THE SILVER JUBILEE 30/9

I've never had any problems with SD stewards - rather the opposite. Last outing with them on the Border Raider, they went out of their way to help make the event memorable, as I was celebrating my birhday with friends, and I'm sure we were quite a handful

 

Must be maddening to have these mighty beasts hobbled by Sh*tty fuel...and a lot of peoples days spoiled as a consequence

Suspect that getting hold of supposed quality stuff is hard enough these days but once you ve got 7 tonnes of questionnable in the tender its a problem

Isnt the Steam/ Heritage Railway 'Industry' Big enough and co operative enough to secure a central supply of dependable adequate quality coal and negotiate a reasonable rate for it ?
Sure spot buying in the market may work out cheaper but the consequences are well illustrated here...

 

I was on the wrong side for the sun yes, however given last nights cloud I went to the East side to create that silhouette shot.

Here's a little earlier on before the sun had come through the clouds and into the camera.... Was much better a little later, this was taken as soon as we arrived.

 

well thats rubbish !!!!

 

Having seen quite a lot of Simons work and being able to appreciate it, and a few poor quality clips of yours as 'Railhead' on Youtube, that comment is a bit rich.......

 

I thought it was quite clear that the purpose of the photo was to illustrate the location, as discussed earlier in the thread, if only you'd bothered to read it, 46236, or what ever your name is!
Iain

 

simon will understand the comment and how its meant to be taken. official complaint about ur comment coming up. Railhead ???

 

Both loco's had coal from the same batch of coal from Daw Mill . The original plan was to return from Newcastle to York behind the Duchess, with the 47 taking us to Kings Cross. The concern was getting passed Stevenage before the engineering blockage at 23.30, after which all services would be diverted via the Hertford loop.

The Duchess struggled to release the brakes to leave Newcastle for Heaton, had to stop for a blow out 20 minutes approx and only reached Heaton at quarter pass five. Network Rail would not permit us to return behind the Duchess because they were concerned of further delays to service trains.The 47 came from York, passed through on the way to Heaton about 19.05. Information received from Marcus & Richard.

The train departed NC at 19.37,York at 20.59, and was on time by the Stevenage, and arrived at 23.21 and 30 seconds approx ( we passed clock half way along the platfrom at 23.21 exactly.

When we were told the Diesel was on the way, we were told expected departure was 19.30.

We caught back sometime due to the following : -

The original steam times had 40 minutes for NC to Durham(14 miles), we only stopped for 2 minutes( if that) at York (30 minutes allowed for loco change), and did not require the 12 minute stop at Ranskill.


I had booked a hotel room in London, rather than catch a train to Gatwick or Three Bridges and get a Taxi, and then have to get up the following day, to catch my usual train the 6.16 from EG.

 

I wonder what discussions will follow between the tour operators and UK Coal, the owners of Daw Mill? Was there a spec give to UK Coal (or their agent) in the order? If so, get the stuff analysed and make a claim. Problem will be that I doubt there's any liabilty for consequential loss, so all you'd get back would be the cost of the coal. (Coincidently, Daw Mill is only 3 miles up the road from me). Iain

 

Thanks for the info. Several of us were blaming the coal on the Eastern Block countries. A bit of egg on ones face if it was home grown stuff

Are there any plans to get Welsh Steam coal back out of the ground?

 

I notice that coal from Daw Mill varies somewhat. The stuff that we use on a Sentinel loco at Quainton is about the size of ones clenched fist, doesn't make much smoke, burns well, but doesn't last very long. In contrast there is coal also claimed to be Daw Mill that we were using last weekend at Barrow Hill, the lumps of which were 4x the volume, burnt well enough for our purpose, but very smoky.

I have been informed that there is a coal washing plant at this colliery and that other collieries send coal there for washing and distribution.

The suggestion is that although it might come from Daw Mill, it may not necessarily have originated from there.

Can anyone add to this?

 

I was told on Thursday that other coal was sent to Daw Mill for distribution.

 

This is true AFAIK. Daw Mill acts as a distribution depot as well as digging the stuff out of the ground.

Here's a spec for steam coal - http://www.coaldelivery.co.uk/acatalog/steam07.pdf I guess the two most important parameters are the ash content and the ash fusion temperature, but note the all imortant rider "specification may vary" !!

 

A supply of Coal can burn for England one week and the next can be totally useless despite it being the same supplier which explains why this issue occasionally crops up despite best efforts, i suspect a lot of the time it will be a different seam but sometimes there is no obvious cause.

 

Half a loaf on the Silver Jubilee 30 September 2010

Steam Dreams proposed to commemorate the 75th anniversary of Britain's first streamlined train service by running with two of Gresley's A4 Pacifics from London to Newcastle and back as the Silver Jubilee, referencing that stage in the reign of King George V in 1935.

The plans were diluted by the delays in repairing No 60007 Sir Nigel Gresley, which was replaced in the roster by LMS Pacific No 6233 Duchess of Sutherland. Then, just days before the trip, No 60019 Bittern was shopped with middle big end problems, and there was no prior information about whether she would be fit to run.

So we were relieved to see her simmering at Kings Cross, with twelve coaches and her second tender, which would enable her to run to York without taking water. Any hope of a long non-stop run was however dashed when a signal stopped us at Finsbury Park, and, on the slow line for many miles northwards, we managed a maximum of 68 after Hitchin. On Stoke Bank we got the first intimation of problems ahead, when we had to stop for a blow up near the top. After half an hour we rattled down the bank through Grantham at 74 and speed continued upwards until we were looped at Claypole. Thereafter we managed 69 at Carlton but struggled into Doncaster Down Decoy Yard where we spent more than an hour for pathing and further fire cleaning. Over the final few miles to York we managed no more than 51, and arrived 93 minutes down.

Here the Duchess came on the train and we joined the slow line northward, reaching 69 before Thirsk and 76 after a pathing stop at Northallerton. Then we were looped at Ferryhill and stopped at Tursdale for pathing, until a final burst to 70 before Durham preceded an arrival in Newcastle over two hours late.

The news went from bad to worse as the Duchess struggled to release the brakes and strained to pull away from the platform. We learned later that she had had to stop twice for blowups before reaching Heaton yard only a few miles away. The trouble was pinned down to the batch of coal supplied to both engines, with which they found it impossible to steam consistently. Network Rail consequently banned any further use of either loco that day, and WCRC Class 47 No 47760 was brought from York to take us all the way back to Kings Cross. We left 130 minutes late but in a warm train and with a full explanation and some free wine from Steam Dreams, we felt much more mellow when we arrived back at Kings Cross at 23.22, right on time.

9 pictures by guest photographer John Kirkham are at http://pjhrailpics.fotopic.net

Peter, on an autumnal Manchester evening
http://pjhrailpics.fotopic.net

 

Bittern passing Doncaster approx 1hr 30 mins late

http://www.flickr.com/photos/garstangpost/5043192939/

Hope you guys like the photo
Cheers Tony

 

L E movement up on UK steam for tomorrow {5th} York to Southall, anyone got any times for Retford/ Newark area, would be most appreciated, thanks ,wardy

 

Anyone had a letter from Steam Dreams yet?

 

Letter arrived from Steam Dreams today, offering apologies for the problems with the steam locos a week ago today. Whilst pointing out that the issue was beyond their control, and that the train did return to London at the booked time of 23.22, they understood the day was not as good as had been intended.

They therefore offered at 20% discount off a future tour. This can be off any tour in 2010 or any day trip in 2011.

A fair offer, in my view

Peter, on a sunny autumn afternoon in Manchester
http://pjhrailpics.fotopic.net