MILEPOST 38 APRIL 2017

Tornado on the S&C -from page 68 – Photo Chris Taylor

RPS railway performance society www.railperf.org.uk

Milepost 38 -1 - April 2017 Milepost 38 - April 2017

The Quarterly Magazine of the Railway Performance Society Honorary President: John Heaton FCILT Commitee:

CHAIRMAN Frank Collins 10 Collett Way, Frome, Somerset BA11 2XR Tel: 01373 466408 e-mail [email protected] VICE CHAIRMAN Michael Rowe Burley Cottage, Parson St., Porlock,Minehead, Somerset, TA24 8QJ . Tel 01643 862182 E-mail: [email protected] SECRETARY Frank Price, Penn House, Middle Common Rd., Pennington, Lymington SO41 8LE Tel: 01590 672235 Email: [email protected] TREASURER Peter Smith 28 Downsview Ave, Storrington, W Sussex, RH20 (and membership) 4PS. Tel 01903 742684 e-mail: [email protected] EDITOR David Ashley 92 Lawrence Drive, Ickenham, Uxbridge, Middx, UB10 8RW. Tel 01895 675178 E-mail: [email protected] Distance Chart Editor Ian Umpleby 314 Stainbeck Rd, Leeds, W Yorks LS7 2LR Tel 0113 266 8588 Email: [email protected] Database/Archivist Lee Allsopp 2 Gainsborough, North Lake, Bracknell, RG12 7WL Tel 01344 648644 e-mail [email protected] Technical Officer David Hobbs 11 Lynton Terrace, Acton, London W3 9DX Tel 020 8993 3788 e-mail [email protected] David Stannard 26 Broomfield Close, Chelford, Macclesfield, Cheshire,SK11 9SL. Tel 01625 861172 e mail: [email protected] Meeting Secretary: Michael Bruce, 234A Otley Rd., West Park, Leeds LS16 5AB Tel 0113 305 0367 Committee member: David Sage: 93 Salisbury Rd, Burton, Christchurch, Dorset BH23 7JR Tel 01202 249717 E-mail: [email protected] Non-committee official:- Foreign Fastest times: Alan Varley, 285 Chemin de la Costiere, 06000 Nice, France, e-mail: [email protected] Fastest Times Editor Martin Robertson 23 Brownside Rd, Cambuslang, Glasgow, G72 0NL e-mail: [email protected] Directors of The Rail Performance Data Foundation: RPS nominees: Frank Collins, Peter Smith, Frank Price Trustees: John Rishton, Nigel Smedley, David Lloyd Roberts CONTENTS Notices 2 Fastest Times Martin Robertson 7 EMUs on ECML Part 3 Andrew James 13 DMUs in Yorkshire and Lincolnshire Jeremy Hartill 18 Mass Timing Day 21 Larbert-Stirling Martin Robertson 22 Class 31s on ECML Andrew James 28 Performance – in reverse Bill Hemstock 33 Yorkshire steam Noel Proudlock 34 The Conti David Lloyd-Roberts 42 A day mountaineering Mike Burrow 44 Expensive ticket to somewhere near Segovia Malcolm Simister 47 Thurngian Main Line Bill Long 49 Letters 55 News: Ultimate armchair travel Noel Proudlock 59 In praise of the driver … Martin Robertson 60 2016 100mph list Jeremy Hartill 63 Network deveolpments Ian Umpleby 63 TPE York-Durham non-stop Ian Umpleby 64 Rocket David Ashley 67 Tornado on S&C Noel Proudlock 68

Enclosures: AGM Papers and annual report

Milepost 38 -2- April 2017

Copyright The Railway Performance Society Ltd, registered in England & Wales No. 04488089 Use of the material in the magazine is permitted only for the private purposes of the reader No material in the magazine can otherwise be used for publication or reproduction in any form without the express permission of the Society

The views expressed in this magazine are not necessarily those of the RPS, the Editors or any of their advisers. Whilst efforts are made to ensure accuracy, the Editor his advisers and the RPS accept no responsibility for any loss or damage arising from any inaccuracies howsoever caused. Readers are asked to note that the RPS encourages contributions from all members, and articles may appear that are interesting in content, but occasionally may not be to the standard of the rest of the publication. Material sent to the Editors, whether commissioned or freely submitted is provided entirely at the contributors own risk; neither the Editor nor the RPS can be held responsible for any loss or damage howsoever caused. Published by The Railway Performance Society Limited, 92 Lawrence Drive, Ickenham, Uxbridge, Middx, UB10 8RW Printed by Prontaprint Harrow, 7 Central Parade, Station Rd., Harrow, Middx, HA1 2TW.

PUBLICATION OF MILEPOST

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REPRESENTING THE SOCIETY

The RPS is always keen to be represented at special media-type occasions. However, we do ask that anyone wishing to do this should do so with the express agreement of the Committee. Should the opportunity arise for any member or in exceptional circumstances, friend of a member, to do this please can contact be made with the Secretary (either by telephone or e-mail) setting out the circumstances of the occasion. Please give us at least one week in advance of the occasion.

SUBMITTING ARTICLES

Submissions may be sent as attachments to an email or by post as documents on a CD, usb or as a printed document. If sending a CD or usb, please enclose a hard copy of the article; this helps if file(s) are unreadable for any reason.

Please send all submissions to the editor whose contact details are in the inside front cover of Milepost. The editor will normally acknowledge email submissions within a few days, and always within 3 weeks. If sending by post and you wish to have a receipt, please enclose an SAE for reply. If you wish any material/CD/usb to be returned, please clearly state this.

Guidelines for submission are: Text: Microsoft Word: Margins 25.4mm all around, Titles Arial 14 bold, text Arial 11. Tables: Microsoft Excel Arial 8, but any recognized format can be handled.

THE MEETINGS SECTION. THURS SATURDAY 13th MAY SATURDAY 24TH THURS 29th TUES 25th 25TH MAY 2017 JUNE 2017 JUNE 2017 JULY 2017 2017 The Beaufort Calthorpe Arms, Royal Oak, The Grove Preston-Carlisle Arms BRISTOL London Borough Inn, Leeds PARKWAY ** Note 1215 new time: See Page 21 1600 1700 1215 **

AGM followed by discussion with Noel Area Mass Timing Day Area Meeting Area Meeting Proudlock on early HST Meeting recollections

DIRECTIONS TO THE VENUES LONDON – The Royal Oak, 44 Tabard Street, London SE1 4JU. From Borough tube station, turn left and at first road junction turn right into Great Dover Street and the almost immediately left into Long

Milepost 38 -3- April 2017 Lane. Tabard Street is a few yards on the right (5 minutes walk). OR from London Bridge walk down approach road and turn left into Borough High Street, Turn left by Southwark Local Studies Library, with St Georges Church on right, into Tabard Street. Cross Long Lane and continue down Tabard Street with Royal Oak on right (just over 10 minutes). Please let Richard Howlett know if you are coming on 020 8394 0340 or [email protected]

LONDON – The Calthorpe Arms, 252 Grays Inn Road, London WC1. From King’s Cross station cross Euston Rd and turn left towards Grays Inn Road, where you turn right, and walk southwards down Grays Inn Rd. The Calthorpe Arms is on the left (About 10mins walk from King's Cross) OR From Russell Square Piccadilly Line station turn right, then turn first right into Grenville Street then first left into Guilford Street (Great Ormond Street Hospital on right) and walk to the end of Guildford Street where it meets Grays Inn Road. The Calthorpe Arms is diagonally left from the end of Guildford Street. We will use the Dining Room upstairs

LEEDS – The Grove Inn, Back Row (off Neville Street), Leeds. LS11 5PL

Please note that there is a slight change to the directions to The Grove Inn from Leeds City station as follows: The South Entrance to Leeds City station is now open accessed from the west end footbridge. Go down the two escalators from the south entrance there are then a number of ways to get to Neville Street but the easiest way to go forward from the escalator through the doors and turn right down Dark Neville Street at the end turn right onto Neville Street cross the traffic lights (water Street) at the corner of Bridgewater Place tower block turn right and the Grove Inn is visible. Please note that the stairs previously mentioned opposite the south concourse (main concourse) are going to be closed. As before if high winds are forecast and Neville Street is closed please meet outside WH Smith's in the South Concourse and we find somewhere else to meet.

BRISTOL PARKWAY - THE BEAUFORT ARMS Members should leave Parkway station along the approach road, passing the bus stops and, at the mini-roundabout where the station approach joins Hatchet Road, turn right. Walk 100 yards and at the next mini-roundabout, turn right again. You are now walking along North Road. Meetings are held at The Beaufort Arms, BS34 8PB, which is on the left side of North Road after a further 50 yards. Meetings start at 16:00 and conclude around 18:30 The Beaufort Arms is open all day and food is served at all times. You can order and eat during the meeting should you wish. Further information is available from John Rishton on 07804 418896 or [email protected]

BRISTOL MEETING FEBRUARY 23rd 2017 John Rishton

Storm Doris chose the date of the meeting to bring disruption to our transport network but eight members made the venue, each with their travel experiences to relate. Despite the gloom portrayed by the media getting to Bristol had not been too difficult. We departed, mostly earlier than usual, but only to experience delays from the earlier problems – after all, train crew want to get home too!

Again, a vast array of topics entered the discussions - including DAS, Control decisions, GWR turntables and the difficulty of starting with a 3-cylinder steam loco. You never know what to expect until you hear it!

Do try and come along to our next meeting, Beaufort Arms from 16:00 on 29th June 2017.

FASTEST TIMES

Alan Varley has taken on the compilation of Foreign Fastest Times. Contact details are shown on page 2. This means that UK and Ireland will be managed by Martin Robertson, and others by Alan Varley.

HISTORIC FASTEST TIMES

Please send contributions for future issues to: [email protected] Or by post to Bevan Price, 24 Walmesley Road, Eccleston, St. Helens, Lancs., WA10 5JT.

Logs need not be sent to me, but could you please provide a copy to Lee Allsopp, for the logs database.

Milepost 38 -4- April 2017 Distance Chart Editor’s Report – Ian Umpleby

Some progress has been made with completion of data extraction from last year’s runs in mid-February. There are new charts for Maesteg, the Vale of Glamorgan, Kyle of Lochalsh, Midland Railway Centre, North Yorks. Moors, Severn Valley, South Devon Railway, Strathspey, Swindon & Cricklade, Vale of Rheidol and the Welshpool & Llanfair. Distances for the Brussels to Cologne lines have just been fixed, and should be on the web site soon. All other outstanding tasks are largely in abeyance but, hopefully, some progress will be made during the next period. Gradient/ official line charts have been obtained for most Scottish lines and signal distances are being noted where possible with the East Coast main line almost complete. Thanks again to all who have helped me this year.

RPS ARCHIVES – LATEST UPDATES – Lee Allsopp

The RPS Archive consists of material collected over the years from submissions and donations of material and collections by members. We are also indebted to the Steam Railway Research Society (SRRS), and the Stephenson Locomotive Society (SLS) for giving us the opportunity to scan some of their material for inclusion in our archive.

The following is a short summary of the material that is has been added to the Archive on our Website since the last issue of Milepost. The Website is generally updated on a monthly basis, normally the first Sunday in the month. It you haven’t had a look yet, then please give it a try!

Latest material from Lee Allsopp Latest runs from Ian Umpleby. David Adams logs from the 4th Quarter of 2016 Milepost 37¾ Masss Timing Day 2016 Latest runs from Bob Jennings Latest runs from Charles Foss Latest runs from Peter Smith Latest runs from Dave Shelley Latest runs from Philip Tromans Latest runs from Richard Neville-Carle Latest from David Sage Logs from John Rishton to go with his Fastest Times entries More from Bevan Price, including recent runs from the past few years. 11 more books from David Lloyd-Roberts covering commuting from Tunbridge Wells to London along with a wide variety of other material through the years More running from Derek Wilson with logs from Classes 150/153/155/156/158 Images from a further 18 of John Heaton’s notebooks to go with runs already in the database 71 more books from the late Martin Barrett, covering a wide variety of years and traction. Many more to come 4 more books from Huw Gould, covering 1976 - 1987, including a large number of German steam runs. Images from 10 more of Alan Varley’s notebooks to go with info already in the archive. Noel Proudlock’s runs from 2016 More of runs from Keith Farr in the 1960s/1970s 15 more books from Dick Moore covering the 1960s 7 books from new member Ian Mitchell covering steam/diesel/electrics in 1964/1965, more to come here.

RPS ARCHIVES – Coming soon! – Lee Allsopp

The following is a taster of material that will appear in the archive, as it is scanned and processed, together with topical material received from a number of members.

More from Bevan Price’s notebooks, covering a vast amount of travel over many years. Member Derek Wilson has donated a large amount of material covering the late 70s onwards. This is now being entered into the archive. Martin Barrett’s vast collection of notebooks are being scanned and added to the archive. Images from more of John Heaton’s notebooks to go with data already in the archive.

Milepost 38 -5- April 2017 More books from Ian Mitchell to be added as he scans them

NEED MATERIAL FOR ARTICLES? – Lee Allsopp

Do you feel that you could write an article for Milepost if only you had access to material to do so? Just want some information to satisfy an idle curiosity? Even if you don’t have access to the Society Archives on the website, you can still get information and logs for that article or whatever by contacting me direct by either E-Mail, phone or letter. Just ask me the question and I’ll see what we can come up with!

PROVISION OF CURRENT MATERIAL FOR RPS ARCHIVE – Lee Allsopp

With most members now being connected by Broadband, we are now in a position where we can receive contributions via E-Mail of current material from as many members as wish to contribute. A member could record a log one day and send it to me immediately for inclusion in the database and archive. Would any members who may wish to participate in this please contact me by E-Mail for further details.

I can accept material in a number of formats, Word, Excel, Acrobat pdf files and scanned images of hand written material (eg notebooks). For scanned images we find that scanning at 150 dpi gives perfectly acceptable results, while producing files of a reasonable size (200KB-1MB depending on size of paper, density of printing etc)

BRANCH LINE SOCIETY ‘BOUND FOR CRAIGY’ RAILTOUR – Lee Allsopp

On Saturday 18th March the Branch Line Society/125 Group ran the ‘Bound for Craigy’ Railtour in aid of the Railway Children Charity. Over £43,000 was raised as a result to support children at risk on the streets in the UK, India and East Africa. The RPS was invited to participate as official timer for the event, with John Heaton and Lee Allsopp representing the Society. It was an 0300 alarm call, with departure from Kings Cross at the unearthly hour of 0530, with the first stop being Bounds Green depot where our HST was hauled into the depot by a couple of class 08 shunters. Leaving Bounds Green, 5miles out of Kings Cross at 0645 we went via the Hertford Loop, a number of unusual passenger loops and the York avoiding line to Newcastle. Here we took the ‘Blyth and Tyne’ Line, rejoining the main line at Morpeth for a run to Craigentinny Depot, via Milllerhill. There was further class 08 haulage in the depot before finally arriving in Edinburgh (almost on time, after arriving at Newcastle 40 mins late) almost 10 hours after leaving Kings Cross.

The run back was much quicker, departing Edinburgh via the Suburban line and Millerhill (again) and running direct down the ECML, though via a number of little used loops again. We arrive back in Kings Cross slightly early in just over 6½ hours, with a final arrival home after 22 hours away. A long day but most enjoyable.

“Milepost” Index – David Ashley

A complete index of all Milepost articles (from Milepost 1.1 to 38) is now available in the “Milepost online” section of the RPS web-site.

For those not familiar with the filtering facility on Microsoft Excel, a brief guide is shown below:

After downloading the file from the RPS web-site, open it. A series of inverted triangles can be seen at the head of row 1. The columns are: Milepost issue, page number, title, author, region/operator, route and class.

To enquire on one the columns, click on its inverted triangle. All categories will appear ticked. Click on “select all” to clear them, and tick the category or categories that interest you. Then press “ok” to reveal your results. You can then repeat the process on another column to sub-analyse further. To return to make another selection, reinstate all the rows by pressing “select all” and repeat the process.

If you need to locate the original article on the RPS web-site, download the relevant magazine and use the thumbnail facility to locate the page.

Milepost 38 -6- April 2017 FASTEST TIMES UPDATE

Martin Robertson

Welcome to another Fastest Times Update. Contributions in the last three months have been relatively sparse, but my thanks go to those who have forwarded contributions, with a particular welcome to Alan Drake, for his first contributions to my knowledge (although he holds a number of Southern Region FT’s) and to Dave Shelley, who is a first time contributor. The majority of recent FT’s have been on the WCML, although not all them are due to the opening of the Norton Bridge chord. We start with a fine effort from John Rishton on his third outing on the 10:40 Glasgow to Euston service, which calls additionally at Rugby. A slightly late start from Warrington provided an incentive for the driver to run hard. Although the maximum speeds were generally 122mph, this was achieved consistently and with no out of course checks the 61-minute schedule was comfortably bettered. Johns comments: An average start - it was wet - but a cruise control seemingly set at 121mph did not bode well for a true record run. However, lack of any other claims for this title meant that the áverage’ could be acceptable, providing there were no delays ahead. The only restrictions were the passage through Crewe and Colwich and the curves at Norton Bridge, Stafford to Colwich and at Atherstone so it was a good run in all other aspects except for the cautious approaches in the wet- especially the platform approach at Rugby. Easy to better, down to around 52 minutes on a good day. We did arrive on time however.

Table 1 Miles mm cc Location WTT m s mph avge Day/Date Tue 13th December 2016 46.87 135 20 M6 -0.5 26 10 121 121.5 Train 10:40 Glasgow-Euston 48.19 133 75 Doxey junction 26 52 102 113.1 Motive Power 390.005 48.60 133 42 Stafford 31.5 27 08 86 92.5 Load (tons) 9/460/480 = 16.6hp/ton 49.81 132 25 Queensville -0.5 28 00 81/99 83.7 Weather wet 53.11 129 01 ShugboroughTnnl 30 09 88 92.1 Rec. Pos. GPS J Rishton - 1/9 - Stopwatch 54.95 127 12 Colwich 36.5 31 22 87 90.7 Miles mm cc Location WTT m s mph avge 57.62 124 40 Rugeley NJ 38.5 32 57 116 101.2 0.00 182 12 Warrington BQ 0 0 00 5L 0.0 59.25 122 70 Carwardine 33 47 121 117.4 1.88 180 20 Acton Grange J 2.5 2 28 81 45.7 61.05 121 06 Armitage 34 41 119 120.0 3.99 178 11 Chester-W'ton r'way [1] 3 43 114 101.3 64.37 117 60 Curborough J 36 20 122 120.7 7.62 174 41 Weaver J 5.5 5 33 123 118.8 65.25 116 70 Lichfield TV NJ 42.5 36 46 122 121.7 9.62 172 41 Acton Bridge 6.5 6 33 121 122.1 68.50 113 49 Hademore 38 22 122 121.9 11.43 170 56 Hartford J 7.5 7 26 121 120.7 70.57 111 44 Coton 39 23 121 122.2 12.28 169 68 Hartford 8 7 51 122 122.3 72.15 109 78 Tamworth 40 11 117 118.5 16.65 165 38 Winsford 11 10 00 122 122.0 73.12 109 00 Amington J 46 40 41 116 116.4 19.20 162 74 Minshull Vernon [1] 11 15 122 122.4 75.64 106 39 Polesworth 41 56 122 121.0 20.94 161 15 Coppenhall J -0.5 12 06 122 122.8 77.95 104 14 Spon Lane 43 04 122 122.2 23.28 158 68 Crewe Coal Yard 16 13 34 79 95.7 79.81 102 23 Atherstone 44 09 96 103.0 24.12 158 01 Crewe 16.5 14 13 76 77.5 82.45 99 54 Leathermill Lane 45 43 115 101.1 25.84 156 23 Basford Hall 17.5 15 28 94 82.6 85.07 97 04 Nuneaton 52 47 02 122 119.5 27.89 154 19 overbridge 16 39 114 104.0 87.00 95 10 Attleborough SJ [1] 47 59 121 121.9 32.87 149 20 Madeley 21 19 10 122 118.7 90.35 91 62 M69 49 38 122 121.8 36.34 145 63 Stableford 20 53 122 121.3 92.49 89 51 M6 50 31 122 122.3 40.01 142 09 Millmeece 22 42 121 121.2 94.05 88 06 Brinklow 51 27 122 122.0 43.24 138 71 Norton Bridge 26.5 24 19 112 119.9 96.95 85 14 High Oaks J 52 52 123 122.8 45.25 136 70 Great Bridgeford [1] 25 22 121 114.9 98.79 83 27 Rugby TV J 59.5 53 51 84 112.3 99.59 82 43 Rugby 61 55 12 0 35.6

Table 2 has two runs from Sandy Smeaton between Penrith and Preston, where FT’s were achieved with a Pendolino and Voyager unit, with both runs included. Sandy’s comments on the Pendolino run:- This was a consistently good run from Glasgow running to Carlisle in 66m 41s, inclusive of the long standing 50mph tsr at Carstairs. Carlisle to Penrith took a normal 13m 34s. Each section of the Penrith to Preston run stands comparison with existing records. A clear run through Lancaster and an unusual unchecked entry into Preston, produced the

Milepost 38 -7- April 2017 excellent time of 44m 52s, an average of 99.6mph. The service is booked for a Voyager Unit, therefore the Pendolino was unusual.

