Steam Railways

[salymap]

BBC2 do seem fixated on trains, cooking and occasionally nature programmes. I'm surprised that they don't find a way of combining them. Maybe Eggheads in special carriage, while a chef prepares a meal and someone is potting up seedlings in another carriage.

They would save no end of money

[greenilex]

I'd watch that, saly.

I suppose the Bittern, viewed simply as a musical instrument, is a little pricey for your average soundworld?

[Sir Velo]

I suppose the Bittern, viewed simply as a musical instrument, is a little pricey for your average soundworld?

Marking the 75th anniversary of sister A4 streamlined Pacific No. 4468 Mallard’s world record steam run, No. 4464 Bittern has been given special dispensation by Network Rail to run three trips at 90mph (officially the fastest speed for a preserved steam locomotive) over the East Coast Main Line. For those who are unwilling to stump up the best part of £200 to get a seat, here again is the beast in action...

[salymap]

Thanks, I enjoyed seeing that train. Lot of smoke pollution though.

[mercia]

a nice little slideshow about Mallard

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-23137106

[Gordon]

.... special dispensation by Network Rail to run three trips at 90mph (officially the fastest speed for a preserved steam locomotive) over the East Coast Main Line. For those who are unwilling to stump up the best part of £200 to get a seat, here again is the beast in action...

Thanks for that SirV, a vicarious experience for me as I was on an ECML trip to York a couple of weeks ago supposed to be pulled by Union of S Africa a sister of Mallard and Bittern [and Sir N Gresley of course] but she was "indisposed" and replaced by Oliver Cromwell [!] who did his best and did indeed touch 90 mph at times [according to my friend's mobile GPS device!!] and prolonged stretches in the 80s too. Yes the trip was a bit pricey for those willing to pay for full service in the posh carriages - they still get smuts in their dinner though!!

BTW: there is a convention [what is the collective noun for a group of A4s? - perhaps a Gresley?!?] of A4s at the NRM this month to celebrate the feat of Mallard 75 years ago tomorrow!!

http://www.nrm.org.uk/AboutUs/PressOffice/PressReleases/2013/March/royalpatronformallard75.aspx

PS: resplendant in the main hall at the NRM were Dwight D Eisenhower and Dominion of Canada as well as Mallard herself, UoS in the shops but where the other 2 survivors were I don't know. In the workshops was a sad looking Flying Scotsman having been plagued by mishaps lately [see update top right corner of link above].

[salymap]

Thanks for news on trains Mercia and Gordon.

Goodness knows why I like the smokey,dirty old engines but they are addictive. I'm glad the Flying Scotsman is being repaired too.

[Serial_Apologist]

Thanks for news on trains Mercia and Gordon.

Goodness knows why I like the smokey,dirty old engines but they are addictive. I'm glad the Flying Scotsman is being repaired too.

I suppose it was down to my timidity that as a child I always interested myself more in rolling stock than in engines. In the London Transport Museum, last year, I found going for about £30 a large volume which included every type of rolling stock used on British rail and its privately-owned predecessors, going right back to the beginnings of the railways. How that 7-year old me would have treasured that book had I been given it as a present!

[Roehre]

Thanks for news on trains Mercia and Gordon.

Goodness knows why I like the smokey,dirty old engines but they are addictive. I'm glad the Flying Scotsman is being repaired too.

Wholeheartedly seconded (and don't tell Mrs R pleeeeaaaaase.......), though I feel with S_A how we would have treasured that tome on rolling stock

[mangerton]

Seventy-five years ago today.

[Nick Armstrong]

a nice little slideshow about Mallard

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-23137106

Enjoyed that mercs, thanks.

Other coverage today e.g.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-23149181

[Gordon]

Seventy-five years ago today.

The report doesn't mention that Mallard had inner big end bearing issues before the run and had to slow quickly for a speed restriction and as a result ran that bearing hot such that she had to limp to Peterborough where she stopped and returned to Doncaster to get the end re-metalled and then she was fine again.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LNER_Class_A4_4468_Mallard

It has been claimed that the need to slow quickly for Grantham caused the driver to close the regulator too quickly and that the sudden cut off of high pressure steam caused a reverse thrust on the bearing that did for it and so it was not the run itself that took her out of service instead of going to KX.

Her brakes would not be as good as modern train sets and she was going downhill at aound 1 in 200 in parts so the stopping distance would be proportionally greater than on the flat. An HST has advanced braking systems, as has the IC225 sets on the ECML, and is required to do an emergency stop in 1979 yards [1.12 miles] on the flat using a retardation of 9%g which takes 64 seconds assuming good track conditions and the use of an anti skid mechanism. Here's a short video of an emergency HST stop on the GWRML at Langley, a real one when the ATP was cut out - you won't feel a thing - honest:

http://www.britishrailways.tv/train-videos/2012-12/high-speed-train-emergency-stop-at-125-mph/

it took only 32 seconds to slow to 20 mph but 1m 44s to get control back.

Such stopping distances are dictated by the line signalling block distances which explains why some issues remain on the WCML about faster speeds than 125 being used in regular service. Too costly to upgrade it all. Goodness knows how long it takes to stop a Eurostar!! They are 750 tons compared to an HST at about 450 and doing 186 mph not 125!!

[alycidon]

I've recently returned from a holiday in the West Country where we sampled the West Somerset Railway [Bishop's Lydeard to Minehead], and the Gloucestershire/Warwickshire [Toddington to Cheltenham Racecourse]. Both were delightful, but we think that the WSR got the top vote because it went to the seaside!

[mangerton]

Gordon, thanks for posting that video. Most interesting.

alycidon, yes the WSR is delightful, and don't the stations have fascinating names? (Stogumber and Blue Anchor, to name but two.)

[alycidon]

alycidon, yes the WSR is delightful, and don't the stations have fascinating names? (Stogumber and Blue Anchor, to name but two.)

They certainly do, mangerton. Having lived in the Bristol area for much of my life, I tend to get used to these delightful names. My favourites are Ryme Intrinseca [south of Yeovil], and Teffont Evias [west of Salisbury].

I could go on..........................