Unexpected outing for Tornado today?

UKRT are running a bit of a track bash today - The Diversionary Tactic. No mention of steam haulage but an official timing sheet I've seen has the York - KGX run as being hauled by 60163. This is the path http://www.opentraintimes.com/schedule/U53322/2016-06-11 and notes on what I've seen have a 25 minute water stop at signal WS7070. That would explain the extended journey time between Sleaford and Spalding. There is also a Wembley - Stewarts Lane move at the end of the day shown as 60163 + POB in this path http://www.opentraintimes.com/schedule/U53325/2016-06-12 Strange there's no mention of steam on UKRT's web site but 60163 is booked a British Pullman on 18th June so she'll have to move from York to Stewarts Lans at some stage. Sticking her on the front of today's tour would save the cost of a light engine move.
Worth keeping a look out I reckon.

 

Al - I believe that this has been in the pipeline for some time; it has just never been made public. Indeed it is probable that the tour passengers know nothing about it even now. I hope that they enjoy the surprise when they get to York this afternoon.

Peter

 

Do you know it is down to DBC or are you guessing?

 

total and a nice Surprise for the pax on UK Railtours trip

- the water stop is at donington, QUADRING SIGNAL WS7070 - 25 minutes allowed to water steam loco from road tanker at Donington. Signal WS7072 to act as a marker - quote from A1 Facebook page
donington is near Lincoln

 

I suspect that, as TOC and provider of footplate crew, it won't have been done without their involvement.

 

Agreed but it would have involved the other parties as well!

 

LOL, well maybe one or two....

have not seen many diesel/electric traction tours get a steam loco substitution - is this a first hehe?

will the diesel pax ask for a refund? #justkidding

 

They might actually, depending what the traction was supposed to be. In fact one poster on wnxx has stated they won't join the return part for that very reason.

 

I'd ask for a refund if I was on it expecting a diesel and something from the lner stable dropped on to the front.

 

I've looked at UKRT tour page and found no mention of what motive power was heading south from York. Quote form the page "
We start the day with a brisk run via the East Coast Main Line to York. Here a Class 60 takes over for the journey via Thirsk, the Northallerton Low Level Goods Line, Yarm Viaduct, Stockton, Norton Junction and Ferryhill where the ECML is briefly rejoined to take us past Durham Cathedral and the Angel of the North. At Gateshead we stay on the south bank of the Tyne and at Park Lane Junction we pick up the Durham Coast Line. We share tracks with the Tyne & Wear Metro as far as Sunderland.
We run alongside the sea for much of the way to Hartlepool and rejoin our outward route just north of Stockton to retrace it (again via the Northallerton Low Level) back to York where we say farewell to the Class 60. But the interest is far from over* as we take a relaxing run homeward through the wide-open spaces of rural Lincolnshire, via Gainsborough, Lincoln and the recently re-fettled Sleaford Avoiding Line. After Spalding we once again reach the ECML for the run back to London with daylight all the way."

* My highlighting.

 

Just another way of ripping punters off,
Same as other companies advertising tours with 35018,6023,70013, for example then when you call them out over it they say they will remove the locos that haven't a cat in hells chance of running but they never do,

 

Do you know what the tour advert said? Will be interesting to learn what exactly was advertised by UKRT before making accusations. If no specific motive power was advertised for York - FPK, nobody is being ripped off.

 

It wouldn't worry me, it would be a bonus to me, but others have other views.

 

Isn't 60163 a class 60 then?