His comments on the Voyager run:- The time of 45m 27s shaved 12seconds off the previous dmu FT. The Voyager was slower to Shap summit than the Pendolino , but achieved a sub 13 minute time into Preston from passing Lancaster. The schedule for Penrith-Preston is one minute faster on weekdays than on a Saturday. Carlisle-Penrith is allowed 12 minutes, impossible, on a Saturday, but 13.5 minutes on weekdays, with station dwell times of 2 minutes and 1.5 minutes respectively. Arrival in Preston is a common 12:14.

Table 2 Date: Sat 5.11.16 9M53 1000 Glasgow- Train: Euston Loco: 390112 221101 Load: 11 cars/ 557 /565 tonnes 5 cars/276/285 tonnes Weather: Dry; cold northerly. Sunny and mild Recorder/Method: A.Smeaton/No GPS A.Smeaton/No Gps Recorder's position: 5/11 4/5 Miles Ms Ch LOCATION Sch Mn Sc Avge Mn Sc Avge 1 0.00 51 19 PENRITH 0 0 00.0 ~ 0 00 /2 L 1.24 50 00 MP 1 42.6 43.4 1 38 45.3 2.24 49 00 " 2 23.5 88.0 2 23 80.9 3.24 48 00 Eden Valley J 3 02.0 93.5 3 03 89.6 4.24 47 00 Clifton 3 38.5 98.8 3 41 95.2 6.24 45 00 " 4 52.7 94.7 4 53 100.0 7.24 44 00 " 5 37.6 80.2 5 41 73.9 8.24 43 00 Thrimby 6 20.5 83.9 6 27 78.4 9.58 41 53 Harrison's Sdg 7 16.7 85.8 7 27 82.7 10.24 41 00 MP 7 42.4 93.0 7 55 85.2 11.51 39 58 Shap 8 27.3 106.5 8 45 95.0 12.24 39 00 MP 8 51.6 107.4 9 13 95.1 12.99 38 20 Top of 1:130 9 21.9 89.3 9 45 84.4 13.63 37 49 Shap Summit 9½ 9 50.5 80.1 10 13 79.7 16.09 35 12 Scout Green 11 21.4 114.0 11 46 95.3 17.24 34 00 MP 11 55.7 120.5 12 20 121.8 18.24 33 00 " 12 24.7 124.1 12 49 120.8 19.03 32 17 Tebay 13 12 47.6 123.8 13 13 120.6 21.24 30 00 " 13 52.2 122.2 14 23 113.8 23.24 28 00 " 15 08.0 95.0 15 40 93.5 24.24 27 00 " 15 53.3 79.5 16 25 80.0 25.08 26 13 Grayrigg 17 16 30.8 80.4 17 02 80.8 26.99 24 20 Lambrigg 17 49.2 91.5 18 18 90.6 28.74 22 40 Hay Fell 18 56.7 93.3 19 24 95.6 31.24 20 00 " 20 32.4 94.5 20 59 92.3 32.14 19 08 OXENHOLME 21 07.0 93.6 21 34 92.8 33.24 18 00 MP 21 51.1 89.8 22 17 92.7 35.74 15 40 Hincaster Jn 23 15.0 109.1 23 39 109.0 37.24 14 00 MP 24 04.0 110.2 24 27 111.6 37.70 13 43 Milnthorpe 24 18.9 111.7 24 42 117.7 39.24 12 00 MP 25 04.0 122.7 25 27 123.1 40.49 10 60 Burton 25 40.4 123.6 26 02 126.8 41.74 9 40 Minor Summit 26 17.0 123.0 26 40 122.0 43.24 8 00 MP 27 00.0 125.6 27 22 126.1 44.99 6 20 Carnforth 29½ 27 50.7 123.3 28 22 105.0 sigs 46.24 5 00 MP 28 27.4 122.6 29 17 81.7 46.85 4 31 Bolton-le-Sands 28 45.1 124.6 29 40 94.4 48.10 3 11 Hest Bank 29 21.6 123.3 30 23 104.0 49.33 1 73 Morecambe S Jn 31½ 30 02.0 109.2 31 05 106.0 50.24 1 00 MP 30 41.2 83.8 31 45 82.9 51.24 0 00 LANCASTER 32½ 31 28.9 75.5 32 31 76.1 52.23 20 00 Lancaster Old Jn 32 17.5 75.5 33 20 72.5 51.48 19 00 Mp 33 03.0 79.0 34 06 78.1

Milepost 38 -8- April 2017 Miles Ms Ch LOCATION Sch Mn Sc Avge Mn Sc Avge 54.43 17 64 Oubeck 33 46.0 100.0 34 53 92.7 55.55 16 54 Galgate 34 21.0 115.1 35 31 105.5 56.98 15 20 Bay Horse 35 03.0 123.3 36 17 111.0 59.23 13 00 Wyre Viaduct 35 40.0 122.6 37 24 121.0 61.21 11 01 FB 37 06.0 124.1 38 22 123.4 1 62.73 9 40 Garstang 38 /2 37 51.0 123.9 39 06 124.6 64.78 7 36 Brock 38 51.0 122.4 40 06 123.0 66.48 5 60 MP 39 40.0 125.2 40 55 126.1 67.50 4 58 Barton 40 10.0 123.6 41 23 128.3 69.21 3 01 Ob 41 04.0 113.7 42 16 118.0 70.90 1 26 Oxheys 42 20.0 79.5 43 20 94.8 71.73 0 40 Fylde Jn. 43 23.0 47.2 44 16 52.7 72.23 0 00 PRESTON a 49 44 52.0 3E 45 27 2E

Run 3 is an offering from David Ashley between Coventry and Watford Jn, with a pair of Voyager units. David comments: This was a run with a Voyager on a Shrewsbury to Euston service. It was running 13 minutes late from Coventry, possibly due to attaching the second unit at Wolverhampton. In spite of the lateness, it had a clear run, with the driver consistently running at around 125mph, to recover six minutes of the lateness.

Table 3 miles M C Timing Point Sch. m s mph ave Date Sat 10th December 2016 29.53 64 36 Banbury Lane 17 37 124/126 122.4 Train 08 18 Shrewsbury-Euston 31.11 62 69 Blisworth 18 23 124 124.2 Loco 221113/118 34.16 59 65 Roade 19 52 125/126 123.4 Load formation 10 37.48 56 40 Hanslope J 23 21 28 125/124 124.2 Recorder D Ashley 39.16 54 65 Castlethorpe 22 17 126 124.0 Position/ GPS Cloudy N 41.60 52 32 Wolverton -1 23 25 124 129.0 miles M C Timing Point Sch. m s mph ave 44.18 49 66 MILTON KEYNES 27 24 40 124 123.6 0.00 93 78 COVENTRY 0 0 0 13L 44.18 49 66 MILTON KEYNES [2](.5) 9.60 84 30 Long Lawford J [1] 6 18 91.4 47.35 46 52 Bletchley 29 26 11 125/109 125.6 11.48 82 40 RUGBY 10 7 45 74 77.6 53.83 40 14 L Buzzard 29 28 112 118.3 13.85 80 10 Hilmorton 10.5 9 20 97 90.0 57.89 36 09 Cheddington 31 33 122/125 117.0 15.81 78 13 Kilsby Tnnl N 10 32 105 98.1 62.30 31 56 Tring 39 33 40 124 125.1 18.73 75 20 Welton 12 10 124/110 107.0 66.09 27 73 Berkhamsted 35 30 118 124.0 24.33 69 52 Weedon 16.5 14 53 113/108 123.7 69.51 24 39 Hemel Hempstead 37 10 125 123.3 26.98 67 00 67 16 22 114 107.2 70.90 23 08 Apsley 37 50 124 124.9 29.53 64 36 Banbury Lane 17 37 124/126 122.4 73.06 20 75 King's Langley 38 53 125 123.6 76.55 17 36 WATFORD J 47 41 59 7L 67.5

For Table 4, David moved to the Midland Main Line with a fine effort between St Pancras and Bedford, comprising three sections, each producing a Fastest Time. David comments: Although there were ample opportunities over the recent two MTD events to achieve impressive fastest times, it is surprising that a single run achieved FT’s over three consecutive sections. The run was recorded on a Sunday, with less congestion on the Fast Lines, which may have assisted. A very fast start from St Pancras saved about half a minute compared what would normally be expected and was followed by good acceleration with 125mph being achieved beyond Elstree. A fast approach to Luton Airport Parkway produced the FT. The textbook departure from Luton was followed by equally impressive braking for Bedford.

A final contribution from David, this time a short snippet on the East Coast Main Line with a very fine effort from an HST between Newark and Doncaster. Excellent acceleration from Newark, better than my run on the 12:00 ex KX, which David advised would be included in this issue of Milepost. (see page 60 – Ed) An unchecked entry into Doncaster produced an excellent start to stop average of 97.9mph, very impressive over a relatively short distance.

Table 6 is an offering from Brian Milner between Birmingham New Street and Burton-on-Trent. Brian’s comments compare the run to a run from 2015 with an HST which called at Tamworth:- This was part of the journey home from the St Philips Marsh HST Depot Open Day, so it would

Milepost 38 -9- April 2017 Table 4 miles M C Timing Point Sch. m s mph ave Date Sunday 16th October 2016 18.03 18 20 Napsbury 11 38 119 124.3 Train 1310 St Pancras-Nottingham 19.69 19 73 St Albans 15 12 35 100 105.0 Loco 222002 22.78 23 00 23 14 19 114 106.9 Load formation 7 24.44 24 53 Harpenden 17.5 15 12 112 112.9 Recorder D Ashley 27.03 27 20 Chiltern Green 16 42 103 103.5 Position/ GPS 3/7 N 28.98 29 16 Luton AP 21 18 41 59.0 miles M C Timing Point Sch. m s mph ave 28.98 29 16 Luton AP 22.5 20 40 0.00 0 18 ST PANCRAS 0 0 00 T 30.03 30 20 Luton 2 1 44 36.3 1.36 1 47 Kentish Town 3 2 11 37.4 30.03 30 20 Luton 3.5 3 10 3.64 3 69 West Hampstead 5 3 52 86 81.1 32.55 32 62 Leagrave 2.5 2 32 90 59.8 4.91 5 11 Cricklewood (1.5) 4 40 100 95.6 35.44 35 53 Sundon 4 11 122 105.0 6.75 6 78 Hendon 8.5 5 43 108 105.0 37.04 37 21 Harlington 4 57 125 125.2 9.14 9 29 Mill Hill 7 02 110 108.8 39.98 40 16 Flitwick 6 6 22 123 124.4 12.21 12 35 Elstree 8 43 109/125 109.6 43.53 43 60 Millbrook [1] 8 04 125/124 125.3 14.99 15 17 Radlett 12.5 10 10 124 114.8 45.94 46 13 H Conquest <1> 9 14 126 124.1 49.65 49 70 BEDFORD 14 11 39 92.2 . Table 5 Date 10th June 2016 Train 1230 Kings Cross-Newcastle Loco 43312/43316 Load formation 2+9 Recorder D Ashley Position/ GPS Cloudy 9/11 Y miles M C Timing Point Sch. m s mph ave 0.00 120 12 Newark N 0 0 00 2.81 122 77 Bathley Lane 3 35 93 47.1 6.18 126 26 Carlton 5 30 114 105.3 7.19 127 27 Crow Park 6 01 118 117.6 11.59 131 59 Tuxford 8 12 122/124 120.9 14.31 134 37 Askam TS <1> 9 32 118/115/120 122.6 18.46 138 49 Retford 12.5 11 37 118 119.5 21.55 141 56 Sutton 13 11 126 118.2 23.83 143 78 Ranskill 14 16 126 126.0 25.69 145 67 Scrooby 15 10 125 124.2 27.50 147 52 Bawtry <1> 16 08 111 112.5 31.21 151 29 Rossington 18 00 122 119.3 35.84 155 79 Doncaster 23.5 21 57 70.3 . Table 6 Miles M C Location HST8 m s mph ave Date 10/05/2016 7.65 34 52 WATER ORTON 9 9 20 92 96.7 Train 13 25 Ply-Edin 9.54 31 40 Milepost 10 30 105 97.1 Loco 43207, 43378 11.54 29 40 Kingsbury J 11 11 34 117 111.6 Load formation 7: 239, 270, 415 13.54 27 40 Cliffe 12 34 123 121.0 Recorder B Milner 15.45 25 47 WILNECOTE 13 30 123 122.9 Position/ GPS 2/9 17.33 23 57 TAMWORTH 14 14 24 124 123.9 Miles M C Location HST8 m s mph ave 19.04 22 00 Milepost 15 14 124/123 124.5 0.00 42 24 BIRMINGHAM NEW ST 0 0 00 0.5 L 21.61 19 34 Elford UB 16 29 124 123.6 0.70 41 48 Proof House J 2.5 2 52 31 14.7 23.44 17 48 Croxall UB 17 22 125 124.0 1.55 40 60 Landor Street J 4 4 25 36 32.9 24.73 16 25 Wichnor Jn 17.5 17 59 125 125.3 3.81 38 39 Bromford Bridge 6 54 86 54.5 26.34 14 56 Barton OB 18 46 123 123.5 5.30 37 00 Castle Bromwich 7 52 97/99 92.3 28.79 12 20 Branston Jn 20 05 90 111.6 30.21 10 66 BURTON 21.5 21 49 0.5 L 49.1

be good if we have a HST record! It was not as fast as the Tamworth run above though – 38.5 seconds slower from New Street to Water Orton and 48 seconds slower from New Street to Wilnecote and clearly a faster overall time is possible. But it seems that it was good enough to provide a RPS Fastest Time.

Milepost 38 -10- April 2017 Table 7 turns to the Chiltern line with a run recorded by Alistair Wood, between Marylebone and Beaconsfield. Alistair comments: Due to a shortage of Chiltern trains push-pull fitted Class 68’s, the slam-door set was utilised on the Banbury service, with 68018 at the rear, assumed to be provided to return the set to Wembley Depot. Good hard running after Neasden with lots of roaring exhaust.

Table 7 Miles Location m s mph Date Fri 10th Feb 2017 4.38 Dollis Hill LUL 6 32 69 Train 1721 Marylebone-Banbury 4.85 Neasden LUL 6 58 73 Loco 68002 6.42 Wembley 8 10 80 Load 7.73 Sudbury 9 10 83 7 Coaches + Dead 68018 / 345/375 Tons 8.66 Sudbury Hill 9 47 87.6 Recorder G A M Wood Northolt 100 Pos/Weather 2 of 9 11.46 South Ruislip 11 35 98 Miles Location m s mph 13.37 West Ruislip 12 41 100/98 0.00 Marylebone d 0 00 1L 16.03 Denham 14 22 97 0.37 St Johns Wood T'l in 1 30 22 16.91 Denham Golf Club 14 53 97 1.80 Hampstead T'l out 3 23 47 M25 UB 15 21 96 2.21 West Hampstead 3 53 47.6 18.63 Gerrards Cross 15 56 96 2.85 Kilburn LUC 4 52 41/50 21.36 Seer Green 16 38 97 3.65 Willesden Green LUL 5 43 51 22.93 Beaconsfield a 19 30 1.5E

For Table 8 is a run between London Paddington and Heathrow Central recorded by John Rishton, for a post 2008 record. He comments: A better run than the previous fastest time as the earlier run was by the relief line until Ealing. From Hanwell onwards the previous run was by far the better due to late braking for Airport Jn and higher speeds in the tunnel. The earlier run could not however claim back all of the three-quarter minute cost of earlier relief line running.

Table 8 Miles mm cc location Sch mm:s mph avge Day/Date Th 26th January 2017 3.84 3 79 Western Avenue 04:47 83 75.5 Train 1225 Padd - Heathrow 5 4.09 4 19 Acton Main Line 04:58 88 85.6 Motive Power 332.010 + 332.009 5.01 5 13 Acton WJ 6 05:34 96 92.0 Load (tons) 407/430 = 8.7 hp/tonne 5.54 5 55 Ealing Broadway 05:53 97 97.9 Weather dry 6.39 6 43 West Ealing 06:24 98 98.7 Rec. Pos. GPS J Rishton - 2/9 - GPS 7.20 7 28 Hanwell 06:54 99 98.8 0.00 0 12 London Paddington 0 00:00 r/t 0.0 8.93 9 06 Southall 8 07:57 98 98.9 0.44 0 47 Royal Oak 1 01:06 37 24.0 10.78 10 74 Hayes & Harlington 09:18 65 82.2 1.10 1 20 Portobello J - Line 2 2 02:06 40 39.6 11.04 11 15 Airport junction 9.5 [1] 09:35 49 55.1 1.65 1 64 Ladbroke Grove- ML 3 02:50 49 45.0 12.23 12 30 Heathrow tunnel 11.5 11:06 48 47.1 2.53 2 54 A219 03:45 67 57.6 14.49 14 51 Heathrow 123 14.5 14:43 37.5 . Table 9 Miles m ch Location Sch m s mph Date Th 16th Feb17 2.27 50 00.0 MP 2 16 87 Train 0616 Leeds- 3.27 51 00.0 Mp 2 55 88/100 Southampton 7.27 55 00.0 Mp 5 22 98 Unit 220 026 9.54 57 21.5 Popham Tunnel No.1 in 6 41 Load 4/168/1xx 10.34 58 06.0 MICHELDEVER 7 12 97 Recorder Alan Drake 12.27 60 00.0 Mp 8 20 100 Position 2 of 4 14.62 62 28.5 Wallers Ash T'l in 9 52 98 Miles m ch Location Sch m s mph Winchester Jn RR 10 54 0.00 47 58.5 BASINGSTOKE d 0 0 00 2L 18.27 66 00.0 Mp 12 03 84 0.27 48 00.0 Mp 0 32 46 18.82 66 44.5 WINCHESTER a 14 12 50

Table 9 is an offering from Alan Drake with a XC Voyager unit between Basingstoke and Winchester. Nothing spectacular about the running but maybe slightly better braking to trim a few seconds off the previous record.

Milepost 38 -11- April 2017 Table 10 has a short snippet from Ian Umpleby using the Norton Bridge Flyover on a Stafford to Stone run with a Class 350 emu. Solid running slightly bettered the eight-minute schedule.

Table 10 Loco/Unit 350234 Vehicles/tare/gross tonnes 4/179/190 Train 0946 London Euston - Crewe Date Fri 25th November 2016 Weather Sunny Rec/Pos/GPS? IU;4/4;Y Dec. Mls M. Chns Timing Point WTT Min. Sec. M.P.H. avge 0.00 133 43 Stafford 0 0 0 2L 0.71 134 20 MP 1 19 62 32.6 3.34 136 70 Great Bridgeford ob 3 12 99 83.6 5.15 138 55 Searchlight Lane Jn pts 4 4 18 100 98.7 4 06 6.69 2 43 Yarnfield down sig 5.5 5 16 76 95.4 8.21 1 01 S side sig 6 29 75 75.2 9.14 0 07 Stone 8 7 54 2L 39.2

Table 11 is an offering from a first-time contributor in Dave Shelley, with a log on the Welsh Marches line between Ludlow and Hereford, with a Class 175 unit. Dave comments:-I spent a week travelling the rails of South Wales, using a `4 in 8 day` South Wales rover ticket - thank goodness that these rover tickets are still around; they don`t seem to get much publicity. I managed to travel on every line except the Fishguard branch. I also travelled the Central Wales line for the first time, and the Welsh Marches route, hence the FT

Table 11 Date 28th July 2016 Train 09 38 Craven Arms-Cardiff Unit 175xxx Recorder D Shelley miles Location m ss Ave Sp 0.00 Ludlow 0 00 3.09 Ashford Bowdler 3 15 57.0 4.50 Woofferton Box 4 10 92.3 10.90 Leominster 8 19 92.5 12.22 River Arrow 9 12 89.6 15.34 Dinmore Tunnel N 11 30 81.4 15.94 Dinmore Tunnel S 12 00 72.0 23.45 Hereford 19 04 63.7

My thanks again, to all of those who have contributed to the recent Fastest Times. As always, contributions are welcome either electronically or in paper format. My email and postal addresses is included in the inside front cover of Milepost. Electronic files are preferred in Excel or Word formats.

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Milepost 38 -12- April 2017 EMUs on the ECML: Part 3

Andrew James

In Milepost 36 I bemoaned the lack of fast trains between Huntingdon and Kings Cross and vice versa. This has since been partially addressed at the weekend, with three fast Up workings and three corresponding Down workings on both days. The Up workings as far as I’m aware, work fast line all the way to the capital on schedules of 60-61 minutes from Peterborough with three stops. By contrast the Up workings only have the fast line to Biggleswade and revert to slow at least as far as Huntingdon. This is reflected in the schedules which allow 63-69 minutes to Peterborough with the same stopping pattern. However, this is certainly a boost to performance interest for yours truly. Another incentive is an economic one, with off-peak fares being much cheaper than those in the peak. In real terms for something like a day travel card with a Network Card reduction, you can save a whopping £35.00 over the equivalent Monday-Friday peak equivalent. To an impecunious packer like myself at Morrison’s, a saving well worth having!

