VT: The Great Northern with Tornado - 26/09/26

The Normanton stop does not say to pick up passengers!!
Will ring Vintage trains later today for clarification, hopefully!!, as the website is useless!!

 

I wouldn't get too worried.
These timings aren't really for public use, and I've often seen them revised multiple times leading up to the day.

 

The point was that Kirkgate was marketed as a pickup point, so only Barnsley-Horbury possible without a reversal or substantial detour. I think I did Calder Bridge chord with Leander on a Grange over Sands to Doncaster leg of the 2016 GB. One saving grace is that it's still a rare run through Dore on the MML.

 

I have spoken to Vintage Trains and they say it is picking up at Wakefield Kirkgate, we shall see!!

 

The plot thickens... Well, fingers crossed, anyway.

 

Just booked my ticket, I noticed the the number of Standard seats remaining has dropped from 70ish to 34 over the last couple of days, hopefully a sign it's proving popular.

 

Wish they would sort out the Tornado tour in 2 weeks time regarding pick up at Wakefield !!

 

From VT email just arrived:

Please note, Passengers booked to depart from Wakefield Kirkgate will now need to board the train at Normanton. This is due to weight restrictions currently in place around Barnsley. The return journey is unaffected and you will be able to alight at Wakefield Kirkgate

 

Ah, well. Still a solid day out. Hope it's only a temporary restriction as it's still required track for my steam map!

 

You can just fit 3 coaches at Normanton station!!

 

Will we be allowed off the tour at Darlington, during the changeover also leaving it there and getting a service train home.
Quicker for me to get a train at Darlington to Brighouse for Huddersfield than getting off at Wakefield as TPE are not running rail replacement buses from Wakefield to Huddersfield

 

Detaching 60163 & PO brake which returns to North Road via Eaglescliffe Down Loop to run round.
https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:U02168/2026-09-26/detailed

Cheers, Neil

 

i was thinking the same way, but just wanted some confirmation

 

Whats going on with the Vintage Trains website for this tour, its a new design and now saying pick up at Wakefield????
https://vintagetrains.co.uk/event/the-great-northern/vintage-trains/

 

Looks like they've changed ticket platform from Fareharbour to Etix.

 

An apparent flat fee of £3.35 per ticket seems a lot more reasonable than FareHarbor's extortionate 6% fee, so that's definitely an improvement.
The main thing missing seems to be the list of provisional timings, but I'm assuming this is a 'work in progress' and they'll be coming soon.

Hoping that the NR 'Fire Risk' status will be at a level that allows the unassisted run up the S&C.
Last I heard (from the RTC thread) was that the North West was Amber, which presumably still mandates diesel assistance.

 

no its not a gauging issue its a bridge in Barnsley with a weight restriction on it possibly the one over eldon st.