The Elizabethan

Not quite, but if you knew the departures from Edinburgh Waverley, you'd realise that there is a Crosscountry service at 1605, the Glasgow Central to Bristol Temple Meads. This was scheduled to pass a Looped Tornado at Drem. Instead, the signaller at the Edinburgh signalling centre made the right choice of letting the Voyager go first, to allow Tornado a clear non-stop run over the border. This was infact the better option, allowing No. 60163 to attack Grantshouse at full race which allows for a better accent of the climb.

It wasn't a case of Tornado losing it's path, the start was re-adjusted at the time gained by missing out the loop at Drem.

It's not as Dublo6231 suspects that the passengers taking photographs held up the train, but that the signaller would not give the tour the Green Aspect for departure until the Voyager had been let out first.

 

Very nice clip.

 

Thats helpful to have these bits of info which not everyone can get hold of. Once again then, railway employee taking a decision on the spot which seems as you say correct. When I say losing a path, it is very common down this way that the timings are so tight on GW and SR metals that just a few minutes delay can cause pandemonium because within no time there will be a queue of trains !! This can mean the steam excursion being looped somewhere. Complexities eh !!

 

This is true. We still don't know who made the decision to not stop at Durham northbound, or whether it was a cock-up which, fortunately, was sorted out by holding the tour at Newcastle. I have been told that the train approached Durham slowly, expecting to go into the platform road, but the signal cleared for the main, at which point the driver opened her up... Certainly at that moment it caught the station staff out, as they were expecting it to stop.

Regarding looping, I've been on a few tours which have been turned inside at Tursdale/Ferryhill in order for faster traffic to pass. All planned, of course. We've usually managed to avoid stopping, as the loops there are a good length.

Mark

 

Surely it is up the driver of the train to stop the train at a green signal if the road is set the wrong way.If the notice says that a train is to stop then the box should then route it into the Station.In olden days the only way you could talk to the box was by the phone on the signal.Now of course there is a form of comunication in the cab so there may have been some communication whilst the train was on the move.
Looking at the other side of the coin control may have decided that it was more expedient for the special to go straight to Newcastle rather than halt the following service that must have been right behind us even more.The following 225 turned up at Newcastle very soon after we arrived and then terminated.
The train that passed up before Heaton was another service.
The Green light stop at Dunbar was possibly the driver trying to get control to halt the stopper from North Berwick getting in the specials way.When we flew through Drem the North Berwick was waiting at the signal with the driver down trying to find out why he was being delayed.Another good decision by control in my view.
I personally think that an arrangement had been made to let the cross country train go because the tour organisers wanted a good run at the bank.Another positive move.
This was an eventful trip and exceptional in some places.Lets have some more of these,but not diesel assist tours please.

 

Yes, I do think it was a Control call, as that 225 set was right behind, but it was probably a very last-minute decision, which is why the station staff were caught unawares, but presumably the driver of D9009 had received a message to keep going. Having said that, there have been cases of drivers forgetting to stop...

Mark

 

D9009 at Brookmans Park

 

Most excellent. Thanks for sharing.