Tornado to York 27-11-09

Left on time.

 

Here she is been approaching Colton Junction against a red signal...

 

Did this train return to London down the ECML? My Daughter in Cambridge was convinced she heard Tornado last night. Not so unless it was diverted via Cambridge!

46118

 

Must have been hearing things then, Defo went down ECML 20 mins late.

 

Cheers Jason, thanks!

Hearing test ordered......!!

46118

 

Vid of Tornado on both days now up,seen at Colton,Burn and Doncaster


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tl61n5qojjA

Cheers,
Mark

 

Had only my second trip out this year on this one (the first was the Torbay Express in the Summer, again with Tornado) and the northbound trip was excellent Going south was a bit of an anti-climax and we wered looped at times due to late running scheduled services arriving at the Cross around 20 late.

Chaos reigned at Kings Cross though as Network Rail and platform staff were stopping (or trying to stop - unsuccessfully) flash photography, threatening many with eviction from the platform. I thought it was time to intervene!

I approached one of them and asked why they were threatening people in the way they were and, after all, the train was now stationery in the platform with the train having reached its destination and therefore no risk to blinding the driver which was, what they said to me, the reason for their heavy handed treatment of those with cameras. He got annoyed with my "logical" questions and called the Transport Police to the platform because no one was taking any notice of them. Two policemen turned up and looking bemused, one of them went to Jim Smith, the inspector on Tornado and asked him if he had a problem with flash photography to which Jim replied in his usual mild mannered way, "look officer. I get a a glow from the firebox which is ten times brighter than any flash, to which the police officer smiled and told the platform staff there was no issue to be dealt with! Wonderful moment!

The policeman, who shall remain nameless for legal reasons (only joking) said to me that he could not believe they were called out on a Friday night for an innocent "public order" incident, as he called it, when people were simply taking photos of a famous engine. He said they had much more important things going on like drunkedness and idiots causing trouble on the main concourse.

In summary, I would urge Network Rail and their staff to show common sense and not spoil things for the public. Accusations such as "the driver "will be blinded and unable to drive his train safely" may have some merit out in the country, but not at a terminus when a train has reached its destination.

Final point on this. many Balfour Beatty workers who were working overnight at Kings Cross station with their hi-Viz orange overalls, decended on Platform 6 with their mobiles for photos of Tornado. Of course these mobiles have flash too and too hear the response of one of them to a Network Rail chaps when told not to use his mobile with flash, was a joy to behold. He was clearly annoyed and his bad language clearly reflected this but I cannot report his colourful language as it is not suitable for a fine railway forum such as this!

 

Give somebody a hi vis. jacket and a semblance of power and this is what you get, it's one reason why I avoid stations.

 

The bosses should make an example & sack these jobsworths on the spot, that would sort them out. It would make other employees think twice before they act. These people should count themselves lucky they have a job this day & age.

 

There has been plenty of research about the effects of flash on night vision. Flash has very little effect on night vision and in a lit station is completely insignificant. It's just a pervasive urban myth with as much validity as that which says using a mobile phone when filling up with petrol can cause an explosion.

Cheers
An insouciant Alan

 

Technically I think you'll find that a mobile phones can cause petrol to explode, in fact most electrical device theoretically can, unless they have been certified as Intrinsically Safe (a time consuming and costly process). In practice the likelihood is very very low however.

 

Try this then!!!!!

http://www.break.com/usercontent/2008/1/Avoid-the-phone-at-the-service-station-430706.html

 

It happened once near me. there were a number of us loading under the gantry at a terminal in Leeds, this driver pulls under, (vehicle empty) up top he goes and opens the lids, BOOM. Static spark had touched off the vapour in a compartment. The clothing rule was "NO man made fibres", cotton or wool only, he had ignored the rule. Luckily no one was badly hurt, but you never forget incidents like that.

 

I've edited quote down.

Over very many years myself, and I guess vasts numbers of other steam loco enthusiasts, have heard so many down to earth, commonsense words from footplate crews. This one now goes onto the list as well!

PS. What happens when an electric loco causes an overhead wire to arc? They are BIG flashes. Local Eurostars do them regularly. Presumably the system has to be shut down to allow any loco crew within a five mile radius to be examined and passed as fit for work again!

I've used flash on fast moving steam loco footplates, (up to low 80s). And at night. German 012 100-4 which I used to ride quite often before the dreadful contractual problem that stopped it working circa 4 years ago. Catch the drivers attention, point to the camera, "OK?". "Keine probleme!" (No problem).

Of course it wasn't a problem with the crew being forewarned. Some of the best photos that used to get circulated after those main line trips came from the loco crews themselves!

 

Alright Ralph, you've asked for it! I'm now going to cover the subject of an "unauthorised platform"!

Platform 19 at Waterloo is safe and secure for most of it's length. Then it must become one of the most dangerous places on the planet. A fixed barrier with a sprung gate covers it's full width. And, "Though Shalt Not Pass". And so we couldn't go and get the classic shot of a MN at Waterloo before we left for Bristol on Nov 23rd. "It's an unauthorised platform", said one of several MNLPS guys protecting the sprung gate in the fixed barrier and then also the doors of the coach that opened onto it. No argument with them, they were doing as they had been told to do.

On our return that evening the last two cars stopped next to the unauthorised platform. Passengers started to alight onto it. I cried out, "no, no, you will all die". But everyone got out walked down, then had to squeeze though the sprung gate in the barrier.

I did as well! And checked the platform. Good surface, same as the authorised platform. No CCTV cameras? (everywhere has to be under CCTV control these days, part of the Hysteria and Stupid Excuses regime no doubt).

The I saw it. NO YELLOW WARNING LINE. That ended at the barrier between authorised and unauthorised platforms. Nothing to tell you how far to stand back from the waiting train coaches. Or when the platform is empty, from the airwash as high speed trains roared through.

I am sure someone will come back with chapter and verse on this, and put me firmly in my place. But it was all beyond me.

 

Bryan

I believe the reason given for this barrier, is that there is a crossover adjacent to this section of platform, and the third rail in this section, is on the platform side.

Paul

 

I've just given myself a big slap on the wrist after reading the posts above

 

Oh my god a trespasser, it'll be the end of steam on the network, everybody will suffer because of your foolhardiness, how could you do such a thing.