Table 1 Run 1 2 Date 10 July 2016 17 January 2016 Train 10.15 Peterborough- 11.15 Peterborough- Kings Cross Kings Cross Motive Power 321409/410 365528/516 Load 8/276/296 8/304/320 Recorder A.James A.James M C [sch] m s mph m s mph 58 64 Huntingdon 0 00 0 00 57 00 Mp 2 17 77 2 12 81 55 72 Offord 3 05.5 86 2 56.5 95 54 07 Paxton 4 19 92/93 4 04 100 51 56 St Neots [7] 6 32 6 13 51 56 0 00 0 00 49 70 Little Barford 2 05 80 1 55.5 84 47 38 Tempsford 3 45.5 94 3 27 100/99 46 30 Everton 4 26.5 97/96 4 06.5 100 44 10 Sandy 5 50 98/99 5 27.5 101 41 12 Biggleswade [8] 8 35 7 54 41 12 0 00 0 00 37 03 Arlesey 3 57 88 3 36 99 35 50 Three Counties 4 54.5 91 4 26.5 101/98 34 00 Mp 5 59 92 5 26 99/97 31 76 Hitchin 7 19.5 89/87 6 41 98/sigs/80 28 50 Stevenage (old) 9 35 87 27 46 Stevenage 10 16.5 93/97/94 9 42 90/102 25 03 Knebworth 11 53 95 11 14.5 99 23 67 Woolmer Green 12 38 97 11 58.5 98/100 21 76 Welwyn North 13 46.5 99/100 13 06.5 100 20 26 Welwyn Garden City 14 45 99/100 14 05 101 17 56 Hatfield 16 21 96/93 15 40.5 97 15 46 Welham Green 17 41 96 16 57.5 100 14 39 Brookmans Park 18 21.5 97 17 37.5 98/99/97 12 59 Potters Bar 19 27.5 95/101 18 41.5 98 10 44 Hadley Wood 20 47.5 99 20 02 96 9 14 New Barnet 21 36.5 100 20 52.5 98/96 8 28 Oakleigh Park 22 06.5 97/99 21 23.5 97/99/96 6 39 New Southgate 23 15.5 96 22 32.5 98 5 00 Alexandra Palace 24 11.5 92 23 27 94 4 00 Hornsey 24 51 88 24 05.5 94

Milepost 38 -13- April 2017 M C [sch] m s mph m s mph 3 33 Harringay 25 16.5 82 24 28.5 91 2 41 Finsbury Park 26 02.5 55 25 06 68 sig stop 0 05 Kings Cross [31] 33 32 31 01

Table 2 takes us out of the ‘Cross’ and two efforts on the 1710 to Peterborough. It didn’t take me long to realise that the 29-minute schedule between here and Biggleswade is a counsel of perfection, demanding an average speed of 85.1 mph start-to-stop; small beer for a Class 91 or an HST but to units limited to 100 mph, an altogether different matter. The two runs below admirably demonstrate differing degrees of enterprise to the job in hand. The driver in Run 3 was quite circumspect for the most part, although I suspect there was something in front for at least the first 30-odd miles and therefore one cannot criticise the driver for wanting to avoid a check. The ascent to Potters Bar by Networker standards wasn’t bad, however, with 98 mph attained and I have certainly recorded speeds lower than this behind these units to the tune of 3-5 mph.

Run 4 was a recorder’s joie d vivre and I certainly didn’t expect to cut nearly a minute off this exacting schedule. A very fast start from Kings Cross afforded by the departure from Platform 9, an excellent ascent to Potters Bar and a most unexpected 105 mph between Hitchin and MP 34 with the icing on the cake provided by a rapid approach to Biggleswade: well inside the RPS record for the course.

Table 2 Run 3 4 Date 24 July 2016 10 July 2016 Train 17.10 Kings Cross- 17.10 Kings Cross- Peterborough Peterborough Motive Power 365523 365539 Load 4/152/162 4/152/162 Recorder A.James A.James M C [sch] m s mph m s mph 0 05 Kings Cross 0 00 0 00 P9 2 41 Finsbury Park 5 41.5 69 3 57.5 83 3 33 Harringay 6 25.5 77 4 35 93 4 00 Hornsey 6 51 89 4 57.5 97 5 00 Alexandra Palace 7 30 91/89 5 35.5 94 6 39 New Southgate 8 29.5 91 6 32.5 93 8 28 Oakleigh Park 9 41.5 95/96 7 44 94 9 14 New Barnet 10 12.5 96/93 8 15 97 10 44 Hadley Wood 11 05 96 9 05.5 100 12 59 Potters Bar 12 26 98/96 10 23.5 101/100 14 39 Brookmans Park 13 31 98 11 26.5 101/97 15 46 Welham Green 14 12 94 12 06.5 100 17 56 Hatfield 15 30.5 96/98/93 13 22.5 103/98 20 26 Welwyn Garden City 17 10 94 14 57 99 21 76 Welwyn North 18 10 98/94 15 55 103 23 67 Woolmer Green 19 20 100/89 17 04 98/102 25 03 Knebworth 20 07.5 96/98 17 46.5 100/101 27 46 Stevenage 21 43 95 18 43.5 100 28 50 Stevenage (old) 22 21.5 98 19 17.5 101/99 31 76 Hitchin 24 25 96/99 21 54 100/105 34 00 Mp 25 40 96/95 23 06 102/101 35 50 Three Counties 26 41 97/95 24 04 102 37 03 Arlesey 27 34 96 24 54.5 101 41 12 Biggleswade [29] 31 03 28 03

Milepost 38 -14- April 2017 Table 3 once again underlines well the differing capabilities of the Class 321s and the 365s. Not surprisingly, it is the ascent over the northern heights between Alexandra Palace and Potters Bar which highlight the difference graphically. When these units worked on the neighbouring WCML, the speed profile on the 1 in 335/333 grades either side of Tring was very similar to what it is on the steeper 1 in 200 ascents on the ECML, which emphasises just how much the power curve dies on the older units at 90+ mph. Further north on the ECML on level track between Holme and Connington, as way of an example, anything over 95-97 mph is exceptional in my experience with these units.

Run 6 features the highest speed the writer has timed at Potters Bar in the down direction behind a Class365 and it certainly gave the feel of a potent beast. The driver not surprisingly took it easier on the continuation to Stevenage. Note the schedule between Finsbury Park and the Hertfordshire town which is quite sharp for either type of unit, when the 70mph restriction at Woolmer Green to take the slow line is taken into consideration.

Table 3 Run 5 6 Date 17 January 2016 10 July 2016 Train 16.23 Kings Cross- 12.52 Kings Cross- Peterborough Cambridge Motive Power 321404/418 365525/519 Load 8/276/296 8/304/320 Recorder A.James A.James M C [sch] m s mph m s mph 0 05 Kings Cross 0 00 44/max 0 00 57/max 2 41 Finsbury Park [5] 4 26 4 46 2 41 0 00 0 00 3 33 Harringay 1 37 65 1 41.5 56 4 00 Hornsey 2 08.5 74 2 12.5 77 5 00 Alexander Palace 2 52.5 84 2 55.5 88 6 39 New Southgate 3 57 85 3 54 92 8 28 Oakleigh Park 5 15 89 5 05 98 9 14 New Barnet 5 48.5 91/92 5 36 99 10 44 Hadley Wood 6 44 91/90 6 25.5 100 12 59 Potters Bar 8 10.5 91 7 43 102 14 39 Brookmans Park 9 17.5 97 8 46 98 15 46 Welham Green 9 58.5 97/100 9 26 100/99 17 56 Hatfield 11 15.5 92/80/sigs 10 42 100/97 20 26 Welwyn Garden City 13 10 83 12 18 97/101 21 76 Welwyn North 14 18.5 90 13 17 100 23 67 Woolmer Green 15 35 69*/68 14 43 69*/77/67 25 03 Knebworth 16 36.5 76 15 45.5 73/76 sig stop 27 46 Stevenage [19] 22 21 18 29

Table 4 takes us to the opposite end of the speed spectrum and includes two examples of Class 313 working on the Moorgate-Welwyn Garden City services. Whilst I appreciate that these are not everybody’s cup of tea in the RPS membership, they do graphically demonstrate a radically different speed profile, the short distance between the stations being the retarding influence. The 1 in 200 between Alexandra Palace and Potters Bar is arguably the most interesting part and where distance permitted, 60mph was attained without difficulty in runs 7 and 8.

In Table 5 we cross over to the neighbouring Hertford loop which offers better performance opportunities for the 313s, particularly between Stevenage and Cuffley in either direction. The longer distances between stations and the gradient profile affords them the opportunity to

Milepost 38 -15- April 2017 reach their nominal 75 mph limit. I have shown the logs in more detail than normal to elucidate on the acceleration curve of these units

Table 4 Run 7 8 Date 10 July 2016 05 November 2014 Train 14.38 Moorgate- 12.58 Moorgate- Welwyn Garden City Welwyn Garden City Motive Power 313043/046 313037 Load 6/210/215 3/110/115 Recorder A.James A.James M C [sch] m s mph m s mph 2 41 Finsbury Park 0 00 44/max 0 00 34/max 3 33 Harringay [2] 2 02 2 07 3 33 0 00 48/max 0 00 38/max 4 04 Hornsey [2] 1 27 1 34 4 04 0 00 55/max 0 00 39/max 4 78 Alexandra Palace [3] 1 53 1 50 4 78 0 00 53/max 0 00 51/max 6 35 New Southgate [3] 2 31 2 43 6 35 0 00 57/max 0 00 60/max 8 30 Oakleigh Park [3] 2 52 2 59 8 30 0 00 50/max 0 00 42/max 9 12 New Barnet [3] 1 37 1 50 9 12 0 00 61/max 0 00 57/max 10 46 Hadley Wood [3] 2 18 2 25 10 46 0 00 61/max 0 00 60/max 12 57 Potters Bar [3] 3 05 2 47 .

Table 5 Run 9 10 Date 10 July 2016 19 June 2016 Train 13.34 Stevenage- 13.34 Stevenage- Moorgate Moorgate Motive Power 31031/032 313025 Load 6/210/215 3/105/110 Recorder A.James A.James M C [sch] m s mph m s mph 27 46 Stevenage 0 00 0 00 26 53 Langley Junction 1 35.5 43 1 39.5 39/16* 28 08 26 00 Mp 4 10.5 53 4 53 68/69 25 00 Mp 5 06.5 69 5 45.5 68 23 72 Watton-at-Stone [6] 6 38 7 11 23 72 0 00 0 00 23 00 Mp 1 14.5 62 1 16.5 60 22 00 Mp 2 06 77/79 2 08 75/78 21 00 Mp 2 52 77 2 56.5 72 19 48 Hertford North [7] 4 44 4 34 19 48 0 00 0 00 19 00 Mp 0 59 54 1 01 54 18 00 Mp 1 58 66 2 00.5 66/68 16 54 Bayford [5] 3 49 3 40 16 54 0 00 0 00 16 21 Ponsbourne NEP 0 47.5 36 0 49.5 45/69 14 00 Mp 2 51.5 77 2 54.5 68 13 17 Cuffley [4] 4 09 4 03

Milepost 38 -16- April 2017 Run 9 includes the highest speed the writer has ever recorded behind a 313, albeit on a 1 in 198 downgrade between Watton and Hertford North. The start out of the latter is much stiffer being almost the reverse in terms of the severity of the gradient, but both runs managed over 65 mph up the almost, continuous 1 in 198 before having to brake for the Bayford stop. The continuation to Cuffley shows a discernible difference in speed at MP 14, 77 mph is unusual there - where 68 mph is about par for the course in Run 10.

Finally, we feature two return trips over the same section in Runs 11 and 12. Seeing the mileposts in this direction during the height of summer is very difficult with the increase in unrestricted vegetation, something only mitigated by the use of GPS, and then only to a small extent. The driver in Run 11 ran more freely on the descent to Hertford North than his counterpart in Run 12. The main difference was in the running between Watton and Langley Junction. A maximum of 68 mph between these two locations is ’average’ on the 1 in 198 grade where 73 mph in Run 12 is exceptional in the writer’s experience and was no doubt attained in the short 1 in 198 dip before the driver braked for the restriction at the latter.

On my last visit to the line in July 2016 evidence of the new order was apparent at Hornsey carriage sidings where the Class 700 units are now stabled. It will be interesting to see what improvement these third-generation EMUs will bring to the line: better acceleration being the key improvement one suspects. The schedules will barely alter, one would imagine. On the same chronology of the 313s, the next change of motive power on this route will happen in 2057! Will anybody be still timing trains in the universe by this date?

Table 6 Run 11 12 Date 19 June 2016 03 July 2016 Train 14.19 Moorgate- 13.19 Moorgate- Stevenage Stevenage Motive Power 313059 313061 Load 3/105/110 3/105/110 Recorder A.James A.James M C [sch] m s mph m s mph 13 17 Cuffley 0 00 0 00 14 00 16 21 Ponsbourne NEP 3 18 68 3 15.5 68 16 54 Bayford [4] 4 11 4 12 16 54 0 00 0 00 18 00 Mp 1 32 69 19 00 Mp 2 28 75 19 48 Hertford North [6] 3 28 3 26 19 48 0 00 0 00 21 00 Mp 1 54.5 60 1 51 63 22 00 Stapleford 2 50 67/69 2 46 67/69 23 00 Mp 3 43 68 3 38 69 23 72 Watton-at-Stone [6] 5 09 5 03 23 72 0 00 0 00 25 00 Mp 1 35 60 1 31 62/73 26 00 Mp 2 32 67/68 28 08 Langley Junction 4 35 40*/50 4 38 39* 26 53 27 46 Stevenage [10] 6 18 6 18

I would like to thank David Lloyd-Roberts for his comments and suggestions regarding this article.

Milepost 38 -17- April 2017 DMU’s in Yorkshire and Lincolnshire

Jeremy Hartill

I thought I would finally get around to writing up some DMU journeys I have made in the Yorkshire and Lincolnshire area which all showed what can be done with a bit of effort and also are on some routes not often featured in Milepost.

The first run (Table 1) is from 2012. It was a June Sunday and due to engineering works the Leeds Barnsley Sheffield DMUs were being diverted via Moorthorpe and missing out the Barnsley stop. I did cover this route more recently when the Moorthorpe route was closed and suffered a very slow and boring run in a Voyager via Barnsley. However, the other way around is much more fun and offered the DMU a chance to show off its paces. I duly made my way to Sheffield and rather than the usual Class 158 a 150 had been turned out for the 1328 train.

TABLE 1 Miles M C location Sch m s mph avge Date/day Sunday 17th June 2012 14.02 12 07 Frickley Collery Jn 12 40.2 59* 72.4 Train 13:28 14.74 11 29 Moorthorpe 13 25.2 47* 58.0 Motive Power 150.132 15.46 10 52 South Kirkby Jn 14 15.5 51* 51.0 Load (tons) 2/76/80 570hp 7.5hp/ton 17.65 168 10 H'msworth Lp Cn 16 31.1 68 62.5 Position 1/2 18.71 169 15 Fitzwilliam 17 25.9 70 69.8 Recorder JH 21.40 171 70 Hare Park Jn 19 38.0 77 73.2 Weather fine 23.59 174 05 Sandal 21 23.6 72* 74.6 GPS: Y/N? Y 24.76 175 19 L&Y Rly 22 37.2 40* 57.5 Miles M C location Sch m s mph avge 25.34 175 65 Wakefield W'gate 23 46.0 30.1 0.00 158 41 Sheffield 0 00.0 0.00 0 00 Wakefield W'gate 0 00.0 0.93 159 35 Attercliffe Rd 2 07.1 49/65 26.2 0.84 0 67 Wakefield K'gate 2 33.0 19.7 sigs 38* 0.00 47 60 Wakefield K'gate 0 00.0 2.83 161 27 Brightside 4 17.5 44/46 52.5 0.88 48 50 Calder Viaduct 1 33.2 53/61 33.8 3.36 161 70 Meadowhall 5 15.0 33.7 3.03 50 62 Normanton 3 56.6 55*/62 54.0 0.00 161 70 Meadowhall 0 00.0 3.82 186 00 Altofts Jn 4 41.5 64 63.1 1.65 163 42 Holmes Jn LC 2 24.6 60/51* 41.1 5.27 187 36 Methley Jn 5 56.8 77 69.3 2.09 163 77 R'ham Masboro 2 54.7 54 52.3 6.20 188 30 Methley LC 6 40.2 76 76.7 4.59 164 40 Aldwarke Jn SB 5 10.2 77 66.4 7.82 190 00 Woodlesford 7 56.8 76 76.4 7.03 166 75 Swinton 7 03.2 77 77.7 9.63 191 65 M1 9 23.9 75 74.9 9.40 169 25 Bolton-on-Dearne 8 54.1 78 77.1 11.67 193 68 Balm Lane Jn 11 04.3 55* 73.1 10.48 15 50 Goldthorpe 9 44.6 75 76.6 13.07 195 20 Engine Shed Jn 12 49.5 32* 47.9 11.31 14 64 Thurnscoe 10 25.4 73/75 72.8 13.80 195 78 Leeds 14 58.0 20.3

After a checked run to Meadowhall we set off on the 25-mile run to Wakefield Westgate. A much longer run that the Northern 150s normally make. Once past Rotherham, speed rose to just over the 75mph mark with 78 achieved at the foot of bank north of Bolton-On-Dearne. I suspect this was due to power being applied for the 1 in 150 climb to Frickley. Speed fell off to 73 at the top with a brief recovery before slowing for the chord at Moorthorpe onto the GNR line. Inside even time now, with the power applied again the set worked up to 70 mph on the climb to Fitzwilliam and I had a final 77 mph dropping down to Wakefield where we stopped in 23m 46s at an average of 64 mph from Meadowhall. After reversing and dropping down to Wakefield Kirkgate I was not expecting much on the final section to Leeds but was pleasantly surprised to have some more 75 mph running and even time achieved again. With a quick run into Leeds this leg was only just outside even time. I do not have the schedules for this run to hand but the Sheffield Leeds time was 53½ minutes compared with the normal semi-fast time via Barnsley of 59 minutes.

The 1505 return with the same set was not such a good run, however, it still gave the set a chance to show its paces. The 1 in 150 up past Hare Park was climbed at 67 mph, after

Milepost 38 -18- April 2017 Moorthorpe 65 mph was reached on the climb to Frickley and with some 75mph running despite a couple of signal checks, Meadowhall was still reached inside even time in 24m 48s.

TABLE 2 Miles M C location Sch m s mph avge Date/day Sunday 27th September 2015 18.89 30 34 Barlby 18 25.4 43 26.9 Train 15:01 21.29 28 02 Cliffe LC 20 42.4 76 63.1 Motive Power 158.845 24.32 25 00 Wressle 22 52.2 88/89 83.9 Load (tons) 2/77/80 700hp 9.1hp/ton 25.24 24 06 Rowlands Hall 23 30.5 85 86.9 47*/13* Position 1/2 26.98 22 27 Howden 24 58.5 sigs 71.1 Recorder JH 30.07 19 20 Eastrington 29 08.2 77/78 44.5 Weather Fine 30.70 18 49 M62 29 39.1 68 74.3 GPS: Y/N? Y 32.38 16 75 Gilberdyke 31 31 55.0 44.4 Miles M C location Sch m s mph avge 0.00 16 75 Gilberdyke 0 00.0 0.00 155 77 Doncaster 0 00.0 0.66 16 22 Oxmardyke 1 15.9 52 31.4 0.86 156 66 Moat Hills LC 2 01.6 50 25.5 2.50 14 35 Broomfleet 2 57.0 75 65.4 2.06 158 02 Arksey LC 3 14.1 73 59.6 4.23 12 57 Crabley Creek 4 15.4 84/86 79.2 4.24 160 16 Shaftholme Jn 4.5 4 52.8 87/88 79.3 6.41 10 42 Brough 7 6 38.0 55.2 7.06 163 02 Moss LC [1] 6 46.7 86/90 89.3 0.00 10 38 Brough 0 00.0 9.91 165 70 Balne LC 8 43.5 89/90 87.8 1.04 9 35 Welton LC 1 42.2 59 36.5 11.60 167 45 M62 9 51.7 86 89.1 1.96 8 41 Melton LC [3] 2 34.6 70 63.5 13.24 169 16 Templehirst Jn 13 11 51.0 35*sigs/57 49.4 2.98 7 40 Ferriby 3 24.3 79 73.3 14.91 170 70 Burn Lane LC 13 19.9 72/69 67.8 5.69 4 63 Hessle 5 19.0 89 85.1 16.29 172 20 Henwick LC 14 30.7 71/69 69.9 7.23 3 20 Hessle EJ 6 19.9 89 90.9 17.78 173 59 Selby Canal Jn 15 57.0 43* 62.1 8.53 1 76 Hessle Rd J 11.5 7 33.3 50* 63.8 18.34 174 24 Selby 18 17 11.7 20* 27.1 9.56 0 73 Anlaby Rd J 8 55.0 44* 45.7 10.48 0 00 Hull 15 11 38.0 20.2

Northern have run a number of £10 Day Rover promotions, with this sort of price you do not need to do a lot to get your money’s worth and I used it for another Sunday diversion. This time it was the line through Goole that was closed and the Doncaster Hull trains were running from Doncaster via Selby to Hull with an additional stop at Gilberdyke to connect with a rail replacement bus. In practice, the timing via Selby is about the same as via Goole. The southbound services did not get a very good path but the northbound one was better. No. 158.845 was on the 1501 departure from Doncaster (Table 2). Running at up to 90 mph we were a little early at Templehirst Junction and suffered a signal check waiting for a Southbound train to pass bringing us down to 35 mph but we were still through Selby inside even time. With the 158s able to take advantage of higher speed limits, this continued until Howden got in the way again with another PWS and signal check. We stopped at Gilberdyke just inside even time which I think will be a new fastest time for that journey. The good running continued on to Brough in almost even time and a final 89 mph on the way into Hull at Hessle.

