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Ebor Flyer - A1ST and Tornado: 14/04/18

Discussion in 'What's Going On' started by NathanP, Sep 15, 2017.

  1. IamDaniel

    IamDaniel Member

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    Latest from UKR newsletter: "First-class dining is full and we're down to the last eight seats in standard".

    Make that seven. I kept on saying I wouldn't do KX-York, having done it with Flying Scotsman's inaugural run - my first-ever mainline steam trip - but how could I say no to being on Tornado's first 90mph revenue-earning train?
     
  2. Where's Mazeppa?

    Where's Mazeppa? Member

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    Now reported as Fully Booked on the UK Railtours website as of this afternoon Tuesday 31st October. That didn't take long, did it? And still five-and-a half long months to go before the big event. Two thoughts.......Is this some kind of record? And maybe this will stimulate shed-loads of early demand for the Talisman in July too? Given the prospect of more 90 mph running by Tornado north of York, and the massive plus factor in the shape of Alycidon for the return, I would imagine that these rival attractions will prove to be just as appealing to those contemplating an early booking and/ or just not wanting to risk missing out. Like me, for instance!!
     
  3. John Petley

    John Petley Part of the furniture

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    I'm not surprised it's fully booked and am very pleased I booked my ticket when I did. It was always going to be popular as it ticks a couple of significant boxes. Firstly, the Tornado project always envisaged 90mph running and where better to start than the ECML, which is 60163's spiritual home (for want of a better term) even though it is a new build. Secondly, there is the practicality aspect. 90mph makes it possible to do things which aren't possible with the restrictions of 75mph. I live in a village in East Sussex some distance away from my nearest railway station. York and back in a day just hasn't been viable with steam before. It still will mean getting up at silly o'clock on 14th April to ensure I get to KX in good time, but thanks to the journey taking 4 hours in each direction as opposed to the 5 or 6 which is more common with the pathing constraints of the 75mph maximum, it is just about do-able from here without arriving home at some ridiculous hour.

    You're right to call it a big event. This must be one of the most significant steam specials to have run up the ECML since 60009's ground-breaking run to Peterborough in 1994. I'm really looking forward to it.
     
  4. Bulleid Pacific

    Bulleid Pacific Part of the furniture

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    Yes, ditto. It will be a fine weekend of high speed running with 60163 and some rare track in GE territory with 61306.
     
  5. IamDaniel

    IamDaniel Member

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    I think Scotsman's inaugural run sold out quicker, but yes, I imagine the A1 boys will be pleased with ticket sales. Looking forward to seeing what they've got up their sleeves for the south-west next year; I would love a repeat of the 'Cornishman' charter and with a bit of 90mph running along the GWML may not mean a box all the way back to London too...

    Just speculating!
     
  6. alastair

    alastair Well-Known Member

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    Surely it won't really be 4 hours will it? The Top Gear run in 2009 was scheduled to do KX/York in 3hr 8m including one 13 min water stop at Grantham, and that was 75mph max. :


    Saturday 25 April 2009

    LNER A1 Class 4-6-2 no 60163 Tornado

    TIMES


    Steam hauled: Kings Cross-Edinburgh
    Load: 10 coaches

    1Z63
    0.0 London Kings Cross d 07.25 60163
    2.5 Finsbury Park 07.30
    12.7 Potters Bar 07.44
    27.6 Stevenage 07.58
    44.1 Sandy 08.13
    58.9 Huntingdon 08.25
    69.3 Holme LC 08.34
    76.4 Peterborough 08.40
    84.6 Tallington 08.47
    105.5 Grantham a 09.07 water
    105.5 d 09.20
    120.1 Newark 09.32
    138.6 Retford 09.48
    155.9 Doncaster 10.05
    169.4 Temple Hirst Jc 10.17
    182.8 Colton Jc 10.28
    188.5 York a 10.33
     
  7. Where's Mazeppa?

    Where's Mazeppa? Member

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    This may or may not be news to you, but the back cover page of the Tornado 2018 Main Line Tours brochure does carry a small footnote (just above the excellent schematic route map) that specifically says "Further Railtours to be announced in January 2018 including Tornado visiting Scotland and the West Country.

