Cathedrals Express to Durham 30th June 2012

On the booking page of the website the timings have changed from the approx ones as the brochure to what look like actual ones: -

KX depart 8:18
York arrive 13:05
Durham arrive 14:09
Durham depart 16:56
York depart 18:05
KX arrive 21:55

If these are actual, looks like a good path on the return.

 

Hope they are actual times as Tornado should arrive at York hot on the heels of the Duchess making for Scarborough ! Who will get there first ?

 

Ticket with times arrived today. Times have changed slightly and are as follows : -

KX depart 8:18
York arrive 13:03 Platform 11
Durham arrive 14:09
Durham depart 17:02
York depart 17:59 Platform 3
KX arrive 21:55

 

Sill waiting for my tickets , apparently in the post . Tornado due York 13-03 and the Duchess arrives 13-00 and departs 13-06 so hopefully they should meet !

 

That return run is a brilliant path compared to some of the stuff NR has been giving out recently. Hopefully the same one as for the Elizabethan run on the 25th July.

 

Full times up on Steam Dreams website. Outward via Church Fenton into York, and no water stop at York.
Link to times Steam Dreams - operators of The Cathedrals Express steam train trips

 

One water stop in each direction? Grantham - Durham and Doncaster - King's Cross are around 150 miles each. Is it a very lightweight train?

 

I am in coach K, so I presume at least 12 coaches.

 

Both trains north on the Midland at Colton - no 200 yard dash between over bridges, wasted my time working out this week!
My money's on the Duchess up first irrespective of the timings, going to be an interesting situation between 12.55 and 13.00.

 

Tornado has a higher water capacity tender that carries 6000 gallons, although they do seem to be pushing it to the max there!

 

Design

So
worst case.. 6200 / 45 = 137 miles, or
best case 6200 / 40 = 155.

Of course the quoted article was written before 60163 first ran, and so goes off the original A1's, not knowledge gained off the more mechanically fine tuned 60163.
Also factor in long nonstop sections and a full boiler to start with... Who knows that could be 175miles between drinks. ( if someone does know tornados water consumption..Please share)

If all that does not convince, well one has to assume them running the engine know its limits and have done their, no doubt more accurate, maths.

Reading about 5043's 110 miles non stop on the Bristolian and that it did not even use the water carriers supply, despite being available, should give confidence in working knowledge over academic limits... 4000 gallons being academically 80 miles... The loco proved itself very superior to this.

Not sure the exact distance, but google maps has 260 miles, Grantham to Durham is the longest section at around 150 miles, again google maps. Return water is at Doncaster pretty even split at 130 miles, again according to google maps... If things really were bad.. There's ready supplies of water at York.

 

Doncaster to King's Cross is 156 miles, so about 154 from the RMT. Also, still got to get from Durham to Tyne Yard, another 10 miles or so. And what's the watering situation like at King's Cross these days? Most of the water stops on ECML are done with road tankers these days due to the lack of available hydrants. 150+ miles is really pushing it, with almost no leeway if things go wrong.

 

Water stops at Grantham and Doncaster RMT on outward, Doncaster RMT and High Dyke (between Grantham and Stoke, for those who don't know) on return. Various bits of the schedule are impossible, eg Durham - York in 57 mins with slow line from Longlans Jc to York with restriction (40mph?) at Thirsk!
Andover

 

Full times with water stops at t0630a.htm

 

Considering the distance involved and the time in Durham, those are very good timings. Some civilised departure and arrival times from the first pick up for a change!

 

With regards to milage covered between water stops,I have always held the opinion that a quarter of the tender tank was held in reserve just in case of any delays that might occur.
Therefore if the tender on the A1 is 6200 Gallons and a quarter of this is 1550 gallons then the amount you are able to use is 4650 gallons.If you divide this by 40 (gallons per mile) you get a figure of 116.25 miles.
This is only my opinion but I think you will find it will hold up to scrutiny.

 

Left on time.14 coaches inc. 2 support coaches

 

With reference to my previous post I now understand that the amount held in reserve is not now a quarter of the tender capacity but 1000 gallons.So at 40 gallons to the mile this would bring Tornados range to about 131 miles.

 

Left Peterborough 10.04