The Easterling 28/08/17 UKRT/A1ST 60163

Yes indeed. In fact I reckon the load was 601 tons tare and at least 630 tons gross, probably rather more. All bar 2 of the 13 coaches were on the heavy commonwealth bogies and that class 66 weighed in at 127 tonnes if its ID plate is to be believed, that's 125 tons.

The tour booklet didn't include a gradient profile, and my Ian Allan is not to hand, but every reference I have seen has the gradient as 1:200 from the south end of Wood Green tunnel (5m 41c) to Potters Bar. Heavy trains calling at Potters Bar usually ease on emerging from the tunnel, so the north end of the tunnel at MP 12 is a convenient point to which to calculate power outputs.

I'm trying to dig out gen on the rolling resistance of a class 66 dead-in-tow (!), but for time being lets assume there were 4 more coaches in lieu of the 66 for the purposes of weight and rolling resistance. That would indicate 1,544 EDHP from Wood Green Tunnel South end to Potters Bar Tunnel North End.

Its fair to say that, away from the ECML, this route has rarely featured in performance articles so putting a log together may take a while, and I've still got that King run back from Carmarthen back in 2007 to type up...

 

Thanks for the explanation.

 

What seems to have been unusual about Mondays operations at Ely, and what may have been the cause of the queue, was the fact that on this particular day, Ely's three platforms were being operated partly as a through station - for Great Northern's KGX/ Cambridge - Kings Lynn services and Greater Anglia's Cambridge - Norwich services, and partly as a terminus/ turn-back for what were in effect shuttle services for XC's Stansted-bound and East Midlands Trains Norwich-bound services due to what I gather was a line closure between March and Peterborough with bustitution, at least for XC's services.

In this scenario, however successfully dwell times were being diagrammed/ managed to get the best pattern of platform availability/ utilisation, I guess that any out of course running (according to RTT we were 22L at Ely North), would inevitably suffer some level of penalty in waiting to access Platform 3. and so it proved to be, with nigh-on-dammit 15 minutes elapsing between the passage of Ely North Junction and arrival at Ely P3

But at least the pain of delay was being shared with users of the A142 Bridge Road Level Crossing unable to take advantage of the low clearance under-bridge here, while the caravan-length proportions of the Easterling obstructed the crossing for the duration of our approach and stopover here. Those of us in Coach J (13/13) were treated to a grandstand view of the resulting congestion. Probably not, however, on the list of NR's operational priorities given the more immediate circumstances of managing the Big Railway on this particular evening!!!

 

Just as point of detail, close inspection of the Ian Allan "Gradients of the British Main Line Railways", republished last year from their original 1966 edition, shows the commencement of the 1 in 200 climb to Potters Bar at around MP 4 1/2 (as close as I can get given the scale of reproduction of the gradient profile and careful scrutiny with a magnifying glass!!). In other words, about one mile south of Wood Green Tunnel. This point marks the foot of the dip which is approached in the down direction by a (roughly) one-mile fall at 1 in 285 commencing at Harringay station (3m 33c). Potters Bar station itself (12m 59c) is clearly shown as marking the site of the summit.

 

The "New" Barking Smack on Marine Parade is supposed to be a pub that sells Lacons (and they advertise as such) though they only had Grain Brewery products on in there when I went in the place in July!

 

You could have saved some money and visited the Palmerstone Arms in Peterborough where I was sampling some Lacons on Sunday.

 

Or the Red Lion up the road from me in Histon, they usually have Lacons on.

 

That may be, but there's something to be said about drinking a beer where it's brewed. Incidentally, the pub I went to was indeed The Barking Smack.

 

Thanks for this. Alternative sources suggest the dip between Hornsey and Alexandra Palace is at 4m 35c and the average gradient from there to the south end of Wood Green Tunnel (5m 41c) is 1 in 235 up, with seven changes of gradient including an easing to 1:308 under the down Hertford flyover and a steepening to 1:155 for a short distance thereafter. The same source then suggests a constant 1:200 from 5m 41c at the south end of Wood Green Tunnel to 12m 51c, basically the south end of Potters Bar station.

 

60163 Tornado The Easterling Bank Holiday Monday 28 August 2017

I tend to let my logs speak for themselves, but in view of the unusual route I though a few comments on Tornado’s trip to Great Yarmouth last weekend might be in order.

Stock arrived in platform 1 at Kings Cross behind diesel 66 128 in good time for the 09.03 departure, 13 Mark1s, in various liveries –some clearly needing a repaint – and all but two of which were on the heavy commonwealth bogies.