The next two runs are of an early evening Huddersfield to Stalybridge service which is a through train to Blackburn. I suspect due to a combination of wanting it back in Manchester for the run out to Blackburn, and also for pathing reasons, it’s a non-stop run from Huddersfield to Stalybridge. In addition, the climb to Marsden up the 1 in 105 is one of those sections of line where on full power you cannot reach the line speed in a 140xx or 150xx DMU.

The Class 142 run (Table 3) seemed to be a slightly above average run but 53 mph on the climb is the sort of speed I expect despite it being a wet northern day. I have no means to see what kind of speed was reached in Standedge tunnel but with a brisk run down to Stalybridge we were there inside schedule in 21 minutes as opposed to the 19 minutes the Class 185 sets are allowed.

More recently, Class 150 sets have appeared and on occasions a 142 plus 150. The 150s, despite actually having a lower power to weight ratio, are able to climb faster. The next log

Milepost 38 -19- April 2017 (Table 4) shows a Class 150 set reaching 59 mph on the climb up to Marsden and only being a minute outside the advertised times for a Class 185. TABLE 3 TABLE 4 Date/day Wednesday 27th May 2015 Wednesday 30th March 2016 Train 16:48:00 16:48:00 Motive Power 142.013 150.223 Load (tons) 2/49/51 450hp 9.2hp/ton 2/74/75 570hp 7.7hp/tom Position 1/2 2/2 Recorder JH JH Weather rain fine GPS: Y/N? Y Y Miles M C location Sch m s mph average Sch m s mph average 0.00 25 60 Huddersfield 0 00.0 0 00.0 0.70 25 04 Gledholt T W 1 28.0 42 28.6 1 29.1 41/44 28.3 1.58 24 14 Longwood FB 2 36.9 49/44 RBT 45.7 2 59.8 39RBT/45 44.7 3.00 22 60 Golcar OB 4 27.0 49 46.6 4 26.5 53 48.8 4.51 21 19 Slaithwaite OB 6 14.9 52 50.5 6 06.9 56 54.2 5.75 20 00 UB 56 7 39.5 53 52.7 6.50 19 20 PSR 8 11.0 59 57.7 7.09 18 53 Marsden 9.5 9 13.5 43* 51.2 9.5 8 49.8 47* 54.5 7.58 18 14 Tunnel E 9 53.5 42*/? 43.9 9 29.0 43*/? 44.8 10.61 15 11 Tunnel W 13 20.2 58* 52.9 12 27.4 58* 61.3 11.01 14 59 Diggle Jn 14 13 43.5 64/63 61.8 14 12 51.2 64 60.5 11.91 13 67 Saddleworth 14 36.0 65 61.7 13 42.4 63/65 63.3 13.04 12 57 Greenfield sfb 16 15 39.6 64 63.7 16 14 47.0 64 62.7 15.25 10 40 Mossley 17 45.2 62/65 63.4 16 51.5 63 64.0 17.24 8 41 Stalybridge T E 19 46.1 50* 59.2 18 48.8 47* 61.0 17.85 7 72 Stalybridge 22 21 06.0 27.6 21.5 20 07.0 28.2

The final log (Table 5) is of a run from Lincoln to Barnetby. This is a route I cannot recollect seeing a log of for a long time. At £8.60 off peak return for 29 miles each way this seems very good value. I do not have a gradient profile for this line but from the altimeter on my GPS it’s a short steep climb out of Lincoln followed by a drop then a gentler climb to Market Rasen. From Market Rasen it’s a gradual descent to Wrawby Junction. I have made a number of trips over this route but until recently had not managed to get a clear run with a good set.

TABLE 5 Miles M C location Sch m s mph average Date/day Thursday 8th September 2016 0.00 26 54 Market Rasen 0 00.0 Train 12:37:00 0.95 25 58 Brimmer Beck 1 41.9 51 33.6 Motive Power 153.385 2.10 24 46 Walesby 2 59.7 57 53.2 Load (tons) 1/41/43 285hp 6.9hp/ton 2.81 23 69 Claxby & U 3 41.5 63 61.4 Position 1/1 4.59 22 07 Claxby G'house 5 19.9 68 64.9 Recorder JH 5.54 21 11 Holton-le-Moor 6.5 6 07.6 74 71.7 Weather sunny and windy 7.19 19 39 Moortown 7 26.5 76 75.3 GPS: Y/N? Y 8.65 18 02 North Kelsey 8 36.2 76 75.5 Miles M C location Sch m s mph average 10.45 16 18 Howsham 10 02.4 74 75.2 0.00 41 36 Lincoln 0 00.0 12.55 14 10 A1084 11 44.5 74 74.0 0.13 41 26 Pelham St Jn 0.5 0 39.4 21* 11.4 13.98 12 56 Wrawby Jn 14.5 13 37.7 13*/36 45.3 0.59 40 69 River Witham E 1 43.2 33 26.1 14.55 12 10 Barnetby 15.5 14 59.0 25.5 2.53 38 74 Greetwell OB 4 01.2 60 50.5 3.76 37 55 Cherry Willingham 5 13.3 63 61.8 4.69 36 61 Reepham 6 04.2 70 65.4 6.14 35 25 Langworth 8 7 14.6 77 74.1 7.70 33 60 Stainton 8 28.9 75/74 75.7 9.26 32 15 Snelland 9 43.8 75 75.1 10.79 30 53 Wickenby 12 10 59.0 74 73.0 12.45 29 00 Buslingthorpe 12 21.0 72 73.0 14.21 27 19 Crossing O/A 13 51.7 57* 70.0 14.78 26 54 Market Rasen 16 14 52.0 33.6

Milepost 38 -20- April 2017

The through trains to Cleethorpes on this route have always been single Class 153 units when I have used it. After the restricted start out of Lincoln we were able to accelerate to 60 mph up the bank to Greetwell. The drop to Langworth saw speed rise to 77 mph with a slow falling off to 72 mph on the climb to Market Rasen. A good stop saw us there in 14m 52s for the 14.78 miles and a minute to the good on the schedule. The departure from Market Rasen was not quite so energetic but we were still inside even time by North Kelsey. Wraby Junction and the slow approach to Barnetby preclude an even time run but still 15 minutes for 14.5 miles is not a bad result. I suspect a twin set or a Class 158 could knock a bit off each leg and make it and even time run. In the RPS fastest times archive a 1993 run with an HST managed 14m 15s from Lincoln to Market Rasen and 14m 42s on to Barnetby, though I suspect a more liberal attitude to the speed limit then may have helped.

Mass Timing Day 2017

We are proposing to concentrate on the section of the WCML between Preston and Carlisle on Saturday 24th June. Rosters will be available on main-line trains, and extra options cover Northern trains to Windermere.

Ticketing possibilities include:

Cumbria Day Ranger £43 £28.40 with railcard Freedom of North West (4 days in 8) £74 £48.85 with railcard (MTD Could be extended over extra days if sufficient interest)

To enable us to establish the scope for the project, it would be useful to receive expressions of interest from potential participants.

If you think you will be able to join us for this event, could you please contact David Ashley at [email protected] or contact by post at the address on page 2

David Ashley, Editor

FROM THE RPS WEB-SITE

Maidenhead energisation

Low Moor (Near Bradford) complete

Brentwood-Shenfield changes

Wrexham – Chester redoubling

Ilkeston opening

WR Test Run 31 March 1977

IEP Vs HST

Glasgow-Edinburgh energisation

Paddington stop boards .

Milepost 38 -21- April 2017 LARBERT-STIRLING-LARBERT Something for Everyone

Martin Robertson

The short length of the former Caledonian main line to Aberdeen, between Larbert and Stirling, is one of the more interesting sections of line in Scotland. The line climbs initially from Larbert, out of the valley of the River Carron, before falling at 1 in 164 for over a mile and a quarter to cross the Torr Burn at Blairs. Thereafter the line climbs, mainly at 1 in 126 to a summit at Plean, before falling at 1 in 118 to the plain of the River Forth, before Polmaise, with a level run into Stirling.

Line speeds are 70 mph through Larbert, followed by a 100 mph limit from 110m 65ch to 117m 31ch, where the limit reduces to 70 mph then 40 mph from 118m 10ch through Stirling station. The 100 mph was one of the first to be introduced over the internal Scottish lines and even now Scotrail does not have the traction to exploit the 100 mph limits on the ascents. Even the HSTs of the Virgin ECML service to Inverness struggle to reach 100 mph on the ascents. In practice, a Turbostar struggles to maintain 90 mph up the gradient to Plean, if non-stop through Larbert. If stopped at Larbert, 80 mph at Plean is a sound effort. Southbound, Turbostars struggle to better 72 mph on the 1 in 118 to Plean. Southbound the line is effectively unrestricted for a stop in Larbert which should allow a driver to demonstrate good braking technique.

The line has always been quite busy both with the stopping services, which call at Larbert, and the long-distance services which tend to omit the Larbert stop, other than on Sundays. At present the line has a basic timetable of two Edinburgh-Dunblane services which call at all stations, a Glasgow-Dunblane and Glasgow-Alloa service which also calls at all stations and the hourly Glasgow Aberdeen services which omit the Larbert stop.

The scheduling of the services mean that it is possible to do two return trips within an hour, starting with the xx07 from Stirling. This is currently helped by the services from Glasgow, due away from Larbert at xx21 and 51 often being late as they wait for the ex-Edinburgh services which are due away six minutes earlier. The signalling is still partially semaphore at Larbert, but at Stirling colour light signals are now installed. The station area at Stirling was one of the few major stations in Scotland still controlled by semaphore signals, although the main southbound platform has a hideous colour light signal as a replacement for assumed time- expired semaphore signals. On a visit to photograph the signals, RPS member Tim Calow from Skipton was also on the station taking photographs.

The current services are served by a mixture of Class 156, 158 and 170 units. The Glasgow based suburban services tend to be worked by the Strathclyde PTE sponsored Class 170 470- 78 units whereas the Edinburgh-Dunblane services tend to be Class 158 or 170 units. The rush hour services can produce pairs of units or combinations of the various units.

Services in the past were worked by Class 150 and 156 Sprinter units with the previous Glasgow-Dundee/Perth services of the 1970/80s worked by Class 25/26/27/37/40 and 47s. The Edinburgh-Dunblane services were worked by diesel multiple units before the more modern Sprinters took over. There are a number of services from Inverness or Aberdeen which generally omitted the Larbert stops, with the Virgin EC HST forming the Highland Chieftain service being the principal interloper.

First Scotrail provide a Central Scotland Rover ticket which, at £39 for three consecutive days, is a bargain. Its range extends from Glasgow to North Berwick, Dunblane and part of the lines

Milepost 38 -22- April 2017 in Fife. A GPS unit generally works well between Larbert and Stirling, which allows services to be timed relatively easily in darkness. A GPS receiver is useful, as the mileposts around Larbert are suspect and at Plean MP114 has disappeared in the lineside vegetation with MPs 114¼ and 114½ - although present – are both seriously out of position.

We start with a look at the northbound running, with Tables 1 and 2 showing runs of the ‘local’ services to Perth or Dundee. Runs A and B feature Class 26 traction with fairly pedestrian climbs to Plean. Run C was during the period that the Class 37/4s were being introduced with their regular turn on the evening service to Dundee. Departures from the train shed at Queen Street and into the tunnel improved as drivers became aware that the locos could be driven on full power from a standing start. There was also a much-improved ascent to Plean - despite the additional coaches - but there was a slower entry into Stirling.

Table 1 Run A B C Date 24/07/1980 23/08/1986 03/08/1989 Train 1444 Glasgow- 1603 Glasgow- Dundee Dundee 1805 Glasgow-Dundee Loco 26033 26028 37403 Load 5,165/170 4,138/142 5,175/180 miles m c Location m s mph m s mph m s mph 0.00 110 17 Larbert d 0 00 0 00 0 00 1.06 111 21.5 M876 2 02 53 1 46 58 2.26 112 38 Alloa Jn 3 06 65 3 08 68 2 51 69 1 4.10 114 25 Plean 4 54 60 4 49 65/75 4 28 66 /2/75 6.59 116 64 Polmaise 7 02 75 6 53 72 6 30 82 8.10 118 25 Stirling 8 51 8 48 8 49

Table 2 Run D E F Date 15/08/1978 30/03/1980 21/12/1981 Train 1654 Glasgow- 0850 Glasgow- Dundee Inverness 0844 Glasgow-Dundee Loco 27018 40065 40013 Load 7,246/260 7,230/235 4,131/135 miles m c Location m s mph m s mph m s mph 0.00 110 17 Larbert d 0 00 0 00 0 00 2.26 112 38 Alloa Jn 3 28 62 3 07 66 2 52 72 4.10 114 25 Plean 5 25 54 4 52 62 4 21 74 6.59 116 64 Polmaise 7 52 66 6 55 78 6 12 78 8.10 118 25 Stirling 9 57 8 56 8 04

Table 2, Run D, had a staple Class 27 on the early evening service to Dundee, which loaded to seven coaches and called at all stations – possibly not the best Class 27 around at the time. Run E had a Class 40 for traction on a Sunday service bound for Inverness - an average performance. Run F was a sprightly effort, with No. 40013 on a four-coach load.

Table 3 Run G has a Class 150/2 unit on an Edinburgh-Dunblane service. A vast improvement on the uphill speeds and a good finish for a fast time. Run H had a Class 47 on the, then, standard five coach load for the Inverness/Aberdeen services. A sprightly effort all round. Run I had an HST on the KX-Inverness service when it called at Larbert. Not a very impressive effort from the unit.

Table 4 has three runs with single Class 158 units, all made shortly after their introduction. All three runs were similar to passing Polmaise, with the difference in times mainly due the entries into Stirling. Another raising of the bar for speed at Plean and some drivers got close to the permitted 100 mph limit on the descent to Polamise.

Milepost 38 -23- April 2017

Table 3 Run G H I Date 29/12/1989 29/07/1989 22/07/1989 Train xxxx Edinburgh- xxxx Edinburgh- 1200 Kings Cross- Dunblane Inverness Inverness Loco 150285 47640 43056/106 Load 2,71/72 5,162/172 8,272/300 miles m c Location m s mph m s mph m s mph 0.00 110 17 Larbert d 0 00 0 00 0 00 2.26 112 38 Alloa Jn 2 42 75 2 49 79 2 48 83 4.10 114 25 Plean 4 13 73 4 12 80/95 4 06 85/90 6.59 116 64 Polmaise 6 12 76 5 51 90 5 49 83/tsr 8.10 118 25 Stirling 7 49 7 35 7 50

Table 4 Run J K L Date 19/08/1993 16/07/1993 06/08/1993 Train 1804 Glasgow- 1925 Glasgow- Dundee Aberdeen 1525 Glasgow-Aberdeen Loco 1587xx 158721 158716 Load 2,74/81 2,74/84 2,74/85 miles m c Location m s mph m s mph m s mph 0.00 110 17 Larbert d 0 00 0 00 0 00 2.26 112 38 Alloa Jn 2 41 76 2 41 78 2 42 76 4.10 114 25 Plean 4 06 79/87 4 03 78/92 4 09 76/95 6.59 116 64 Polmaise 5 53 81 5 50 87 5 52 92 8.10 118 25 Stirling 7 43 7 30 7 27

Table 5 has three runs with what is still the current staple traction of Class 170 Turbostar units. The units are underpowered in comparison with later DMU vehicles, but 80 mph can be achieved at Plean and a good unit, if through Larbert at the line speed should breast Plean at 90 mph. A slight improvement in performance but all lost by the more cautious entry into Stirling. None of the three runs probably bettered under two minutes in from Polmaise. Compare this with the three runs in Table 4. On Run M, where the driver slogged the unit up to 100 mph on the descent, that may have been his final turn for the day as he was replaced at Stirling. Note also the number of timing points, how things change over the years, with a GPS unit being such an aid in taking more passing times.

Table 5 Run M N O Date 02/01/2009 04/01/2009 29/08/2013 Train 1548 1034 Glasgow- Edinburgh- 1811 Glasgow- Dunblane Dunblane Inverness Loco 170425 170457 170429 Load 3,133/135 3,133/135 3,133/145 miles m c Location m s mph m s mph m s mph 0.00 110 17 Larbert d 0 00 0 00 0 00 0.59 110 64 Bellsdyke Rd Ob 1 26 46 1 19 1 18 50 1.06 111 21.5 M876 Ob 1 56 60 1 46 62 1 46 63 2.06 112 22 Cockmalene Rd Ub 2 45 78 2 38 77 2 37 77 3.64 113 68 Gallamuir Rd Ob 3 57 80 3 51 78 3 50 79 4.10 114 25 Plean 4 17 81 4 12 78 4 11 80 4.87 115 07 B9124 OB 4 50 90 4 46 89 4 46 89 5.87 116 07 Bannockburn Ub 5 28 100 5 24 95 5 23 98 62 6.91 117 10 St Ninians Pc 6 09 69 6 08 69 6 10 tsr 7.64 117 68 Kerse Rd Ob 6 54 41* 8.10 118 25 Stirling 7 56 7 59 8 05

Milepost 38 -24- April 2017 Table 6 has three examples of Class 47 traction on the Euston to Inverness Çlansman service, or laterally, the curtailed service from Edinburgh, all from Falkirk Grahamston to Stirling. Runs P and Q were competent efforts with sound ascents to Plean with neither driver pressing the loco on the descent, despite the lateness. Run R had started from Edinburgh with the late departure awaiting the connecting service from the south. A similar performance on the ascent, but with a driver out to regain time, the locos official 75 mph maximum speed was ignored. The driver to Perth had recovered all of the lateness, only for a young secondman to take the service north to Inverness, losing 12 minutes due to rather uninspired running.

Table 6 Run P Q R Date 17/07/1989 17/11/1990 02/09/1992 Train 1030 Euston- 1440 Edinburgh- 1030 Euston-Inverness Inverness Inverness Loco 47593 47578 47675 Load 10,331/355/470 11,370/385/500 8,285/290 miles m c Location m s mph m s mph m s mph 0.00 24 21 Falkirk Gr'ston 0 00 (-39) 0 00 (-45) 0 00 (-12) 0.56 24 66 Swing Br Jn 1 35 35 1 44 40 1 22 48/44 1.71 25 78 Carmuirs E Jn 3 21 37 3 25 47 2 58 46 2.12 26 31 Larbert Jn 3 57 3 59 45 3 33 40 109 41 2.82 110 17 Larbert 4 54 61 4 51 53 4 29 50 5.09 112 38 Alloa Jn 6 60 75 6 58 74 6 31 80 1 6.80 114 25 Plean 8 30 72 /2 8 32 69/79 7 58 75/84 9.41 116 64 Polmaise 10 23 82 10 29 77 9 48 92 10.92 118 25 Stirling 12 26 12 24 11 31

Finally, three runs on the Highland Chieftain after the Larbert stop was omitted. A reasonable effort in run S with original power cars. A better effort in Run T with an additional vehicle and two MTU engine power cars. The best effort was Run U where I noted that speed was still rising as we passed Plean. I am not sure now if I made a mistake with one of the power car numbers, or whether they were both re-engined units.

