Cathedrals Explorer

60009 left Newport LE for Cardiff only a few minutes down.

 

Nice. Thanks for sharing.

 

just read there's a problem at Craven Arms

RTT shows delay of 47 mins between Craven Arms & Dorrington, anyone have any ideas?
http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/U50644/2013/05/10/advanced

 

According to UKS it is 60009 but no times or routing info & nothing on RTT. I'd have thought that since Tornado is gauged for the coast route then UOSA should be ok. FYI timings from when Tornado last took the coast route: http://www.uksteam.info/tours/t10/t0414c.htm

 

No.9 still on the move albeit very late. <BJ>

 

Craven Arms 2 late. Arrived Shrewsbury 59 late. <BJ>

 

Just got back from the lineside. Saw USA pass Wistanstow at a slower speed than usual and the exhaust sounded a bit offbeat. I caught the train up at Marshbrook as it had stopped in section just south of the crossing there. The crew spent some time inspecting the front end of the loco before it restarted and slowly drew away uphill towards Church Stretton. Where the railway parallels the A49, I paced the train and with the window down on my car I could hear a very loud and ominous knock, middle big end? or cylinder? I couldn't tell. It looks like we have another main line loco casualty.

The train carried on down into Shrewsbury at a very slow speed, at least they got the train home. I do hope that the problem isn't too great that it keeps this marvelous machine off the mainline for too long. I will post a video tomorrow.

Cheers

Alan

 

34067 is used on DBS operations sometimes and will likely be in gauge for the coast route. However, whether the custodians of the loco will make it available if requested is another matter.

 

Video of train passing Wistanstow, 60009 audibly sick.



Cheers

Alan

 

So from what I can tell there is 4possible locomotives that could come to the rescue of this tour, 34067,45407,35028,46233?, but the likeness of any of these locomotives coming to the rescue looks pretty slim except maybe 34067?, however what remains is can Wcrc and DBS come to some sort of agreement in time and is the man power available to get her ready?. Then will NR clear A path and allow it to happen, seems unlikely sadly but I hope for paying customers something can be done.

 

some photos and video i took at tiverton parkway and bristol then at filton abbey wood at http://keyhamtrain.weebly.com/the-cathedrals-explorer-10-5-13.html video at http://www.youtube.com/user/keyhamtrain/videos?sort=dd&flow=list&page=1&view=0

 

Provisional times up for Monday showing 60009 in uk steam info and via shap to Carlisle, not round the Cumbrian coast.

 

Did 60009 make it to Crewe HC on Friday evening ?
David

 

That made for quite painful listening. Let's hope that her crew can get her fixed in short order.
As I said in another thread this must be one of the worst years ever for the lack of availability of mainline steam loco's.

 

From an informed source the bearing has been remetaled and all looks good for tomorrow. Local control are happy to let no 9 go without a test run.

Andrew