The Tees-Tyne Express 7/10/17

I think that was guilt for the CU at Newcastle!!!

 

The Virgin staff on the platform were a mine of obfuscation, as you say, none of what little we were told reflected what we were seeing. Having said that, it precipitated what has to be the best flat track performance I've ever experienced in my 50+ years of mainline steam. To see the GPS stuck almost permanently above 70 for hour after hour was quite magical. Perhaps for the first time ever this felt like truly experiencing express steam on the ECML as it was back in the day. If this is an indication of what the A1, DB & NR can do on the ECML, then we're in for something very special in the future. Well done to all concerned!

 

Superb run, which has only been bettered once in my experience, 71000, Tyne yard to York in the wee small hours, after the water problems at Millerhill, add 10 mph to the constant speed ! Which should be where Tornado will be 'very soon' can't wait...

 

Sounds like I need to get over the window hanging-out rules. Because we did it as kids, it was always the window for me and as close to the engine as I could get away with! Woolly hat, goggles, camcorder and a bag of food and drink was the order of the day. I would stand for the duration of the tour ending up with the inevitable sooty face and stiff legs! Take that away, and the attraction is no longer there for me and I know for many others. So, time to stand back and assess matters from a different perspective. Perhaps after all, sitting in the carriage, chatting to others and taking in the passing countryside from the comfort of the seat provides excitement is something I should consider. Why do I say this now. Because of yours and others reports of the brilliant runs that are going on especially with Tornado just now. The 90mph running next year may just tip the scales!

 

Well said Al but you realise that you are upsetting the girls in the west who have WC in their veins lolxx

 

Yes, completely agree. I've travelled behind all three this year. The most enjoyable for me was the Earl on the Welsh Marches last springtime, that's why I'm gutted about the cancellation of the Cotswold Express next Saturday.

Can we expect comparable performance from Clun Castle next year?

 

Bang on @Big Al - We only travel with the A1 or VT based on performance and reliability (I'm sure Clan Line is equally capable, but too far away for us). Interestingly Ben Mason was onboard yesterday ......

 

Probably looking for the 'marginal gains' that will make VT even better

 

Was on Solihull station at 07:14 Saturday morning, saw a 'skip', thought it was the Chiltern to Marylebone and got on. A1SLT were kind enough not to throw me off as we passed Tyseley so I thought I would stay for the ride.

Haha!

Good to see some familiar faces.....and you will all be charged extra for your next ticket on VT!

 

Not only the engine crews of course - these days the catering staff are arguably more important for raising the money to keep tours going. Long day for all of them and they did us proud.

 

The Tees-Tyne Express 7/10/17

On reflection a train worthy of a bit of a write up. We drove to Derby as we'd get back home earlier. Just as we got there drizzly rain started and persisted for an hour or so. Already noted the reasons for the delayed departure so won't dwell on it again. On the outward, Keith Murfin was our driver; Tony Jones our fireman and Bob Hart TI. We were in the middle of the carriage behind the POB.

We made a steady start down the Derby to Leeds Line and almost got to 60 up the gentle gradients through Duffield and into Milford Tunnel, some 6 miles out of Derby. There's a gentle climb of 1 in 430+ to Belper passed at 55 and we topped the gentle 1 in 346 to Ambergate at 55. Speed was in the mid to low 50s up the 6 miles at 1 in 340ish before we dropped down into Clay Cross Tunnel, 51 in; braking to 39 out; and we made our way to our pickup at Chesterfield. Keith made a good start out of Chesterfield. We passed Barrow Hill (62); and we hit 73 as we passed over Beighton Jn. Speed stayed around 70 until we braked around Treeton Jn. Middle of nowhere; some industrial areas; nice views of the hills but not a clue where we were until we blasted through Swinton at 65.

More signs of life and a bit more familiar track and I remembered there was a climb after Bolton-on-Dearne. It's only 3 miles of 1 in 150 but there was a nice bit of noise from the front as we blasted through the station at 67; Goldthorpe a mile in(62); Thurnscoe 2 miles in(59), with that being our minimum on the climb. We got back to 68 on the downgrade before we braked for Moorthorpe(55). There was another mile or so of 1 in 150 so we got a noisy response from the front though speed dropped to 48. We picked up to 69 down the 2 miles 1 in 160/123/150d but braked before Pontefract Baghill(49). The run to Milford Jn was subdued but then we had a decent run down the 1 in 700 onto the level through Sherburn-in-Elmet(55); Church Fenton(61) with a mile or so at 71 on the level before we slowed for York approach.

Keith and Bob Hart left us at York to be replaced by Steve Hanczar and Jim Smith. We slipped as we left York and then spent the entire run to Durham on the slow. Speed never got above 65. We passed Thirsk at 58 and then did pick up some pace by Northallerton(66); followed by a couple of miles in the low 70s through East Cowton. We hit a max of 75 down the 1 in 391 before we braked hard on the approach to Darlington. We had a big slip near South Jn but picked up noisily to 44 as we took the avoiding line past Darlington station. The run to Durham was subdued and we were held in the loop north of the station for the Inverness HST to pass.