    So its a case of "when", not "whether", but maybe that's just as well, as I understand (but not 100% sure, though) that Tornado isn't on the roster for the TBEX outings next year, and the Bath/Salisbury outing in March is the nearest thing to a West Country encounter that has been announced so far.

    Nice to reflect, too, that 90 mph running opens up all kinds of new possibilities for "just speculating", however under-informed such musings might eventually turn out to be. And harmless enough in the Real World, when you consider how extremely well-versed the A1SLT seems to be in the skills of "Expectation Management"!!
     
  8. IamDaniel

    IamDaniel Member

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    Not news to me - hence the wording ;)

    On the subject of the brochure, I'll echo other comments that it was very well put together. As mentioned before, the A1SLT know how to market their big apple green machine (I like the wording!), don't they?
     
  9. Bulleid Pacific

    Bulleid Pacific Part of the furniture

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    Considering the 'impossible' jaunt to Walton-on-the-Naze this year, Barnstaple or Okehampton would be rather nice...
     
  10. IamDaniel

    IamDaniel Member

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    Or Okehampton. You could attach/detach a diesel at Exeter quite easily...
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Nov 1, 2017
  11. Bulleid Pacific

    Bulleid Pacific Part of the furniture

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    Indeed.
     
  12. Paul42

    Paul42 Part of the furniture

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    While both have been done before , the the last time the former was done( 1/6/06 ), it was in the evening, but the later has been done during the day (6/9/11).
     
  13. Paul42

    Paul42 Part of the furniture

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    But that run only had 1 pick-up. Graeme Bunker said it would not be viable with only one pick-up, and the East Coast mainline is now significantly busier. Graeme has stated that he thinks 4 hours should be achievable like the SD trips to York on a Saturday in 2009, such as this one http://www.uksteam.info/tours/t09/t0919a.htm
     
  14. Big Al

    Big Al Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Moderator

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    When you have factored in the pick up at Potters Bar, wherever they take water and the small detail that other services are running at 120 mph, I would have thought that four hours is not far off the total time. The standard path at 0815 is also a useful clue that it's not going to be a silly o'clock time from Kings Cross so that people can get there.

    It's not just the 90 mph option (that I suggest will be for some of the time not all of the time!) but also the fact that after Potters Bar there will be just one water stop that will help with the pathing. Don't forget that the time was saved on the Top Gear trip by us getting to Grantham in a little over an hour and a half. That won't happen next April!
     
  15. 30567

    30567 Part of the furniture Friend

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    If you have a look at the Saturday ECML schedule, I suspect that they will need to be at Grantham from around 0955 to 1020, then they will need to be overtaken at Retford by two trains and at Doncaster by another one. Maybe around three and a quarter hours running time including the stop at PB and 45 mins for water and pathing stops.
     
    Last edited: Nov 1, 2017
  16. Paul42

    Paul42 Part of the furniture

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    According to the latest Steam Railway Tornado, 46100, and 6024 will be the locos used on a 12 day trip next October for 38 passengers with Golden Eagle Luxery Travel prices from £ 29,995.00 sharing! Edinburgh to Inverness, then down to Penzance and back to Darlington.
     
  17. Spamcan81

    Spamcan81 Nat Pres stalwart

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    I'd expect to be able to drive the locos for the duration of the trip for those prices. :eek:
     
  18. Enterprise

    Enterprise Part of the furniture

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    When I travelled across Russia with GW Travel as it was then, a packet of fags to the driver and fireman got you on the footplate.
     
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  19. Spamcan81

    Spamcan81 Nat Pres stalwart

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    Likewise in Poland.
     
  20. Steamage

    Steamage Part of the furniture

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    The 2018 Golden Eagle trip probably deserves a thread of its own (mods?)
     

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