph average or better, start to stop. Swindon to Reading was 41.32miles in 38m45s.
Andover

 

Many thanks. <BJ>