Gen on Nat Pres warned that the diesel would be coming with us to release the stock at Yarmouth as the loop wasn’t long enough for Tornado to run round. So it was a relief to be assured that not only would the 66 not be assisting, it would be completely shut down.

The Mark 1s alone added up to 476 tons tare, with the class 66 tipping that over to 601 tons tare and so 630-635 tons gross - equivalent to a 17 coach train - a huge load.

Promptly away on a sunny morning, with temperatures set to reach 25C later in the day, in a light westerly wind - but a noticeable sea breeze when we reached the coast.

Path was less than ideal as we had to tuck in behind the 09.04 ex KGX onto the slow line after Holloway, so we were checked down through Copenhagen Tunnel , scuppering what could have been an awesome climb.

Speed was worked up to 48 mph in the slight dip after Hornsey, and had fallen back to 46 entering Wood Green Tunnel, which marks the start of the continuous 1:200 to Potters Bar. Speed was kept around 46 mph all the way up, which I reckon is worth 1,544 edhp assuming the resistance of the 66 is equivalent to 4 Mk2 coaches. Another factor to consider here is increased wind resistance in the tunnels. I will re-work the outputs if and when I get resistance info for the 66.

We were a few minutes late into and leaving Potters Bar, but got cleanly away on the favourable grades with an easy 63 max after Hatfield before a severe check to 3 mph before Welwyn Garden City and further slow running to get a path over Welwyn viaduct.

Turned slow line as expected at Woolmer Green Jn we reached a creditable 62 mph at Langley Jn summit, but the checks had cost another 6 minutes and we were away from the last pick up at Stevenage 9 minutes late.

But this delay was largely recovered at Hitchin as we had a booked pathing stop to allow a Lynn train to precede us over the flyover. This was a steam first for me. I gather there is a slight fall as the line diverges from the ECML then a rise at 1:86 onto the viaduct then a fall at 1:99 to a dip at the new MP 32½ , from where it rises at 1:136 to rejoin the original line at Hitchin East Jn. We left on yellows so didn’t really get going and encountered what sounded like a couple of slips onto the viaduct.

Back onto the original line speed increased slowly from 30 to 35 on 1:161 which extends to just after MP 34. There was a rapid recovery on the easier grades, but the mile or so of 1:197 after Baldock brought speed down from 59 to 54 mph, worth say 1,200 – 1,225 edhp, before another recovery to 69mph before the Royston slack.

Gradients are then generally favourable as the line falls to the fens and a max of 70 was reached before Meldreth. We then suffered various checks before joining the Great Eastern line at Shepreth Branch Junction. A brief stop in Cambridge station before pulling forward into Coldham Lane loop for the water stop 7 minutes late. This was very efficient and we were away slightly early, having stood for only a tad over 7 minutes.

Away again speed gradually worked up to a max of 64mph on level track before easing for a bridge slack over the Great Ouse. I calculate the acceleration from Cambridge North was worth say 1,275 edhp until the point Tornado was eased for the slack.

There were more bridge slacks after the Ely crew stop, and the line has a 45 mph limit for non-sprinter trains for nearly 10 miles from 72m 02c to 81m 56c, presumably due to the spongy trackbed over the fens. This was clearly not allowed for in the schedule as the 11 miles from Ely North Jn to Lakenheath were booked in only 12 minutes. The cabbage harvest appeared to be in full swing!

The line begins to slowly climb away from the fens after Lakenheath, by which time the limit has gone back up to 75. I calculate the recovery from the 52 mph through Lakenheath to the 69 max achieved before Two Mile Bottom was worth 1,635 edhp, assuming an average gradient of 1:900. The noise from the front end suggested more!

There are two miles at 1:267 after MP 91, but Tornado had to be eased in deference to the 60 limit through Thetford and couldn’t be pressed on the mile at 1:200 afterwards due a 40 mph “Temporary” Speed Limit (TSR) for Croxton Crossing due to sighting issues. Clear of the slack we reached a max of 75 through Harling Road, the eased to 58 through Attleborough before a 68 max before another crew stop at Wymondham.

The solid restart produced an estimated 1,812 edhp around Spink Lane crossing on the 1:192 up to Ketterringham summit with a 72 max after Hethersett, with checks on the outskirts of Norwich before getting the road round the Wensum Curve through Crown Point depot, another steam first for me.