Table 7 Run S T U Date 06/05/2000 01/03/2008 31/12/2007 Train 1200 Kings 1200 KX- Cross-Inverness Inverness 1200 KX-Inverness Loco 43095/106 43309/315 43314/112 Load 8,272/280 9,306/325 9,306/312 miles m c Location m s mph m s mph m s mph 0.00 24 21 Falkirk Gr'ston 0 00 (-) 0 00 (-45) 0 00 (-) 0.56 24 66 Swing Br Jn 1 12 47/35* 1 19 47 1 28 47/41 1.71 25 78 Carmuirs E Jn 2 57 43 2 58 42 3 02 44 2.12 26 31 Larbert Jn 3 36 38* 3 32 40* 3 54 42 109 41 2.82 110 17 Larbert 4 31 61 4 29 57 4 27 57 5.09 112 38 Alloa Jn 6 18 91 6 17 91 6 25 93 6.80 114 25 Plean 7 30 94/101 7 28 94/101 7 21 96/103 9.41 116 64 Polmaise 9 01 97 8 58 100 8 50 100/sc 10.92 118 25 Stirling 11 12 10 58 11 20

In the southbound direction, Table 8 Run A is an offering with a six car DMU. A very laboured ascent to Plean, which may not have been typical but 70 mph was reached on the descent. Run B had a Class 25, which was the restored traction on a Dundee to Glasgow service. Not a very good ascent to Plean in comparison with Run C and 27043. Good speeds by both drivers on the descents.

Milepost 38 -25- April 2017

Table 8 Run A B C Date 16/07/1988 17/07/1978 24/03/1978 Train 18xx Dunblane-Edinburgh 1750 Dundee-Glasgow 1550 Dundee-Glasgow Loco 6-car dmu 25007 27043 Load 5,165/175 5,162/170 miles m c Location m s mph m s mph m s mph 0.00 118 25 Stirling d 0 00 0 00 0 00 1.51 116 64 Polmaise 2 50 47/49 2 42 54 2 34 54 4.00 114 25 Plean 6 08 43/46 5 26 54 5 10 58 5.84 112 38 Alloa Jn 8 01 71 7 05 76 6 44 80 8.10 110 17 Larbert a 10 33 9 35 8 59

Table 9 Run D E F Date 30/03/1980 25/10/1977 02/11/1977 Train 09xx Aberdeen-Glasgow 17xx Aberdeen-Glasgow 17xx Aberdeen-Glasgow Loco 40160 40057 47211 Load 7,231/245 7,232/240 7,230/240 miles m c Location m s mph m s mph m s mph 0.00 118 25 Stirling d 0 00 0 00 0 00 1.51 116 64 Polmaise 2 23 53/57 2 25 2 23 4.00 114 25 Plean 5 01 56 4 58 4 36 5.84 112 38 Alloa Jn 6 36 80 6 30 6 04 8.10 110 17 Larbert a 9 08 8 58 8 34

Table 9 has two runs with Class 40s and a Run with a Class 47 on Aberdeen-Glasgow services. The first run with No. 40160 - never one of the better Scottish Class 40s - was adequate. No. 40057 took a few seconds out of the first run on the ascent with the Class 47 comfortably beating both Class 40s.

Table 10 has two runs with Class 150 units, which at the time were a significant improvement on the former DMUs. The driver on Run H whipped the unit up to 83 mph on the descent, well above is official 75 mph limit. Run I with a Class 156 unit is relatively recent and suffers from the pedestrian acceleration out of Stirling, although the climb to Plean was quite good.

Table 10 Run G H I Date 17/11/1990 17/07/1992 22/06/2015 Train xxxx xxxx Dunblane- Dunblane- xxxx Dunblane- Edinburgh Edinburgh Edinburgh Loco 150245 150258 156513 Load 2,71/72 2,71/72 2,71/76 miles m c Location m s mph m s mph m s mph 0.00 118 25 Stirling d 0 00 0 00 0 00 1.51 116 64 Polmaise 2 10 60 2 11 62 2 58 55 4.00 114 25 Plean 4 29 69 4 29 65 5 02 67/78 5.84 112 38 Alloa Jn 5 57 76 5 55 83 6 30 75 8.10 110 17 Larbert a 8 14 8 15 9 05

Milepost 38 -26- April 2017 Table 11 Run J K L Date 31/12/2007 26/07/1992 01/03/1980 Train 1610 1712 Dunblane- Inverness- 0858 Dunblane- Glasgow Glasgow Edinburgh Loco 156432 158704/731 158782 Load 2,71/71 4,148/155 2,74/76 miles m c Location m s mph m s mph m s mph 0.00 118 25 Stirling d 0 00 0 00 0 00 0.46 117 68 Kerse Road 1 12 37 1 01 44 1.19 117 10 St Ninians 2 09 51 1 49 63 2.22 116 07 Bannockburn 3 14 62 2 41 67 2 44 72.5 3.22 115 07 B9124 OB 4 11 63 3 32 75 0.00 114 25 Plean 4 54 68 4 07 75 4 09 79.5 4.46 113 68 Gallamuir Ob 5 22 75/78 93 4 32 85 5.84 112 38 Cockmalene Rd 6 32 74 5 32 91 5 30 95 7.04 111 22 M876 7 35 50 6 11 85br 7.39 110 64 Bellsdyke Road 8 13 39 6 32 76br 8.10 110 17 Larbert a 9 36 7 38 7 31

Table 11, Run J, has another effort with a Class 156 unit with a slightly better climb to Plean, a similar descent but appallingly early braking by the driver, losing probably in excess of 30 seconds in comparison with Run I. Run K had a pair of Class 158 units with which I had come down from Inverness on a beautiful summer evening. The driver from Inverness produced a sparkling display of running up to and beyond the line limits. The driver from Perth continued the excellent work with a fine ascent to Plean and 93 mph on the decent before reasonable braking for the Larbert stop. Run L is the current RPS Fastest Time with, what I thought at the time, a remarkably good performance from a Class 158 unit and was fortunate to have a keen driver at the controls. The 75mph passing the overbridge of the B9124 was excellent, 5-plus mph greater than any other Class 158 or 170 run. An excellent 95 mph at the bottom of the descent with braking only commencing immediately before the M876 overbridge. The time of 7m 31s will be hard to better with the current traction and restrained braking practices.

Table 12 has three runs with Class 170 units as traction. Run M had a pair of units, which generally provide a slightly better performance, but this run was no better than average, although still a reasonable time by today’s standards. Run N was a poor unit with 69 mph at the top of the ascent but a creditable 98 mph on the descent. Early braking and a slow entry into Larbert lengthened the overall time. Run was a better than average Class 170 unit, but still lost seven seconds from St Ninians to Plean to No. 157872 in Run L. The GPS read 99 mph at the bottom of the descent with speed maintained on the slight rise to the M876 overbridge. The driver braked quite hard the overbridge but still achieved a fine time.

Table 13 has three runs between Stirling and Larbert, two with the Inverness to Euston Clansman and one on the Inverness to Kings Cross Highland Chieftain. Run P with No. 47604 had a poor ascent to Plean but the driver reached 90 mph at the foot of the descent. Run Q with No. 47643 had spent eight minutes at Stirling loading a multitude of passengers. The 12- coach load was no excuse for a dismal ascent to Plean with an RHP of around 100 horsepower less than a run a week previously. It was a bitterly cold day and the difference is assumed to be from the ETH drain. The driver did not unduly press the loco on the descent. The run with the HST was disappointing, if the driver was using full power on the climb to Plean. I suspect not.

The short section of line offers plenty of opportunities for units, or locos, to show their capabilities and for southbound runs, the entry into Larbert is effectively unrestricted for braking purposes. For any RPS member in Scotland there are worse places to be timing trains than this short stretch, with the offer of four different units an hour.

Milepost 38 -27- April 2017

Table 12 Run M N O Date 01/09/2013 02/01/2009 01/03/2008 Train 1128 Dunblane- 1624 Inverness-Glasgow 16xx Alloa-Glasgow Edinburgh Loco 170403/451 170473 170457 Load 6,266/275 3,133/135 3,133/137 miles m c Location m s mph m s mph m s mph 0.00 118 25 Stirling d 0 00 0 00 0 00 0.46 117 68 Kerse Road 0 59 44 1 09 35 1 00 42 1.19 117 10 St Ninians 1 49 61 2 03 59 1 50 61 2.22 116 07 Bannockburn 2 46 69.5 3 00 68 2 47 69 3.22 115 07 B9124 OB 3 36 71 3 52 69 3 37 71.5 0.00 114 25 Plean 4 14 75 4 32 72 4 16 74 4.46 113 68 Gallamuir Ob 4 39 84 4 54 81 4 41 84 6.04 112 22 Cockmalene Rd 5 41 90 5 57 98 5 39 99 7.04 111 22 M876 6 27 71 6 36 77 6 16 95 7.39 110 64 Bellsdyke Road 7 04 48 6 37 64 8.10 110 17 Larbert a 8 08 8 24 7 39

Table 13 Run P Q R Date 22/07/1989 02/01/1990 01/03/2008 Train 0755 Inverness- 1025 Inverness-Edinburgh 1025 Inverness-Euston Kings Cross Loco 47604 47643 43314/300 Load 10,332/355 12,394/440 9,306/320 miles m c Location m s mph m s mph m s mph 0.00 118 25 Stirling d 0 00 0 00 0 00 0.46 117 68 Kerse Road 1 09 42 1 22 30 1 16 42 1.19 117 10 St Ninians 2 13 53 2 28 46 2 04 61 2.22 116 07 Bannockburn 3 18 59.5 3 42 51 2 57 69 3.22 115 07 B9124 OB 4 18 59.5 4 54 49 3 42 71.5 0.00 114 25 Plean 5 04 62 5 51 51.5 4 16 74 4.46 113 68 Gallamuir Ob 6 21 57 4 38 84 6.04 112 22 Cockmalene Rd 6 43 90 7 44 76 5 32 99 7.04 111 22 M876 6 610 95 7.39 110 64 Bellsdyke Road 6 33 64 8.10 110 17 Larbert 8 08 65 9 27 55 7 10 8.80 109 41 Larbert Jn 9 07 40 10 17 49 8 05 26 31 9.21 25 78 Carmuirs E Jn 9 43 45 10 49 47 8 41 10.36 24 66 Canal Jn 11 18 46 12 24 44 10 24 10.92 24 21 Falkirk G'ston a 12 21 13 44 11 56

Class 31s on the ECML (the Mirlees era): an appreciation

Andrew James

We all know about the exploits of those mercurial thoroughbreds - the Deltics on the ECML, whose fan base lavished messianic adulation and blind acquiescent love upon their smoking two-stroke heroes, or should I say heroines in this PC era. The 31s or Brush Type 2s as they were known in the pre-TOPS era, by contrast seem to be regarded as chronically ‘overweight and underpowered’ by the timing fraternity, yet nothing is ever what it seems. Whilst I’m not trying to insult the intellect of the RPS membership, it is perhaps salutatory to look back at how things were on the ECML in 1959 at the time of their introduction. LNER Pacifics, with the exceptions of a few Class 40s or English Electric Type 4s as they were then known and the

Milepost 38 -28- April 2017 odd V2 pulled the crack services. On the most favourable sections of the ECML such as Darlington-York, the schedules for the 44.1 miles were 40-42 minutes for a 9/315 and 11/385 timing loads, respectively, or 66.2 and 63 mph start-to-stop.

Given that the locomotives were not built for top link express work, the predictions in Table 1 underline in an emergency that 1,365 bhp was just about sufficient to keep time on the most exacting ECML duties in 1959 and reflect scheduling in the pre-diesel era with an emphasis on economic steaming rates, a point made by Doug Landau recently in the correspondence pages of Milepost. The critical factor in keeping these schedules in this direction, apart from the speeds attained on level track, is the slight benefit of the gentle downgrades in this direction which would see speed increase by 2-3 mph. They don’t take into account signal checks, temporary speed restrictions etc which, of course, would hinder adherence to the schedule, thus the reason for building 2,000 bhp diesels in the form of the Class 40s which, incidentally, have also been accused of being ‘overweight and underpowered’ in some quarters, for the duties which they were intended for on the ECML!

Table 1 1365/bhp Balancing speed on level track (tons) mph dbhp rhp 11/385 72 792 1077 9/315 76 730 1055

Some interesting figures for the class are derived from David Clough’s book BR Standard Diesels of the 1960s, Ian Allan (2009) for both the production 1,365 and 1,600 bhp variants. It was assumed for many years that the quoted 58 mph for the generator ‘unloading point’ was universal for the class. This, however, was not so and only applied to the 1,250 bhp pilot batch. Both the 1,365 and 1,600 bhp production batches had full power in the 9.7-76.6 mph and 9.3- 75.5 mph ranges, respectively. This gave rail horsepower figures (rhp) of 1,076 and 1,260 for each type.

This helps to explain why the slightly more powerful 1,365 bhp variant was much more potent in the higher speed range than the pilot batch, something that puzzled the writer for a number of years.

It will be recalled that the class were replacements for the LNER B1/B17, rated in the Class 5 bracket which in the peak of condition could manage around 1,500-1,600 ihp and in some instances the L1s and the N2 tank engines which could manage around 1,250 IHP/1,000 ihp. Both designs of tank engines were in the 4MT/3MT range. In other words the 1,365 bhp of the Class 31, the main variant on the ECML was in the middle power range. The BR Type 2 diesel classification was reckoned to be roughly comparable with a Class 4 rated steam loco. This, however, is on the assumption for steam that the engines were in good mechanical condition, had high quality coal and enthusiastic crews, all of which could be missing in the less than benign post-war climate as I’m sure most senior members of the RPS are aware.

It should be mentioned that brake horsepower (power developed at the engine crankshaft, bhp) and Indicated horsepower (power developed in the cylinders, ihp) are not the same thing, but give a rough guide to the level of power for comparison purposes.

As mentioned earlier there was also the economic aspect of scheduling in the steam era which in the UK in the majority of instances was at moderate steaming rates. An everyday figure for a B1 was nearer 1,100-1,200 ihp and the loco was heavier at 123 tons as opposed to the 104 tons for a 31. The British Transport Commission was arguably justified in ordering the class in large numbers for the Eastern Region. The case against this is that the aforementioned body were merely content to keep the status quo when it came to scheduling, despite the large initial costs for diesel power. The ECML under line traffic manager Gerard Fiennes did,

Milepost 38 -29- April 2017 thankfully, push for more powerful things which manifested itself emphatically in the building of 22 Deltics, of course, and wanted electrification for the suburban services. The latter finally became a reality between late 1976 and early 1978 with the energising of the wires as far north as Royston.

The tables below demonstrate their work in the early years of dieselisation. Before looking at the runs out of Kings Cross it is worth remembering that at the time of the introduction of the 31s to the ECML, that the speed limit to Potters Bar was no better than 60 and thence to Woolmer Green 70 mph.

Run 1 is behind one of their predecessors: a B17/6 footballer, Darlington, a regular on the Cambridge buffet expresses if archive film is anything to go by, which by 1955 had been rebuilt with a higher pressure 225 psi boiler which put it in the ‘5’ bracket. By the average standards of B17/B1 running on the Cambridge buffet expresses this was quite a good effort and 43 mph at Potters Bar was quite a respectable speed at the summit, the running after to Welwyn Garden City was more pedestrian but the crew of 61652 had matters well in hand to arrive early. The edhp/ihp between Wood Green and Potters Bar was only around 620/865 as opposed to a maximum of 1,500 ihp which the class produced when they were top link motive power on the GC in the pre-war era.

Table 2 Run 1 2 Date 11 August 1955 18 March 1963 Train 7.57 Kings Cross- 9.10 Kings Cross- Cambridge Cambridge Motive Power 61652/B17/6 D5602 (Class 31) Load 8/256/275 7/246/255 Recorder D.Twibell P.Smith M C sch m s mph sch m s mph 0 05 Kings Cross 0 00 0 00 2L 2 41 Finsbury Park 5 58 41 5 22 45 4 03 Hornsey 7 51 53 7 12 55 4 77 Wood Green 8 48 60 8 07 60 6 39 New Southgate 10 21 51/53 9 33 59 8 28 Oakleigh Park 12 40 47 11 37 56 9 14 New Barnet 13 39 45 12 26 56 10 49 Hadley Wood 15 32 45 13 56 55 12 59 Potters Bar 18 35 43 16 14 55 14 39 Brookmans Park 20 37 55/57/52 17 51 69 17 56 Hatfield 24 08 53/55 19 29 73 20 26 Welwyn Garden City [30] 27 53 [26.5] 22 31

Peter Smith, that tireless chronicler of suburban running on the ECML during this period, was on hand to record D5602 on a slightly lighter seven consist in Run 2. The increase in tare weight pro rota reflects the increasing adoption of the heavier Commonwealth bogies on ECML expresses at this period. The speed at the summit at Potters Bar is well in excess of what the steam loco attained. Estimates of D5602 on the 1 in 200 from the-then Wood Green to Potters Bar work out at 870/1,040 edhp/rhp. The two minute late start from the Cross was more than recouped by the time Welwyn Garden City was reached. A time of 22m 31s, start- to-stop, was creditable work for the Type 2

Table 3 draws a comparison with a Baby Deltic. Despite having a weight of only 74 tons in comparison with the 104 for a Class 31, these locomotives still only had 1,100 bhp to play with, a modest level of power to say the least. D5907 developed around 660/760 rdhp/rhp on the 1 in 200 between Wood Green and Potters Bar. This can be compared with the continuous figure quoted in D. Clough’s Diesel Pioneers, Ian Allan (2005) which gives 767 rhp although

Milepost 38 -30- April 2017 the attendant speed range is not given. Up to spec in other words. Despite this, it still shows a discernible superiority over the B17 in Run 1 and it will also be noted that the schedule had been accelerated by 1962. The speed at Potters Bar is about half what it is today behind a 365 ‘Networker’!

As expected D5607 in Run 4 shows its mastery over the English Electric product and it is difficult to imagine in the current climate that 1,365 bhp was the most powerful type ordered for the suburban workings out of Kings Cross during the dieselisation period, underlining what a vastly different place the ECML was in those days.

Table 3 Run 3 4 Date 19 March 1962 28 January 1964 Train 9.10 Kings Cross- 7.55 PM Kings Cross- Cambridge Cambridge Motive Power D5907 (Class 23) D5607 (Class 31) Load 7/235/250 7/233/248 Recorder P.Smith P.Smith M C sch m s mph sch m s mph 0 05 Kings Cross 0 00 0 00 2 41 Finsbury Park 5 45 42 5 06 45 4 03 Hornsey 7 45 56 6 56 57 4 77 Wood Green 8 45 57 7 51 59 6 39 New Southgate 10 24 54 9 17 58 8 28 Oakleigh Park 12 40 54 11 22 57 9 14 New Barnet 13 35 53 12 15 57 10 49 Hadley Wood 15 20 50 13 48 57 12 59 Potters Bar 17 58 52 16 12 56 14 39 Brookmans Park 19 45 63 17 52 68 17 56 Hatfield 22 35 69 20 34 20 26 Welwyn Garden City [26.5] 25 47 [25.5] 23 39

We now venture north of Peterborough up the ECML to Grantham. The 31s for many years had the odd turn over Stoke summit, a very early example was published by Cecil J. Allen in the May 1960 issue of Trains Illustrated. D5569 was on a Kings Cross-Leeds relief on a 9 ?/322/340 consist. Unfortunately, Allen didn’t tabulate the running north of Peterborough, but gave brief details. The 29.1 miles from Peterborough to Grantham was covered in 31m 40s start-to-stop. This can be compared with the schedule for a nominally more powerful Pacific or V2 which was allowed 31 minutes start-to-stop for a 9/315 timing load. The maximum speed noted was 68 mph between Tallington and Essendine. Speed however only fell from 61 mph at Corby Glen passed in 21m 59s to 56 mph at Stoke passed in 25m 8s. The final section gives improbable figures of 1,050/1,219 edhp/rhp which suggests that either a slight timing error by the recorder or quite simply a typographical error has occurred, a revised speed of 53 mph gives 938/1,106 edhp/rhp, within the governor band for tolerance.

Phillip Tromans a couple of years later or so was on hand to record this holiday service in Run 5 which, quite unusually, was composed of Stanier/LMS corridor stock, a reminder of when BR catered for the excess of summer Saturday traffic with any stock the network could provide. D5610 easily beat the 36-minutes schedule between Peterborough and Grantham with the attainment of 73 mph at Essendine before the gradual pull up to Stoke summit pulled speed down to 55 mph. The final section from Corby Glen was worth 840/1,010 edhp/rhp, a little below par - but certainly not dire.

Run 6 is behind a Double-Chimney A3, Knight of the Thistle. Whilst the performance of the Pacific was not exactly in the sparkling category, the crew did a very professional job and kept time without any undue exertion. Quite clearly the steam locomotive without being extended was a class above the 31, but D5610 in comparison didn’t make a disreputable showing.