Steve did have enough time to get us into the 70s down the 1 in 150, and we flashed through Chester-le-Street at 72 with a max down the 1 in 158 of 74. We trundled across the King Edward Bridge in the sunshine. We were held at a signal for 2 minutes and arrived in Newcastle at 1320, only 18 minutes down.

My posts on the day about the muted running was partly due to my reliable carriage counting fellow timer's carriage count at Derby, 11+POB. It looked longer than that and he did a recount and confirmed at York is was in fact 11+POB+the Generator Car.

It was a sunny and windy day in Newcastle and after lunch in the Mile Castle we went for a walk and crossed the Tyne via the Old Swing Bridge and climbed up the bank to cross back via the High Level Bridge. Thirst was quenched by a pint in the Newcastle Tap.

The Newcastle farce was talked about in the thread and we left some 31 minutes down. In the time we waited for the train to be allowed into the station phone calls were being made and helped by a 13mins late running TPE we were given the RA onto the main. Pete Sheridan replaced Tony as Fireman but trainee fireman Andy Dalton fired back to York. Steve enjoyed the return. Speed was 61 by Low Fell and increased steadily to up the approx. 1 in 170 average grades to 63 and picked up on the 1 in 150 to blast through Chester-le-Street at 66, noisy enough to be heard in what was now the last carriage. Speed dropped to 56 at the top of the 1 in 150 and then was allowed to drift to our pickup at Durham.

I always get that dreadful feeling in the pit of my stomach in Durham having watched Blue Peter reach 127 mph going nowhere as it tried to leave the station just over 23 years ago, 1st October 1994. It was wet and windy then but Saturday was sunny and dry. Steve took the train away gently with no mishaps and soon got into his work ably assisted by Andy's firing. Down the 3 miles of close to 1 in 165 average speed picked up to 67 and Steve had Tornado making a racket as we climbed the 1 in 150(60); then on the level/1 in 200/varied passed Ferryhill at 60. We accelerated noisily up the 1 in 526 to 70 and charged down the mile of 1 in 203 to max at 74. Speed dipped under 70 along the level but then rose to 72 down the mile of 1 in 100, held on the 2 miles+ on the level, and rose to 75 and a bit on the 1 in 200 down to Darlington. We blasted past on the avoider at 76 and then over slightly undulating grades Steve and Andy kept Tornado at 75ish for mile after mile. We passed Northallerton at 74; down the 5 miles+ of gentle 1 in 629 back to our max of 75; held it on the long level section. Tollerton was passed at 74, a speed held until we braked 2 miles out of York. As Mr Punch said, "That's the way to do it"!!! Andy was passed out as a fireman after his excellent work from Newcastle.

Steve, Andy, Pete and Jim left us at York being replaced with that well known North Eastern Pair, driver Graham Ward (Didcot), fireman Vince Henderson(Bristol) and Gareth Jones, TI, the man for all routes. As we were going via Doncaster we hoped for a decent run and Graham and Vince didn't let us down. The noise from the front was enough to keep us awake in Carriage 13 and we were up to 70 8 3/4 miles out. It was dark by then and we had a spirited run at our max speed for the next 21 miles, an average of 63 from York departure, until Graham braked hard after we crossed Arksey LX. We drifted through Donny at 15 and we watched the train take the long sweeping right hander as we pulled away from South Yorkshire Junction up the 1 in 112 on the Mexbrough Line.

Bit of a burst of speed down the grade in the pitch dark through Conisbrough(61) to Aardvark, sorry, Aldwarke Jn where we arrived 15 early and were held slightly longer than that. We heard the noise from the back as Graham charged off for Beighton Jn. We got to a max of 68 6 miles out but then braked for the junction. We trundled down to Chesterfield, 8 early which gave some of our number the opportunity to get an earlier train home. We were held just south of the station again to follow the Sheffield-Leicester. Plenty of noise as Graham attacked the climb to Clay Cross Tunnel, entered at 49; left at 51. We got to 74 before we braked hard and entered Wingfield Tunnel at only 24.

Then we had a bonus final charge down the gentle grades to Derby. Belper was passed at 65 then speed picked up to 72 out of Milford Tunnel, and Duffield was passed at 73 before we braked hard as we approached Derby North Junction from where we trundled into P6 at Derby only 5 late.

All in all, as Wogan always said, "mustn't grumble". Another 326 miles behind the superb 60163 with a superb return journey with around 60 miles of mind 70s running. Many thanks to he A1ST for the provision of the big green beast and for the running of the train; To John and Hertfordshire Railtours for their part in the process; to the excellent DBC crews; to Riviera Trains; to the persuasive gentlemen who 'made the calls'; and to Network Rail for allowing us the 'down the main' run from Newcastle to York. That run from Durham to York was a memorable one in anyone's book with 13 up; definitely an 'I was there' run. Almost a Max Boyce quote; 'I know 'cos I was there'.

 

@1020 Shireman - thanks for putting some more flesh on the bones of such a memorable day.

 

A pleasure.

 

Cheers @1020 Shireman for the write up. Its great to see people enjoying the trips. The run from Durham to York will be one I don't forget as I was lucky enough to be on the footplate at the time. Steve made it look so easy as usual!