Don’t anyone say the railways of East Anglia are flat! Many were built on the cheap and followed the lie of the land, with short but occasionally vicious gradients. I’m not sure what the grade is away from Brundall Jn towards Yarmouth, but this was not a climb to be rushed and we crept up at just over 10mph. Another pathing stop at Acle to cross the top n tailed 37s recouped the arrears and arrival at Yarmouth platform 2 was a minute early.

Yarmouth beach side was busy in the fine weather, so I sought out hostelries in the quieter side of town nearer the docks, and found some good beers in the Mariners.

Outward log attached. Return log to follow.

 

So for the return. Prior to departure we were treated to a bit of shunting by 60163 as it pulled the stock out of P4 onto the diesel waiting in P2. The diesel edged forward to couple up and once done it again fell silent.

Departure was a few minutes late following the 17.17 GYM - NOR via Acle which was itself a few minutes late and which we appear to have caught up at Brundall.

However, we were routed via Berney Arms and despite a spirited start max speed was obviously limited to 50mph on this rural backwater. We had had a few checks, possibly tardy closure of the crossing at Cantley, catching up the aforementioned unit and then bridge slack at Postwick.

Despite this (or because of?!) we got a clear road round the Wensum curve, where we were over 10 minutes late. We then suffered more checks after Trowse, possibly catching up the 17.54 NOR to ELY, which ruined the climb to Ketteringham summit near MP 116. Once unleashed Tornado was able to hold 26-30 mph on the 1:101/152/250/148/265 climb.

We were a quarter hour down arriving at Wymondham for an operating stop and further time was lost here for the reasons already given, and we were away 23 Late.

The initial schedule on the restart - Attleborough 5.64 miles in 5 minutes, followed by virtually mile a minute running thereafter to Brandon - was a trifle ambitious. However, with a full 75 mph through Brandon and some recovery time on the 10 mile stretch limited to 45 mph no further time would have been lost to Ely, but for a signal failure and congestion cause by more service trains turning round in the station than usual.

Away from Ely more than half hour late we got going smartly enough to 44 mph but had to slow again for the Ouse bridge, with a more muted max of 56 before Waterbeach, losing more time to another operating stop at Cambridge.

From Cambridge we were nearly 3/4 hour late and had to contend with a couple of slacks either side of Foxton. We reached 44 at Meldreth, but didn't attack the climb to Royston that starts around MP 47 1/2. Speed had fallen to 33 mph at the High Bridge, after which the 1:120 gradient eases, by which time we were easing anyway for the Royston water stop.

Bi-directional working allowed a couple of up service trains to get past via the down platform. Replenished we were now exactly an hour late and of course took traditional route back to Hitchin, with a brief 62mph around Baldock.

The arrears had expanded to 66 minutes at the Stevenage set down, but Tornado picked up the train well on the restart and I initially suspected the diesel may have been assisting, happily not the case! After that little more to report than we were just inside an hour late at the Cross.

An unusual destination for a steam and, as the morning's running in particular demonstrated, East Anglia is not entirely flat and there was plenty of noise from the front end on what must be the heaviest steam tour I have ever timed. Well done to all concerned!

 

I can't vouch for the accuracy or authenticity of the following source because Cab Ride Simulators aren't my thing, but I'm interested in a fragment of commentary at 23 minutes o3 seconds approx. on a YouTube video titled "Train Simulator 2016 - Route Learning : Great Yarmouth to Norwich via Acle (Class 170) per this link

The voice-over pinpoints 1 in 100 down to Brundall Junction (travelling from Lingwood) and suggests that this gradient commences somewhere in the vicinity of the distant signal controlling the west-bound approach to the junction (which I would guess is sited at or about 6m 64c per the simulation) and just before the Cuckoo Lane overbridge (6m 47c).

I hope this isn't all too far-fetched, but it seemed to me that if its possible to cast the net wide enough to incorporate Accident Reports in the search for gradient information, then this too might be a legitimate avenue for exploration!! The eastbound climb away from Brundall Junction felt like something of a minor epic/ Herculean effort (perhaps also allied to the curvature on the initial section of the climb?) and certainly contributed to the day's magnificent soundtrack for which we were fortunate enough to have front row seats in Coach J.

 

I forgot to mention, good to meet you at Great Yarmouth, Mr Mazeppa!

 

Likewise, Bulleid Pacific, and thank you for that. I think the small congregation of NatPres stalwarts in Coach J (not sure what the collective noun for this should be) definitely made Coach J the place to be for the return journey.....and some truly excellent banter too!! Great stuff. ("Allegedly"!!)

 

A 'possibly' of NatPresists...

Come to think of it, an 'Allegation of NatPresists' has more of a ring to it, and is probably slightly more grammatically correct.