Milepost 38 -31- April 2017

Table 4 Run 5 6 Date 25 August 1962 31 May 1963 Train Enfield Chase- 8.10 Kings Cross- Filey Hull Motive Power D5610 (Class 31) 60065/A3 Load 8/240/255 9/307/330 Recorder P.Tromans D.Twibell M C sch m s mph sch m s mph 76 29 Peterborough North 0 00 0 00 79 39 Werrington Junction 5 25 58 5 20 60 81 70 Helpston 7 35 65 84 64 Tallington 10 18 70 10 15 66/67/65 88 53 Essendine 13 32 73 13 43 64/65 92 16 Little Bytham 16 40 66 17 06 60/59 97 07 Corby Glen 21 15 60 21 55 62 100 07 Stoke 24 22 55 24 57 55 102 06 Great Ponton 26 05 75 26 47 69 105 35 Grantham [36] 30 17 [31] 30 40

Off to less familiar stop watch territory on the former East Lincolnshire line. Both the sections either side of Spalding featured long level sections as the line cuts through the bleak but in some ways alluring fens, which on a foggy day still retains an aura of mysticism. The bi-daily service from Kings Cross-Cleethorpes was very much a feature of ECML steam operating in the post-war era. The Immingham Britannia’s having being displaced by either a 31 or a 37, it would seem, by May 1963. D5861 was no doubt a disappointment for the recorder who caught the service at Peterborough. A very unpromising start was made in the form of a dead stand at Werrington Junction, but better was to follow as the driver easily made up the arrears on the continuation to Spalding with a maximum of 68 mph after St James Deeping.

The running was even better after the restart and quite simply the driver resorted to full power as far as Kirton. The gradual acceleration from Algarkirk is very marked with a modest power unit, worth around 800/980 edhp/rhp again a little below par but certainly an eloquent testament to having motive power where full power could be obtained by simply pulling a lever. The maximum of 76 mph exceeded the line limit by 16 mph on this section, a serious disciplinary matter now, if not an outright dismissal for the driver.

By contrast in Run 8, Bruce Nathan was treated to some pretty uninspiring but typical running behind a B1. The crew of the steam loco suffered the same obstacle at Werrington Junction, but didn’t exceed 57 mph en route to Spalding. Another signal check impeded the running to Surfleet, from the restart at Spalding. Subsequent running was a shade better just exceeding 60 between Algarkirk and Kirton.

Milepost 38 -32- April 2017 Table 5 Run 7 8 Date 15 May 1963 16 June 1963 2.00 PM Peterborough- Train Kings Cross- Grimsby Cleethorpes Motive Power D5861(Class 31) 61174/B1 Load 8/264/280 ? 5+3/256/270 Recorder P.Tromans B.Nathan M C sch m s mph sch m s mph 76 29 Peterborough North 0 00 sig stop sig stop 79 39 Werrington Junction 7 06 14 14 81 59 Peak irk 10 10 59 18 51 48 83 36 St James Deeping 11 52 63/68/tsr 20 56 53/57 87 59 Littleworth 16 02 25/20/60 25 30 92 77 Spalding [27] 23 45 [?] 31 56 92 77 0 00 0 00 sigs 96 73 Surfleet 5 48 63 8 19 54/59 100 54 Algarkirk & Sutton 9 10 71 12 18 59/61 103 37 Kirton 11 27 75/76 15 05 60 ??? ?? London Road 14 08 37 107 25 Boston [21] 16 26 [?] 20 57

I would like to thank David Lloyd-Roberts for his comments and suggestions regarding this article and to Ian Umpleby for supplying mileage information for the East Lincolnshire.

PERFORMANCE – IN REVERSE?

Bill Hemstock

An aspect of performance often mentioned, but never analysed in detail, is braking. In the mid-1990s, I experienced an example of braking that must have been at the limits of what a modern disc-braked DMU is capable of.

I was travelling from Slough to Paddington aboard a three car Class 165 that was booked non- stop on the up main. Standing in the rear-most doorway with the train travelling at its – governed – 91.6 mph. I ‘froze’ the passing time at Milepost 9½ and noted down the time, and took two involuntary steps forward and collided with the partition ahead of me, causing me to ‘stop’ the stop watch. An emergency brake application had occurred and the Class 165 rapidly decelerated and ground to a halt abreast of Milepost 9 with the rear of the train a few yards beyond the platform at Southall. After a few seconds the brakes were released, full power applied and the journey to Paddington continued quite normally.

Almost certainly, the driver had not reset the safety/vigilance device properly which triggered the emergency brake application and which brought the train to a stand in 850 yards maximum, or possibly a tad less; no time being recorded from Milepost 9½ to the dead stand due to the inadvertent stopping of the stop-watch.

From these basic details, would any member care to comment on the rate of deceleration and the coefficient of friction necessary?

Milepost 38 -33- April 2017 YORKSHIRE STEAM CIRCULAR AND SCARBOROUGH SPA EXPRESS – PART 2

Noel Proudlock

The next section of the Yorkshire Steam Circular/Scarborough Spa Express steam operation presented is between Harrogate and Leeds. This line began operation as the Leeds and Thirsk Railway not serving Harrogate and having a Leeds station on Wellington Road where their roundhouse engine shed remains in commercial use as a significant listed structure. To gain access to Harrogate a quite steeply graded, sharply curved and so severely speed restricted curve was built from the north end of Pannal station to join the Church Fenton to Harrogate line at Crimple Junction immediately south of the major Crimple Viaduct. At the Leeds end, connecting lines had to be built to gain access to the GN/L&Y Joint line to reach Leeds Central and to the Midland line to reach Leeds New Station, later Leeds City South, the latter involving a succession of slow speed connections. So, with a 60mph speed limit, in the southbound direction little is demanded by way of locomotive performance. The climb at 1 in 94 from Arthington through Bramhope Tunnel was traditionally taken easily as the tunnel was wet and slipping, perhaps to a standstill, was a particular risk. Things are better today and several of the 2008-10 runs were rather more vigorous. More recently too, a restriction for steam locomotives has been enforced at a bridge near Harrogate varying for the type of engine involved.

In this direction, many runs suffered heavy signal delays into Leeds so overall times tell very little about performance. Twenty two runs are in the archive with overall times between 28m 39s and 48m56s for an average of 36m 39s. This very slow time for an 18 mile run emphasises the effect of signal delays coming into Leeds and, although it is not my intention to include other runs, in this case, to put these delays into context, my fastest run in 24m 48s (to Leeds Central) by A1 Pacific No. 60121 ‘Silurian’ hauling eight old Pullman cars, 320 tons tare, is included in the table. Otherwise, it shows the fastest overall time, by ‘Mallard’ on 26 April 1987, the slowest unchecked run by ‘Evening Star’ on 14 August 1983 and a couple of 2007-09 runs with much heavier trains at a time when none of the recorded runs avoided signal checks approaching Leeds.

To shed a little more light on performance, I have prepared the following lists to show the time taken on the unchecked runs between Pannal and Headingley and also some business-like climbs from Arthington to Horsforth.

PANNAL to HEADINGLEY 11.9 miles Date Loco Weight Time Date Loco Weight Time 14.08.08 70013 400 14.40 10.08.82 34092 338 15.56 17.08.82 34092 338 14.49 31.08.82 30777 340 16.30 03.09.09 70013 428 14.59 02.09.82 30777 338 16.38 04.08.09 45690 435 15.26 14.08.83 92220 301 16.51 26.08.82 45305 336 15.32 24.08.82 45305 338 17.12 02.09.09 70013 428 15.47

06.09.57 60121 320 13.33

ARTHINGTON SOUTH to HORSFORTH STATION – Notable Times Date Loco Weight Time Avge Date Loco Weight Time Avge 02.09.09 70013 428 4.21 47.7 17.08.82 34092 338 5.03 41.1 03.09.09 70013 428 4.28 46.5 10.07.84 46229 301 5.18 39.2 14.08.08 70013 400 4.55 42.2 04.08.09 45690 435 5.24 38.5 26.04.87 60022 407 4.56 42.1

Milepost 38 -34- April 2017 TABLE 1 Date 26 April 1987 17 August 1982 14 August 1983 Loco 60022 34092 92220 Name Mallard City of Wells Evening Star Running as LNER 4468 Weight 407 338 301 Recorder B Harrison C Foss B Basterfield m ch location m s mph av m s mph av m s mph av 17 24 HARROGATE 0 00 0 00 0 00 15 19 Crimple 4 00 52/20 32.4 5 19 36/20 23.2 5 05 35/15 24.3 14 03 Pannal 6 03 2.03 40 35.1 7 20 2.01 45 35.7 7 39 2.34 40 28.0 12 15 Rigton 8 56 2.53 TSR 20 37.5 9 34 2.14 59 50.0 10 00 2.21 50 46.9 10 62 Weeton 10 48 1.52 52/TSR 30 45.8 11 00 1.26 56/61 59.7 11 45 1.45 50 48.9 8 18 Arthington South 14 26 3.38 53 42.1 13 55 2.55 50 52.4 14 56 3.11 45 48.1 4 61 Horsforth 19 20 4.56 37/49 42.1 18 58 5.03 30/47 41.1 20 58 6.02 30/45 34.4 2 11 Headingley 22 08 2.48 60 56.2 22 09 3.11 52/41 49.5 24 30 3.32 49/39 44.5 1 06 Cardigan Road 23 39 1.30 41 42.5 # # Wortley Jn 24 46 2.38 15 48.7 28 26 3.56 15 33.4 0 72 Holbeck LL 25 45 2.06 20 33.2 0 47 Whitehall Jn 26 25 1.39 15 14.1 29 47 1.21 15 15.0 0 00 LEEDS 28 39 2.14 15.6 29 27 3.42 12.0 32 54 3.07 Mileage Changes: # Wortley Jn 0.14/0.79 S Box Wortley to Leeds NOT MP mileage

Date 04 August 2009 03 September 2009 06 September 1957 Loco 45690 70013 60121 Name Leander Oliver Cromwell Silurian Running as LMS 5690 Weight 435 428 320 Driver Seymour Seymour Melody (Neville Hill) Recorder F Hartley F Hartley J N D Proudlock m ch location m s mph av m s mph av m s mph av 17 24 HARROGATE 0 00 + 0 00 20/10+ 0 00 15 19 Crimple 8 02 36/19 15.4 6 55 33/14 17.9 4 05 49/20 28.5 14 03 Pannal 10 30 2.28 38 29.2 9 34 2.39 37 27.2 6 15 2.10 47 33.2 12 15 Rigton 13 01 2.31 55 43.8 12 26 2.52 40 38.5 8 22 2.07 62/63 52.4 10 62 Weeton 14 30 1.29 60 57.6 14 33 2.07 49 40.4 9 42 1.20 64 63.5 8 18 Arthington South 17 00 2.30 64/54 61.2 17 14 2.41 62/55 57.0 12 10 2.28 60/55 62.0 4 61 Horsforth 22 24 5.24 31/41 38.5 21 42 4.28 43/50 46.5 17 00 4.50 33/53 43.0 2 11 Headingley 25 56 3.32 49/40 44.6 24 33 2.51 48/49 55.3 19 48 2.48 61 56.3 1 27 Burley Park 27 19 1.23 29 34.7 25 33 1.00 47 48.0 0 19 Armley 29 38 2.19 34 30.1 27 39 2.06 21 33.2 22 02 2.14 50/38 49.4 3 sig stops: # # Wortley Jn sig stop L3631 8m8s 22 32 0.30 35 36.8 0 72 Holbeck LL 22 52 0.20 30 33.7 0 47 Whitehall Jn 20/22 Net Net 0 00 LEEDS 39 42 10.04 6.8 43 33 16.54 9.1 24 48 1.56 17.3 # as above + Bridge clearance slowing + Bridge clearance slowing Gelderd SB LEEDS CENTRAL STN

In the other direction, apart from four runs in August and September 1982, performance was impaired by a particularly nasty landslip on the western side of the very high embankment immediately north of Arthington Viaduct. By summer 1983 it had become necessary to re- impose the speed restriction whilst much more extensive remedial works were undertaken and this remained in force until the end of steam specials in 1988. I have had to select runs affected by the TSR but otherwise un-delayed as the fastest and slowest and also show the one 2008 run which was un-delayed, benefitted from the major improvement to the layout at Leeds and did not have the bridge clearance slack at Harrogate imposed. None of the 1982 runs when the slack was lifted were otherwise un-delayed. The time taken from Horsforth to

Milepost 38 -35- April 2017 Pannal on the seven un-delayed runs averaged 11m 07s and the 34 runs affected by the bank slip TSR 14m 42s, an average cost of 3½ minutes which reflects its position immediately beyond the bottom of a gradient trough – the worst possible.

But running in this direction did provide some very stirring locomotive work tackling the 1 in 100 ascent to Horsforth. These efforts were helped in 2007-09 runs by the vastly-faster exit from Leeds which allowed the climb to be started at a higher speed. All the runs which achieved an average of 40 mph or more from Headingley are listed below with indicated horsepower estimates for the very best.

HEADINGLEY – HORSFORTH RUNS UNDER 4 MINS (39.4mph) Date Loco Load M.S. Avge IHP 04.08.83 92220 306 3.39 43.4 1652 25.08.83 30777 297 3.48 41.4 01.09.83 92220 300 3.00 52.5 2170 13.08.85 30777 300 3.51 40.9 15.08.85 92220 301 3.30 45.0 1728 29.09.85 92220 306 3.52 40.7 01.09.85 30777 306 3.55 40.2 1480 25.04.87 60022 413 3.45 42.0 1963 26.04.87 60022 407 3.31 44.8 2090 29.08.88 92220 403 3.31 44.8 2090 12.08.08 70013# 400 3.48 41.5 13.08.08 70013 410 3.45 41.6 1917 25.08.09 70013 413 3.51 40.5 # Fastest time to Horsforth 10m02s 13 out of 46 – 28.3%

The three runs in Table 2 illustrate adequately how overall running was but there was also some very poor performance so much so that I show the run with 92220 as the slowest. On 20 August 1978 Peter Semmens was on the footplate of 92220 when it was steaming very badly and needed 48m 46s. On 10 May 1980, the inaugural run of 46229 was also extremely poor, needing 47m 58s, and on 19 August 1982 it needed 41m 03s. Even worse was to come on 16 August 1983 when, because of a defective ring in the jet (blower) it suffered a blow back, injuring the driver and taking 48m 11s. The longest time of all was on 17 May 1980 when 46201 ‘Princess Elizabeth’ was so beset by signal delays that 53m 55s were expended. The passengers must have wondered why they had bothered!

Many of the timers on the Harrogate to Leeds section continued to York but a number of trains reaching Leeds from other points were also recorded over that section. In all there are 41 runs in the RPS Database featuring nine different locomotive types and, as may be imagined, un- delayed runs over this busy and quite speedy line running into York were rather a matter of luck. Since steam was the everyday power, changes in line speed have taken place. Raising line speed to 90/100 mph does not benefit steam performance today but raising speed from 60 to 70 mph over Micklefield Junction and from 60 to 70 and later 80 mph round the curve at Church Fenton does and makes it much easier to run at the 75-mph permitted for large wheeled engines onwards to York. The nonstop schedule in post war steam days was 32 minutes with no difference made for locomotive type or train weight – a rather hopeful attitude to timekeeping.

To put these matters into context, Table 3 column 1 shows a typical run at the end of steam on the down ‘North Briton’. On that run the climb to Crossgates was completed in 8m 20s which at the time I regarded as quite good (schedule was 8). Many runs I recorded took longer than this, often nine minutes or more. With a 60mph limit at Micklefield and Church Fenton the decent of the bank was usually

Milepost 38 -36- April 2017 TABLE 2 Date 25 August 1983 31 July 2008 27 August 1978 Loco 30777 45690 92220 Name Sir Lamiel Leander Evening Star Running as SR 777 LMS 5690 Weight 297 406 402 Recorder R D Spiers C M Taylor R D Spiers m ch location m s mph av m s mph av m s mph av 0 0 LEEDS 0 00 0 00 0 00 0 47 Whitehall Jn 3 07 20 11.3 0 79 Wortley Jn 3 08 34/36 21.2 0 00 0 14 New Wortley Jn 3 33 39 23.7 4 39 22 23.0 1 06 Cardigan Road 4 57 41 38.6 7 03 23 22.5 1 27 Burley Park 5 03 34 36.3 2 11 Headingley 6 30 42 41.3 6 25 34 35.5 9 53 22 22.5 4 61 Horsforth 10 18 42 41.4 11 10 29 32.8 17 15 21 21.4 8 18 Arthington South 14 42 57 47.2 16 32 62 41.9 23 35 50 32.8 10 62 Weeton 18 48 TSR30/41 37.3 18 47 55 60.5 27 39 TRS20/25 37.6 12 15 Rigton 21 03 43 37.6 20 23 51 52.5 30 20 37 31.6 14 03 Pannal 23 36 42 43.5 22 33 49 51.2 33 27 35 35.6 15 19 Crimple 25 57 20/35 30.6 24 39 22/23 34.3 36 17 20/25 25.4 17 24 HARROGATE 30 45 25.8 30 09 23.2 42 40 10.0 Leeds to Wortley not milepost mileages - several changes taken without steam and speeds much in excess of about 68 mph were rarely attained onwards to York. On this run Micklefield Junction to Copmanthorpe occupied 10m 58s 65.9 mph with the speed restrictions observed.

Taking 8m 20s to Crossgates as a benchmark an interesting selection of runs beat eight minutes which I would have regarded as exceptional in 1958-60, as follows:

Date Loco Weight M.S Date Loco Weight M.S. 19.08.82 46229 339 7.47 31.07.88 60022 471 7.42 17.08.82 34092 338 8.01 26.07.07 60009 360 7.42 10.05.86 45305 359 7.35 14.08.08 70013 400 7.58 26.04.87 60022 407 7.25 02.09.09 70013 428 7.16

At the other end of the scale were two runs over 11 mins

09.08.83 92220 297 11.10 26.04.86 60800 428 11.35

In the early years, there was a tacit understanding with the locomotive owners to treat their engines gently but, by the time West Coast Railways took over, pleasing steam fans (including me!) with a romp from Leeds to York became a feature and the following list shows times and average speeds from Micklefield to Copmanthorpe on the left up to 1988 and on the right from 2007.

Date Loco Weight Time Avge Date Loco Weight Time Avge 11.11.80 46229 466 10.51 66.6 26.07.07 60009 360 9.47 74.3 19.08.82 46229 339 11.31 62.8 13.08.08 70013 400 9.35 75.4 10.07.84 46229 301 10.27 69.2 14.08.08 70013 400 10.31 68.7 31.07.84 34092 301 11.35 62.4 28.07.09 45407 428 11.31 62.6 18.05.85 30777 301 * 67.4 04.08.09 45690 428 10.21 69.8 09.07.85 30777 301 11.51 61.0 13.08.09 45231 428 11.09 64.8 09.11.85 60800 428 11.30 62.9 02.09.09 70013 428 9.51 73.4 26.04.86 60800 428 11.16 64.2 03.09.09 70013 428 9.38 75.0 10.05.86 45305 359 10.21 69.9 23.07.88 60022 418 10.42 67.6 30.07.88 60022 N/R 10.25 69.4 31.07.88 60022 471 10.35 68.3 *Church Fenton to Copmanthorpe after signals at Micklefield

Milepost 38 -37- April 2017

The runs selected for this table show different locomotive types at their best which includes an outstanding performance by Neville Hill driver Holme on No. 45305 on 10 May 1986 which is the fastest of all and just one second slower than my steam era fastest, itself by quite a large margin, behind an A3 Pacific. The run by V2 60800 is the slowest of all but this engine did make a better start from Leeds to Crossgates, passed in 9m 10s on 9 November 1985. Britannia No. 70013 appears four times and the other three runs are of a very similar standard to that featured. I was particularly interested to learn what this type of engine could do from Leeds to York since, if steam had continued, they would presumably have been the replacement for the A3 Pacifics on the ‘North Briton’ and I wondered how they would have fared. In 1967 I enjoyed a first class run from Manchester to Leeds via Rochdale behind No. 70021. At Leeds it was re-manned by a York crew wearing green diesel train crew uniform and with gloves. As I walked across Leeds to the bus stop I could still hear them batting hard out to Crossgates. It is one of several logs I did not obtain and which I much regret. These 2008/09 runs show very clearly there would have been no problem at all.

