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The Cathedrals Express June 28

Discussion in 'What's Going On' started by ian14, Jun 28, 2014.

  1. ian14

    ian14 Member

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    Waited in the truly torrential rain at South Acton until over 90 mins after this was due to pass and gave up. It appears to have been re-routed (via Olympia?) and missed out the stop at Chiswick?
     
  2. ian14

    ian14 Member

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    Just had a reply from The Cathedrals Express Twitter account confirming the change of route:

    "We have had an issue with our steam locomotive & as a result re-routed via Kensington Olympia."
     
  3. VirtualSteam

    VirtualSteam Member

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    Diesel on the front - this morning. Hope all is ok for the return
     
  4. mike1522

    mike1522 Long Time Member Friend

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    Oh boy we are back to having problems w/ 44932 what a shame. I hope that I am exaggerating but we have seen problems before w the 5.
     
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  5. green five

    green five Resident of Nat Pres

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    What's happened this time? Saw a video on YT earlier and 44932 was being hauled by the Class 47.
     
  6. kesbobby

    kesbobby Member

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    The word from the support crew when at Canterbury was that 44932 lost power due to a problem with the LH cylinder. The crew seemed to be inspecting the piston rod gland with a view to doing a repair before departing Canterbury.
     
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  7. free2grice

    free2grice Part of the furniture Friend

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    A message from the 'uk-rail' website. <BJ>
    47237 + 44932 storm through Hildenborough 1917 on Canterbury West - Ipswich
     
  8. 6026 King John

    6026 King John Well-Known Member

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    A repair did take place and 44932 was in much better form on the way back. Unfortunately they didn't trust it to run without the diesel pilot but it was definitely doing some of the work on the return journey. An interesting mix of steam and diesel "thrash" could be heard from the first coach!

    The train was diverted through Kensington Olympia on the outbound trip to allow a stop in the middle road for 47237 to run round to the front of the train. This all took place fairly quickly and the train was soon back on schedule. Bad luck on those expecting to join the train at Chiswick however - they missed the trip altogether!
     
  9. A1X

    A1X Well-Known Member

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  10. Big Al

    Big Al Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Moderator

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    Wise words about the Carnforth fleet (especially 44932 lately) and preserved locos generally. It's very easy to think that once a loco is operational then it is fair game for any number of outings with a little bit of tinkering in between. Set to one side the heating and cooling cycles for a moment, in an ideal world, between trips a fairly extensive check is probably needed. We just don't know to what extent the individual loco groups do this kind of thing as routine rather than as a response to a comment by the crew. What is different now from then is that there are not fitters sitting around to do this stuff except 'on demand'.

    We shouldn't be all that surprised about the ever changing loco availability issues and even the very best sometimes trip up. I gather that the previous Clan Line trip didn't happen with the pullmans because of a discovered problem with the rocking grate once the fire had been lit. Too late to sort out before its duty and nothing else available - hence the diesel.
     
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  11. gricerdon

    gricerdon Guest

    Whilst that is true Al don't forget the conditions steam locos were in for their last few years in normal service. Much less attention but they still kept going.

    You were there as I was so what is the difference? With a few notable exceptions is the expertise lost?

    Don
     
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  12. Jamessquared

    Jamessquared Nat Pres stalwart

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    Is it more that in the 1960s, locos would just have been allowed to run with worse defects than today? For example, taking Al's statement about the rocking grate in Clan Line at face value: maybe these days a fault in the rocking grate is sufficient to fail the FTR, whereas I suspect in the 1960s, the loco would have gone out in that condition. I'm currently reading the second part of Holcroft's book about his time on the SR, with lots of detail of on-the-road testing, and it is clear that a fair number of locos even then were quite run down, to an extent that wasn't necessarily dangerous, but could effect their performance. I suspect sending locos out with those kind of defects is much less allowable these days.

    Tom
     
  13. 46253

    46253 New Member

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    Just about the only shot I managaed to get in sun yesterday....

    [​IMG]
    44932 Willesden 28-6-14 (V13072)
    by TimEaster, on Flickr

    By the time it reached us at Willesden, it was some 8-10 minutes early, but sat there until departure time. I found it mildly amusing that the platform announcements said the train approaching was for all stations to Richmond, just as 44932 hoved into view...!
     
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  14. 6026 King John

    6026 King John Well-Known Member

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    The stop at Willesden was for some debate over the route to be taken. The train originally had the green light to proceed towards Chiswick but was then given the road for Olympia instead. Presumably the crew had requested this due to the problem with the loco.
     
  15. Big Al

    Big Al Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Moderator

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    That's an interesting one as I understand that NR couldn't originally give a KennyO pick up because "the computer said no" - hence the diversion via Chiswick. But on the day, when the request is made (albeit for use of the centre road rather than a platform), the path is found by the operational day staff. And the diesel run around would have tied up a platform road anyway. This is a good example of how flexible NR can be 'on the day' contrasted with the sometimes 'can't do' computer led pathing that takes place at the planning stage.
     
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  16. Duty Druid

    Duty Druid Resident of Nat Pres

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    Went out to see this Saturday evening........ didn't know anything had happened, sooo this is what I got......... a show pony with a b b box on the front...... :(

    _DSR9918_DxO_2_01.JPG
     
  17. A1X

    A1X Well-Known Member

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    I assume there was nothing wrong with the electrical gubbins on the Five? If not, why didn't the diesel just stay on the back and shove with 44932 undertaking a token effort up top? Would at least have kept it "steam hauled", and as I said previously when they left Kenny O on Saturday the Five didn't sound too bad getting away.
     
  18. Big Al

    Big Al Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Moderator

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    The reason is that providing the main propulsion from the rear is not allowed and the diesel was providing the main propulsion.
     
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  19. kieranhardy

    kieranhardy Well-Known Member

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    On Saturday we chased this tour around, first seeing it at Colchester then again at Chelmsford. By luck we were able to catch her up a third time just as she eased into Stratford, a few shots can be found here:

    http://khardy.zenfolio.com/p1068473372

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    Cheers,
     

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