TABLE 3 Date 11 August 1960 19 August 1982 31 July 1984 Loco 60086 46229 34092 Name Gainsborough Duchess of Hamilton City of Wells Weight 377 339 301 Driver Turner (Neville Hill) Hopwood (York) Recorder J N D Proudlock J N D Proudlock F Hartley m ch location m s mph av m s mph av m s mph av 20 47 LEEDS 0 00 0 00 0 00 19 63 Marsh Lane 2 40 33 18.0 2 24 34 20.0 2 50 28 15.6 18 74 Neville Hill West 4 18 42 34.3 18 28 Neville Hill East 5 08 42 35.0 4 39 45 38.3 16 11 Crossgates 8 20 41 41.5 7 47 40 42.4 8 20 41 41.5 13 23 Garforth 12 00 55 46.6 11 43 49 43.4 12 05 52 45.6 10 63 Micklefield Jn 14 32 60/61 59.2 14 37 55 51.7 14 41 62 56.2 15 62 10 62 Church Fenton 19 15 65/63 63.6 19 34 60/68/71 60.6 19 27 67 64.6 8 70 Ulleskelf 21 04 65 62.7 21 13 70 69.1 21 14 61 63.9 7 50 Bolton Percy 22 11 68 67.1 22 17 70 70.3 22 29 60 60.0 5 41 Colton Jn 24 32 62 61.8 3 59 Copmanthorpe 25 30 71 70.3 26 08 51 eased 54.7 26 16 59 61.4 1 78 Chaloners Whin 28 18 -/36 52.0 0 41 Holgate F/B 28 55 35 56.6 30 00 57/X15 50.0 0 00 YORK 30 35 18.5 32 40 11.5 33 37 22.3

Date 09 July 1985 29 August 1985 26 April 1986 Loco 30777 92220 60800 Name Sir Lamiel Evening Star Green Arrow Running as SR 777 LNER 4771 Weight 301 301 428 Driver Bill Vardy (York) Recorder F Hartley F Hartley F Hartley m ch location m s mph av m s mph av m s mph av 20 47 LEEDS 0 00 0 00 0 00 19 63 Marsh Lane 2 55 30 14.7 3 03 34 14.0 4 05 29 11.7 18 74 Neville Hill West 4 27 37 33.7 4 27 40 36.9 5 52 30 29.0 18 28 Neville Hill East 8 03+ 29 28.1 16 11 Crossgates 8 37 41 40.1 8 10 47 45.0 11 35 28 29.3 13 23 Garforth 12 19 54 46.2 11 28 60 51.8 16 32 46 34.5 10 63 Micklefield Jn 14 50 61 58.1 13 47 64 63.1 19 44 37/59 43.4 15 62 10 62 Church Fenton 19 38 67/60 64.7 18 35 67/62/64 64.1 24 31 66 64.4 8 70 Ulleskelf 21 32 58 60.0 20 33 55 58.0 26 15 65 65.8

Milepost 38 -38- April 2017 m ch location m s mph av m s mph av m s mph av 7 50 Bolton Percy 22 50 56 57.7 21 49 62 59.2 27 25 64 64.3 5 41 Colton Jn 25 00 60 58.5 23 46 66 65.0 29 21 65 65.5 3 59 Copmanthorpe 26 41 66 63.3 25 22 67 66.6 31 00 66 64.6 1 78 Chaloners Whin 28 17 67 66.1 27 03 56 62.8 32 39 63 64.0 0 41 Holgate F/B sigs c15 0 00 YORK 32 25 28.7 31 55 24.3 38 10 21.5 18/05/85 777 ran 362t up to 72mph +Osmondthorpe Stn 17m69c 1547ihp Table 3 continued Date 10 May 1986 31 July 1988 13 August 2008 Loco 45305 60022 70013 Train Train from Carlisle Train from Manchester Name Mallard Oliver Cromwell Running as LMS 5305 LNER 4468 Weight 359 471 400 Driver Holme (N.Hill) Albert Seymour Recorder B Basterfield G A M Wood J N D Proudlock m ch location m s mph av m s mph av m s mph av 20 47 LEEDS 0 00 0 00 0 00 19 63 Marsh Lane 3 00 28 14.3 2 49 32 17.0 18 74 Neville Hill West 3 52 45/46 24.4 4 23 36 37.4 18 28 Neville Hill East 5 05 42 39.2 16 11 Crossgates 7 35 45 45.0 7 42 54 50.4 8 07 44 43.8 13 23 Garforth 11 00 56 50.0 10 32 65/59 60.4 11 40 TSR52/56 48.2 10 63 Micklefield Jn 13 28 62 59.3 13 37 TSR45/53/39 47.4 14 07 70 61.2 15 62 10 62 Church Fenton 17 59 73 68.2 17 57 84/54 71.1 18 00 81/77 77.2 8 70 Ulleskelf 19 33 72 72.8 19 56 64 57.5 19 30 74 76.0 7 50 Bolton Percy 20 36 70 72.2 21 02 70 68.2 20 30 74 75.0 5 41 Colton Jn 22 22 71 71.2 22 47 74 72.4 22 13 72 73.1 3 59 Copmanthorpe 23 49 73 73.5 24 12 76 75.2 23 42 71 72.7 1 78 Chaloners Whin 25 21 65 69.0 25 39 69 72.9 25 20 YY43 64.7 0 41 Holgate F/B 28 17 Y25/X25 29.3 0 00 YORK 28 51 33.9 29 55 27.8 30 00 17.9

Date 04 August 2009 22 July 2009 Loco 45690 45407 Name Leander Running as LMS 5690 Weight 428 430 Driver Seymour Rawlings Recorder J N D Proudlock F Hartley m ch location m s mph av m s mph av 20 47 LEEDS 0 00 0 00 19 63 Marsh Lane 3 37 29 13.3 4 07 30 10.7 18 74 Neville Hill West 5 40 36 32.4 18 28 Neville Hill East 6 09 38 34.8 16 11 Crossgates 9 41 37 37.5 9 59 40 38.7 13 23 Garforth 13 52 51 40.9 13 55 50 43.5 10 63 Micklefield Jn 16 31 63 56.3 16 31 63/62 56.2 15 62 10 62 Church Fenton 20 47 75/72 70.3 21 41 Y54/58XNL 56.9 8 70 Ulleskelf 22 24 71 70.5 23 37 61 59.0 7 50 Bolton Percy 23 28 69 70.4 24 44 62 63.8 5 41 Colton Jn 25 19 67 68.5 26 49 64/65 62.6 3 59 Copmanthorpe 26 54 68 67.3 28 30 64 63.3 1 78 Chaloners Whin 28 28 56* 67.5 30 10 61 63.4 0 41 Holgate F/B 31 21 S20/X26 30.4 32 59 31.1 0 00 YORK 33 02 17.1 35 11 14.0 * brakes

Milepost 38 -39- April 2017 The reverse run from York to Leeds is a rather harder proposition and can be broken into four sections to consider locomotive performance. Firstly, is the start out of York. The time to pass Copmanthorpe gives a good indication of the vigour of the initial acceleration and during the steam era I regarded less than six minutes as ‘determined’. The line speed of 70 mph was often reached and at times exceeded and it has to be said the 60mph restriction round Church Fenton curve was often exceeded to retain impetus for the six-mile climb to Ridge Bridge. The quality of work here can be judged by times over two overlapping sections, firstly Church Fenton to Micklefield and secondly Bolton Percy to, in steam days, Osmondthorpe and now Crossgates. The time for the downhill run to Leeds is usually determined by signal delays but a well-judged run is needed to get a good time and, for me, six minutes was ‘par’. I have listed those starts from York passing Copmanthorpe in less than 6m 15s, the climbs from Church Fenton to Micklefield in less than 5m 15s and the runs from Bolton Percy to Crossgates at roundabout 60mph pass to pass. The outstanding run by No. 45690 on 31 July 2008 is a shade faster than anything I recorded, even A4 pacifics hauling six vehicles! Our President, John Heaton, will have featured many runs I made on the 5.10 pm York to Leeds in 1958/59 in his performance article in a previous issue of the Railway Magazine.

YORK to pass COPMANTHORPE Date Loco Weight m.s Date Loco Weight m.s 02.08.84 34092 298 5.42 06.08.09 45690 428 6.07 12.08.08 70013 400 6.01 03.09.09 70013 428 6.07 25.08.09 70013 413 5.48 04.08.09 45690 413 6.17 31.07.08 45690 406 5.56 CHURCH FENTON to MICKLEFIELD pass to pass Date Loco Weight m.s Date Loco Weight m.s 14.10.78 35028 371 5.09 19.08.08 70013 406 5.07 11.11.78 35028 371 5.04 04.08.09 45690 413 5.05 25.04.87 60022 413 5.16 25.08.09 70013 413 4.53 20.07.88 60022 418 5.10 01.09.09 70013 428 4.56 31.07.08 45690 406 4.46 12.08.08 70013 400 4.43

BOLTON PERCY to CROSSGATES pass to pass Date Loco Weight m.s Av’ge Date Loco Weight m.s Av’ge mph mph 14.10.78 35028 371 13.20 60.86 12.08.08 70013 400 12.59 61.9 11.11.78 35028 371 13.05 62.02 04.08.09 45690 413 13.36 59.0 31.07.08 45690 406 12.44 63.7 01.09.09 70013 428 13.28 59.6

The runs included in the table for this direction are the very good ones and I have estimated and show indicated horsepower for the climbs past Micklefield and several are outstanding. Delays of various sorts and some poor running – not having been there I cannot offer any opinion whether there were locomotive problems – resulted in twenty runs, 44%, taking longer than 40 minutes and just the one in less than 30. Several locomotive classes only feature in these unexciting runs and so do not feature in the table –

V2 60800 Green Arrow N15 30777 Sir Lamiel A3 60103 Flying Scotsman LN 30850 Lord Nelson 8P 46229 Duchess of Hamilton

Milepost 38 -40- April 2017 TABLE 4 Date 16 June 1958 06 August 1978 14 October 1978 Loco 60076 45305 35028 Name Galopin Clan Line Running as LMS 5305 Weight 351 11 - say 365 371 Driver Burton (Gateshead) Recorder J N D Proudlock I Umpleby P W B Semmens m ch location m s mph av m s mph av m s mph av 0 04 YORK(south end) 0 00 0 00 0 00 0 28 Holgate Bdge Jn 0 41 Holgate F/B 1 37 25 17.2 1 78 Chaloners Whin 5 04 36 22.8 4 48 40 24.7 3 59 Copmanthorpe 6 20 4.43 55 41.0 7 32 2.28 47 42.9 7 03 2.15 55 47.0 5 41 Colton Jn 7 50 Bolton Percy 10 13 3.53 68 60.1 12 00 4.28 57 50.7 10 58 3.55 63 59.5 8 70 Ulleskelf 11 19 1.06 71 68.2 12 05 1.07 66 67.1 10 62 Church Fenton 12 54 1.35 71/68 72.0 15 03 3.03 63 62.0 13 46 1.41 66 67.7 15 62 Micklefield Jn 18 10 5.16 51 57.0 20 53 5.50 43 51.4 18 55 5.09 57 58.2 10 63 13 23 Garforth 21 10 3.00 48/52 50.0 24 17 3.24 49 44.1 21 28 2.33 60 58.2 16 11 Crossgates 24 17 3.07 57/62 54.9 27 35 3.18 58 50.0 24 18 2.50 60 60.4 18 28 Neville hill East 26 40 2.23 38 55.7 18 74 Neville Hill West 30 36 3.01 42 55.4 27 59 3.41 40 45.4 19 63 Marsh Lane 28 53 2.13 40 38.9 29 28 1.29 30 34.9 0 08$ LEEDS(west end) 31 25 2.32 BAY 18.9 35 16 4.40 22.6 32 31 3.03 $ COM 20.47/0.00 EDBHP/IHP Micklefield 1324/1604 1147/1445 1693/2067

Date 17 May 1980 02 August 1984 25 April 1987 Loco 46201 34092 60022 Name Princess Elizabeth City of Wells Mallard Running as LMS 6201 LNER 4468 Weight 379 298 413 Recorder P W B Semmens J N D Proudlock P W B Semmens m ch location m s mph av m s mph av m s mph av 0 04 YORK(south end) 0 00 0 00 0 00 0 28 Holgate Bdge Jn 0 41 Holgate F/B 1 50 27 16.8 1 78 Chaloners Whin 5 06 45 23.2 4 00 2.10 56 40.5 5 00 52 23.1 3 59 Copmanthorpe 7 20 2.14 51 47.3 5 42 1.42 68 62.2 6 48 1.48 64 58.3 5 41 Colton Jn 7 15 1.33 70 68.7 8 25 1.37 67 65.9 7 50 Bolton Percy 11 23 4.03 61 57.6 9 00 1.45 72 72.4 10 25 2.00 68 63.4 8 70 Ulleskelf 12 35 1.12 63 62.5 10 02 1.02 72 72.6 11 31 1.06 68 68.2 10 62 Church Fenton 14 20 1.45 64 65.1 12 00 1.58 Y40* 41.7 13 22 1.51 60 61.6 15 62 Micklefield Jn 20 09 5.49 52/Y42 54.9 19 57 7.57 60 37.7 18 38 5.16 56 58.5 10 63 13 23 Garforth 23 41 3.32 39/46 41.3 22 46 2.49 50 53.2 21 30 2.52 YY40/56 51.0 16 11 Crossgates 26 36 2.55 60 58.6 26 00 3.14 55/65 52.9 24 53 3.23 50 50.8 18 28 Neville hill East 28 18 2.18 50 57.7 18 74 Neville Hill West 29 59 3.23 42 49.7 28 03 3.10 58/45 52.8 19 63 Marsh Lane 31 22 1.23 33 37.4 30 22 2.04 52/35 41.7 29 35 1.32 30 33.7 0 08$ LEEDS(west end) 34 19 2.57 18.3 33 20 2.58 "C" 18.2 32 32 2.57 18.3 $ COM 20.47/0.00 * long slowing until starter cleared EDBHP/IHP Micklefield 1596/1918 1538/1911 1897/2227

Milepost 38 -41- April 2017

Table 4 - continued Date 29 August 1988 31 July 2008 12 August 2008 Loco 92220 45690 70013 Name Evening Star Leander Oliver Cromwell Running as LMS 5690 Weight 403 406 400 Driver Doug Smith David Blair David Blair Recorder F Hartley C M Taylor J N D Proudlock m ch location m s mph av m s mph av m s mph av 0 04 YORK(south end) 0 00 0 00 0 00 0 28 Holgate Bdge Jn 1 27 21 11.6 0 41 Holgate F/B 1 41 X22 18.3 1 78 Chaloners Whin 5 31 39 22.0 4 04 2.37 49 37.8 4 04 2.23 48 36.8 3 59 Copmanthorpe 7 32 2.01 55 52.4 5 56 1.52 61 56.2 6 01 1.57 59/TSR25 55.1 5 41 Colton Jn 9 23 1.51 60 57.6 7 35 1.39 67 63.6 8 54 2.53 42 37.0 7 50 Bolton Percy 11 26 2.03 62 61.8 9 25 1.50 71 69.4 11 18 2.24 61 52.8 8 70 Ulleskelf 12 38 1.12 63 62.5 10 26 1.01 73 73.7 12 28 1.10 67 64.3 10 62 Church Fenton 14 30 1.52 59 61.1 11 58 1.32 73 74.4 14 07 1.39 70/73 69.0 15 62 Micklefield Jn 19 58 5.3 55/52 56.3 16 44+ 4.46 55/52 64.2 18 50 4.43 56 63.6 10 63 13 23 Garforth 22 45 2.47 50/53 52.5 19 23 2.39 57 54.3 21 32 2.42 54/60 55.5 16 11 Crossgates 25 40 2.55 63 58.6 22 09 2.46 70 62.9 24 17 2.45 64/59 62.2 18 28 Neville hill East 26 42 2.25 48 54.9 18 74 Neville Hill West 28 38 2.58 55 56.4 24 40 2.31 55 64.4 19 63 Marsh Lane 30 05 1.27 27 35.7 25 44 1.04 35 50.6 29 35 2.53 29.9 32 50 sig 36 26 stop

0 08$ LEEDS(west end) 32 57 2.52 17.5 28 28 2.44 17.6 39 08 9.33 Net: 9.07 $ COM 20.47/0.00 + Micklefield Stn 10m68c EDBHP/IHP Micklefield 1633/1957 1613/1888 1708/2036

Peter Semmens accompanied ‘Evening Star’ on its first trip on the steam circular and recorded it in very great detail. Steaming was very problematical from York to Horsforth and I will present this as a future article, as it is very illuminating.

The Conti (or a small bit of it)

David Lloyd-Roberts

This was the nickname given to the 0735 Birkenhead – Margate. I will give some background to this train, but it is not intended to be a comprehensive account. The performance aspect deals solely with the portion that ran directly from Ashford to Margate via Canterbury West.

The train was formed by stock provided by the Southern Region and the Western Region on alternate days of the week. The train did not run on Sundays. In 1960, when I timed this train the service was truncated to start at Wolverhampton at 1042.

The train, as far as Redhill, was a weighty 12 car formation. It was Castle-worked by a Reading engine from Chester to Reading. (Latterly from Wolverhampton). From there, a Southern Class N or a Standard 76XXX was the motive power as far as Redhill. This was a tough task with long 1 in 100 gradients, or thereabouts, between Guildford and Redhill.

Milepost 38 -42- April 2017 At Redhill, the train reversed – the front four coaches becoming the rear four were detached and worked forward to Brighton (reverse) and Eastbourne (reverse) to Hastings. The motive power was often a Tonbridge D1 as far as Brighton. This arrived via the opposite working having initially worked the 0610 from Tonbridge to Brighton. The remaining eight carriages, now at the front, were worked by a Ramsgate Schools Class, or an N, to Margate via Canterbury. This had arrived on the morning working to Birkenhead. The train subdivided again at Ashford – the front five coaches going forward with the train engine via Canterbury to Margate.

I have found that I have timed this train three times between Ashford and Canterbury West, probably between April and June 1960, with the benefit of an East Kent Day Tour ticket. The line between Ashford and Ramsgate via Canterbury is fairly level – I believe there is a gradient profile in the Ian Allan Gradient Profile book. The line speed is (and was) 70 mph with a 60mph restriction round the curves at Chartham. There is a slight dip about MP 63, but the 60mph starts there. There are proposals to raise the line speed to 90 mph from the December 2016 timetable change. However, in view of Network Rail’s current malaise I have my doubts about this. It is strange that a train that has very likely achieved 140 mph between London and Ashford is allowed no more than 70 on to Ramsgate.

Two of the runs were recorded by the usual Class N. The 3rd run, with No. 30937 was with a double chimney Schools. This engine survived to work out of Waterloo and lasted until the cull in December 1962, despite not having had a general overhaul since December 1956. I thought that a comparison of these runs, over what at the time a secondary main line, may be of some interest to members. Table 1 Run no 1 2 Date 1960 1960 Train 10.42 Wolverhampton- 10.42 Wolverhampton- Margate Margate Motive Power 31408/N 31854/N Load 5/162/180 5/163/180 Recorder D.L.R D.L.R M C [sch] m s mph [sch] m s mph 56 11 Ashford 0 00 0 00 60 32 Wye 7 07 60 7 15 64 65 08 Chilham 11 50 62 12 00 62/59 67 18 Chartham 13 40 68 14 07 62/60 70 27 Canterbury West [21] 17 32 [21] 18 17

Table 2 Run no 3 Date 1960 Train 10.42 Wolverhampton- Margate Motive Power 30937/S Load 5/171/185 Recorder D.L.R M C [sch] m s mph 56 11 Ashford 0 00 60 32 Wye 5 45 65 65 08 Chilham 10 18 63/69 67 18 Chartham 12 11 72 70 27 Canterbury West [21] 15 58

Milepost 38 -43- April 2017

A DAY MOUNTAINEERING

Mike Burrow

A North American holiday gave me the opportunity to put my mountaineering skills to the test by recording two sections of the well-publicised ‘Rocky Mountaineer’ train as it travelled from Vancouver to Banff on a combination of CP and CN tracks. As it was the height of the 2016 tourist season, the train was loaded to 19 coaches including eight double decked vehicles, 10 conventional coaches (some with observation windows) and a power generating bogie vehicle. No baggage van was included as luggage was taken independently by road transportation and always arrived before us. The total passenger complement was 750 paying travellers with an entourage of over 50 staff to look after them.

Motive power was provided initially by two GP 40-2 diesel locomotives from Vancouver to Kamloops with a third being added for the final section through the Rocky Mountains to Banff giving a total of 9,000 hp for a train with a total consist tare weight of 1,740 tons. The steepest gradient encountered was 1 in 45 through the two Spiral Tunnels in the Kicking Horse Pass prior to the Continental Divide being reached at an altitude of 5,332 ft.

For recording purposes, it was necessary to resort to traditional stop-watch timing since the terrain, location and/or shatter-proof observation car windows prevented any GPS signal being received. This involved clocking sub-division mileposts located every mile or the infrequent colour light signals which also had distance plates displayed. As train speeds rarely exceeded 50 mph and were often below 30 this was not a major problem although absent mileposts were not uncommon.

Table 1. Kamloops to Revelstoke: 128.5 miles.

Departing from the ex-Canadian Pacific Lorne Street Station, Kamloops, at 7.00 am our train, headed by three GP 40-2 General Motors 3,000hp diesels, was stopped briefly before accessing the single-tracked mainline of the Shuswap sub-division for the run to Revelstoke.

Once on the mainline, speed rose gently into the 50s before an early train meet near Pritchard (25 miles) caused a severe reduction to 5 mph on the passing loop. This, as with all similar North American rail passing manoeuvres, seemed to go on for ever! However, speed did gradually recover once again to former levels before our first serious challenge of the day - the infamous Notch Hill (48 miles). This involved a 530 ft climb over a distance of 14.5 miles with grades steepening to 1 in 90. Speed fell at one stage to 22 mph, but ‘the Hill’ was successfully surmounted at 34 mph. The next major township, Salmon Arm (65.3 miles.), was passed in just 18 seconds under the former ‘Canadian’ schedule of two hours, start to stop, from Kamloops – a quite respectable comparison.

Line curvature around the irregular shores of Lake Shuswap kept speed down into the 20s although the loco men had probably been informed in advance of another train meet, this time near to Sicamous (84.1 miles). We were stationary for almost seven minutes on this occasion but in the normal course of events this is not significant and, to put it into context, an OT arrival at Banff is regarded as anytime between 7.30 pm and 9.00 pm! Away again on our stately progress of 55 mph or so with thoughts turning to Craigellachie and the site of The Last Spike

Milepost 38 -44- April 2017 ceremony on 7 November 1885 to mark the completion of track laying from one Canadian coast to the other. The train duly paid its respects for this outstanding achievement by slowing down to 25 mph accompanied by a cascade of camera clicking.

The final section to Revelstoke includes a climb of 550 ft to Clanwilliam (1,739 ft) at an average gradient of 1 in 190. The summit was passed at 35.5 mph after a minimum of 30 mph during the ascent. Then, downhill all the way to Revelstoke at restricted speed, taking over 20 minutes to negotiate a twisting river valley for the last eight miles before the fitting finale to the sub-division of an eleven span, 1,322 ft long bridge, crossing the Columbia River.

TABLE 1: KAMLOOPS to REVELSTOKE Date 12th July 2016 Train 11th July departure Vancouver to Banff. ‘The Rocky Mountaineer’ Loco 3xG P 40-2 ; 8005, 8013 & 8017 Load 19 / 1386 / 1475 Recorder/pos M J Burrow 14/22 Dist. Sched Actual Speed Av.Speed 0.0 KAMLOOPS LORNE St. 0 0 - 00 ~ / sig stop 1m - 02s 5.5 McCracken ~ 17 - 13 53.5 / 55.5 20.4 11.5 Campbell River ~ 23 - 37 52 / 53.5 56.0 14.5 M P 114 ~ 26 - 55 48.5 54.5 17.2 Monte Creek ~ 30 - 20 50.5 47.6 20.5 M P 108 ~ 34 - 07 56 52.1 24.7 Pritchard ~ 39 - 13 *40 49.4 32.5 M P 96 ~ 51 - 12 *5 T M 25.5 33.7 Chase ~ 60 - 24 25 7.8 38.5 M P 90 ~ 66 - 54 50.5 44.3 41.2 Squilax ~ 72 - 04 23 31.5 43.5 M P 85 ~ 78 - 15 22 22.3 48.3 Notch Hill ~ 90 - 19 34 23.9 54.5 M P 74 ~ 101 - 18 31 33.8 59.5 Tappen ~ 111 - 02 30 30.8 65.3 Salmon Arm 120 119 - 42 47 40.2 71.4 Canoe ~ 132 - 42 21 28.2 78.5 M P 50 ~ 152 - 10 22 21.9 82.5 M P 46 ~ 166 - 27 sig stop 6m - 40s 84.1 Sicamous 170 183 - 29 * T M 9.3 91.3 Cambie ~ 192 - 13 55 49.4 96.2 Malakwa ~ 201 - 50 29 30.6 97.5 M P 31 ~ 204 - 26 38 30.0 100.5 Craigellachie ~ 210 - 10 #25 31.3 109.5 M P 19 ~ 227 - 35 33 31.0 113.5 M P 15 ~ 235 - 26 30 30.6 120.3 Clanwilliam ~ 247 - 05 35.5 35.0 122.3 Tumtum ~ 251 = 40 24 26.1 124.5 M P 46 ~ 256 - 49 25.5 25.6 128.5 REVELSTOKE 260 267 - 47 pass *15 # Slowing to view the Last Spike Site of the CPR

Nominally eight minutes late, the 260 minutes schedule from Kamloops is just about right when delays for train meets due to operating conditions on this heavily used single line are taken into account. Although not recorded, the next sub-division to Field (125.7 miles) displayed an unexpected urgency on the part of the crew to get back to right time. With significant flange squeal the train was hauled unceremoniously, 2,600 ft higher through the stunning scenery of the ever-dramatic Rocky Mountains. A 12 minute time recovery was the result by Field which was passed four minutes early at 15 mph.

Milepost 38 -45- April 2017 Once through Field, climbing resumes again in earnest. The 4.2 miles to Cathedral has an average gradient of 1 in 52.7 and took all of 13.5 minutes with speed not increasing to more than 22 mph. The next 0.7 miles to the Mount Ogden Spiral Tunnel lower portal saw the speed fall further to 18.5 mph. However, the balancing speed on the curved 1 in 45 gradient within the tunnel, settled to just over 19 mph. Regrettably, a long westbound freight was awaiting our exit from the Cathedral Spiral upper portal and we crawled past it at a meagre 5/10 mph. After Partridge (8.6 miles) the level track alongside Wapta Lake, source of the Kicking Horse River, enabled speed to recover to the extent that the Continental Divide at Stephen was passed at a surprising 50 mph. Lake Louis Station (20.0 miles), previously called Laggan, saw a reduction to 20 mph, probably to let the passengers appreciate its chalet-style heritage status. The train then drifted back into the upper 40s before our final train meet of the day, after Eldon (30.3 miles) and another 10 mph slowing. With a final flourish, we accelerated back to the lower 50s prior to a funereal halt at Banff which, I am pleased to say, was on time. That is ’real time’ at 7.00 pm, not 9.30pm.

Table 2. Field to Banff : 54.7 miles.

TABLE 2: FIELD to BANFF Date 12th July 2016 Train 11th July departure Vancouver to Banff. ‘The Rocky Mountaineer’ Loco 3xG P 40-2 : 8005, 8013 & 8017 Load 3 locos, 8 d/d cars, 10 s/d cars plus one generator car 19 / 1386 / 1475 Recorder/pos M J Burrow 14/22 Dist. Sched. Actual Speed Av.Speed Altitude ft. Av. Grade 0.0 FIELD 0 0 - 00 *15 pass 4E 4040 4.2 Cathedral 13 - 31 22 18.7 4461 1 in 53 4.9 Mt.Ogden Spiral Lower Portal 15 - 28 18.5 21.5 5.6 M P 131 17 - 40 19 19.1 1 in 45 7.2 Cathedral Spiral Lower Portal 22 - 36 19 19.4 1 in 45 8.6 Partridge 32 - 49 *5 ; TM 8.2 4928 1 in 50 11.5 Wapta Lake 38 - 03 46 33.5 5203 1 in 56 (L) 14.4 Stephen (Cont. Divide) 41 - 33 50 49.7 5332 1 in 119 16.6 M P 120 44 - 12 48 49.8 18.6 M P 118 47 - 29 25 36.4 20.0 Lake Louis (Laggan) 55 50 - 52 *20 24.7 5010 -1 in 92 23.1 M P 112 58 - 22 26.5 24.8 30.3 Eldon 67 - 37 49 46.7 4817 -1 in 282 29.3 Sig 105.8 72 - 20 *10 ; T.M. 12.8 34.1 M P 101 79 - 12 46 42.0 37.6 Castle Mountain 83 - 48 46 45.7 4660 -1 in 246 41.1 M P 94 88 - 15 50 47.2 43.9 Massive 91 - 33 52 / 54 50.9 54.1 M P 81 102 - 57 53.5 53.7 54.7 BANFF 105 107 - 40 OT 4500 -1 in 564 TM Train meet OT On time Average Wt. of Cars 74 tons Equivalent B.R. Load about 40 coaches. This load was the largest of the 2016 season to date with 750 passengers and a staff of over 50

Comments

The distances used in the recorded logs were all taken from The Milepost – not our esteemed Milepost but the useful and extremely comprehensive Milepost Newspaper produced by the Rocky Mountaineer Company and given to passengers for all of their routes. The only information requested, which the train manager was pleased to supply, was the tare weight of the train.

Milepost 38 -46- April 2017 The departure from Vancouver was unusual in that the train was first propelled backwards out of the Rocky Mountaineer Station onto the Canadian National mainline and after a brief halt continued forward in an easterly direction, as would have been initially expected, with the locos at the front end.

Whilst not wishing to act as a mouthpiece for the above company I would say that their excellent reputation is well deserved in every respect: service, food, facilities, comfort, notification of approaching sights whether historic or scenic and, once you have become acclimatised to the Canadian eagerness to oblige, the general good nature and humour of the staff.

Expensive ticket to somewhere near Segovia

By Malcolm Simister

RENFE’s standard gauge Alta Velocidad Española (AVE) line from Madrid to Leon has been engineered superbly, but may be a financial white elephant contributing to Spain’s dire financial situation.

I travelled from Madrid Chamartin to Segovia Guiomar on a family day out in June 2015 when the line was only open as far as Valladolid. I really hope that the extension to Leon, opened on 29 September 2015, has increased traffic on the line significantly.

Our 25-minutes ride was smooth, comfortable and fast, as you would expect in a four-car Class 114 EMU, but the number of passengers carried on the roughly hourly frequency services hardly justifies the enormous cost of burrowing straight through the Sierra de Guadarrama in a 28km long tunnel, the longest main line tunnel in Spain. According to Wikepedia, the 180 km-long Madrid to Vallodolid section cost €4.2 billion to build, a good part of which must have been for that tunnel alone, while the 165 km-long onward extension to Leon cost a comparatively meagre €1.6 billion. And, frankly, those costs look very low, especially compared with the estimated £43 billion-and-counting cost of Britain’s planned 540 km-long HS2.

Perhaps the Spaniards regard this AVE line as a ‘nation-building’ project that is worthwhile for other than purely financial reasons but there are only so many projects that don’t produce a financial return a country can afford. A terrible example of money that seems to have been poured down the drain is the €1.1 billion Cuidad Real Central Airport 200 km south of Madrid, which initially attracted a few flights but which now sees no flights at all. That’s right, a large, almost brand new airport used by no flights at all. Zip, zilch, zero. The plane in Spain rains money mainly down the drain?

Whatever its number of passengers, the Leon line is at least better than that. It leaves Madrid amidst suburban lines and after about 17 kilometres starts climbing steeply 474 metres to its summit 1,197 metres above sea level inside Guadarrama tunnel, 50 kilometres from Chamartin, from where it descends steeply to Segovia. In addition to that tunnel, the other main physical features of the line are the nine kilometre long San Pedro tunnel, and the nearly- two km-long Arroyo Valley viaduct, 32 kms from Madrid. No wonder this was not a cheap line to build.

Although the line was engineered for 300 km/h running, the 4,000kW Class 114 EMUs are limited to 250 km/h but at 16.2 kW/tonne they pack a punch. For comparison, nine-car Virgin Pendolinos on Britain’s West Coast Main Line have a power/weight ratio of 10.8 kW/tonne but the Spanish 350 km/h Class 112 EMUs dwarf both of them with a power/weight ratio of 24.1 kW/tonne.

Milepost 38 -47- April 2017

I was only able to make rough notes of the 1130 Madrid-Segovia and the 1815 return services due to my unfamiliarity with the line, and to timing in Spain generally, but thanks to a line profile sourced from the RPS Distance Charts database I have pieced together the outline logs in the table. Coincidentally, both runs were on the same unit. I took the speeds from the speedometer in the passenger saloon which was probably accurate enough judging by the strict observance of the unit’s speed limit. There were about 200 people on the run from Madrid but that from Segovia was lightly loaded.

Date: Thu 11 June 2015 Thu 11 June 2015 Train 1130 Madrid-Segovia 1815 Segovia-Madrid Unit (both runs): EMU, No. 114-05 EMU, No. 114-05 Power & weight: 4,000kW 4,000kW Weight & kW/tonne: 247t; 16.2kW/t 247t; 16.2kW/t Dist Location Sch Actual Speeds Dist Location Sch Actual Speeds Km m m:s km/h Km m m:s km/h 0.0 Madrid Chamartin plat 17 0.00 0.0 Segovia Guiomar plat 5 0.00 17.0 Rail underbridge 5.56 2.1 Guadarrama tunnel IN 2.50 171 22.3 San Pedro tunnel IN 10.51 215 30.8 Guadarrama tunnel OUT 10.39 249 31.5 San Pedro tunnel OUT 13.22 32.8 Soto de Real 11.09 249 34.6 Soto de Real 14.23 222 35.9 San Pedro tunnel IN 11.58 249 36.6 Guadarrama tunnel IN 15.00 213 45.1 San Pedro tunnel OUT 14.05 250 249 65.3 Guadarrama tunnel OUT 23.09 max 50.4 Rail underbridge 19.05 67.4 Segovia Guiomar plat 3 27 25.46 67.4 Madrid Chamartin plat 17 27 25.50

The day was uncharacteristically wet and Madrid suffered a torrential downpour in mid- morning, although the skies cleared before our train left. Similarly, Segovia was deluged in the late afternoon but the rails were dry before our train departed.

You will see in the table that the two trains achieved almost exactly the same time with very different running. On the run to Segovia speeds were comparatively sedate until inside Guadarrama tunnel while on the return train speeds were higher but a slow approach to Madrid dissipated all the gain. Both runs were comfortably inside the public schedule.

However, while the train journey was less than 26 minutes, because Segovia Guiomar station is in the middle of nowhere - seven kilometres from the centre of town - the connecting bus ride doubled (trebled on the way back) the journey time from central Madrid to central Segovia. But it was well worth it. Segovia boasts a stunning Roman aqueduct, beautiful old buildings lining the steep and narrow streets and for lunch we tucked into a local delicacy of cochinillo, suckling pig, delicious but slightly monotonous without veggies and initially a little confronting as a whole piglet on the dish in the centre of the table. We also discovered on our return ride from central Segovia to Guiomar station during the deluge that the bus leaked and some passengers got rather wet but we all got soaked running from the bus to the shelter of the station building.

I think the planners of Britain’s HS2 should learn from Segovia and change their plans to build stations some distance from the city centres they purport to serve. People travelling to Birmingham, Manchester or Sheffield don’t want to be dumped on the outskirts of the city and have to take local transport to the centre. Indeed, travelling from London to Birmingham it may be just as fast to take a Virgin Pendolino to New Street rather than an HS2 train to Curzon Street and then a tram, bus or taxi. And whatever the capacity constraints of New Street and Manchester Piccadilly, surely the existing Sheffield, Nottingham and Derby stations would be preferable to Meadowhall Interchange and East Midlands Hub (ugh!).

Milepost 38 -48- April 2017

Milepost 38 -49- April 2017

Milepost 38 -50- April 2017

Milepost 38 -51- April 2017

Milepost 38 -52- April 2017

Milepost 38 -53- April 2017

Milepost 38 -54- April 2017 LETTERS

David

Sandy Smeaton and I attended an Institution of Mechanical Engineers meeting in Glasgow in which Chris Tait of Abellio, their New Trains Project Manager, gave a brief talk on the proposed introduction of HST sets on the services between Glasgow/Edinburgh to Aberdeen and Inverness as replacements for the current Class 170 dmus.

Scotrail are to receive 54 ex GWR power cars and around 130 coaches. These will be formed into seventeen five coach sets to work the Aberdeen services and nine four coach sets for the Inverness services. The Aberdeen services are due to be fully HST-operated in May 2018 with the Inverness services to follow. A fairly extensive refurbishment of the coaches with less work on the power cars, although Chris highlighted the possible corrosion problems from working along the seafront at Dawlish. Chris also gave brief discussions of his dealings with Network Rail and their complete obsession with safety. Moving seats slightly back from tables was going to require crash simulation tests with dummies, until somebody suggested widening the table. They still had to test to destruction the wider table??

It would be hoped that the current 60mph limit on the acsent to Drumochter from Struan to Dalnacardoch could be raised to the 85mph permitted on the descent, together with other selective relaxations. Could be exciting times on the Scotrail services once the services are introduced. Pointer for a Mass Timing Day if sufficient members were interested?

Regards

Martin Robertson

Dear David,

I have raised at London meetings the subject of Southern's computer screen system, or lack of it. Last week I went from Eridge to London: on the screen at Cowden our up train was shown as arriving at 11:01 and the down train at 11:02 - I will remind you of what happened at Cowden in 1994. It is, of course, a single line. It is a good thing that I don't trust computers, or I might have had heart failure!

Kind Regards

David Lloyd-Roberts

Hello David,

I had a trip to London last week and as I waited at Doncaster an Azuma rolled in to Platform 1. It left southbound on diesel power nine minutes before my train was due to leave and I wondered if it would get in the way. It did. I kept an eye on the signal berth data from Railcam as we started getting signal checks. When I got back, I constructed the spreadsheet below showing just how much mayhem was caused.

This happened on at the other two dates that I checked, there may have been more. Not very encouraging for when these things get into service. Hopefully they can keep time on electric power.

I wait with interest to see what the seating and luggage arrangements are

Milepost 38 -55- April 2017 .

Date Thur 9 March 2017

-

-

-

KINGS KINGS

RGH RGH

KINGS KINGS

-

-

CROSS CROSS

KINGS CROSS KINGS CROSS KINGS

05:26 STIRLING STIRLING 05:26

PETERBOROUGH

08:57 DONCASTER DONCASTER 08:57 DEPOT IEP CARR

08:23 HULL HULL 08:23 05:48 EDINBU 05:48 LEEDS 08:45 1E02 5X60 1E03 1A18 1A92 M C Location RTT RTT RTT RAJ Time RTT Remarks 155 76 DONCASTER 08:59:45 4L 09:08:45 RT 9:20:30 9:20:03 3L 9:26:00 RT 1E03 on FL pass 2L 1A18 on SL 152 00 Loversall Carr J 09:04:15 4L 09:16:00 4L 9:22:15 2L 9:25:36 1L 9:30:00 RT 1A18 to FL 138 49 RETFORD 09:11:30 5L 09:29:00 10L 9:31:30 4L 9:34:00 1L 9:39:15 RT 120 63 Newark X 09:21:15 09:40:45 09:42:45 9:45:50 9:50:45 120 12 NEWARK N GATE 09:22:30 09:41:30 09:43:45 9:46:18 9:51:30 120 12 NEWARK N GATE 09:25:00 pass 13L pass 6L pass 4L pass RT 115 27 Claypole 09:29:30 5L 09:44:00 13L 09:46:00 6L 9:48:49 3L 9:53:45 RT 105 35 GRANTHAM 09:35:30 09:51:15 09:54:00 9:57:20 10:00:00 105 35 GRANTHAM pass 6L pass 15L pass 8L pass 7L 10:02:00 1L 99 60 Stoke Junction 09:38:15 5L 09:55:00 16L 09:57:45 9L 10:01:07 7L 10:06:45 RT 84 64 Tallington 09:46:00 5L 10:04:30 15L 10:06:45 11L 10:10:51 11L 10:14:45 1L 81 71 Helpston 09:47:30 4L 10:06:00 14L 10:08:15 10L 10:12:18 9L 10:16:15 1L 76 26 PETERBOROUGH 09:51:30 10:10:30 13L 10:13:30 10:18:58 10:22:45 76 26 PETERBOROUGH 09:54:45 4L pass 12L 10:20:39 11L pass 5L 67 28 Connington South 10:01:00 3L 10:18:00 12L 10:28:05 11L 10:30:00 8L 58 67 HUNTINGDON 10:07:00 4L 10:23:45 13L 10:32:46 11L 10:35:30 9L 51 58 ST NEOTS SFB 10:10:30 4L 10:27:30 13L 10:36:19 12L 10:39:15 9L 44 10 SANDY 10:14:00 4L 10:30:45 12L 10:40:03 12L 10:42:45 9L 41 15 BIGGLESWADE 10:15:30 10:32:15 10:41:29 10:44:15 37 05 ARLESEY 10:17:30 4L 10:34:15 12L 10:43:34 11L 10:46:00 8L 31 76 HITCHIN 10:20:30 5L 10:36:45 12L 10:46:07 12L 10:48:30 8L 27 48 STEVENAGE 10:25:00 10:39:15 10:48:21 10:51:15 7L 27 48 STEVENAGE pass 7L pass 13L pass 12L 25 03 KNEBWORTH 10:26:15 7L 10:40:15 12L 10:49:43 12L 10:52:15 7L 23 61 Woolmer Green 10:27:30 8L 10:40:45 11L 10:51:34 13L 10:53:45 7L 21 76 WELWYN N 10:30:30 10:42:00 10:54:19 10:57:00 20 26 WELWYN GC 10:32:15 10:43:15 10:55:30 10:58:30 17 56 HATFIELD 10:33:30 8L 10:44:15 9L 10:56:57 14L 10:59:45 8L 14 39 BROOKMANS PK 10:35:00 10:45:45 10:58:42 11:01:15 12 59 POTTERS BAR 10:36:45 9L 10:47:15 9L 10:59:48 15L 11:02:45 8L tsr 75 12-53 10 44 HADLEY WOOD 10:38:30 10:48:45 11:01:23 11:04:15 to 12-44 9 14 NEW BARNET `10:39:30 10:49:45 11:02:16 11:05:00 8 28 OAKLEIGH PARK 10:40:00 10:50:15 11:02:53 11:05:30 6 37 N SOUTHGATE 10:41:00 10:51:15 11:04:05 11:06:30 4 77 ALEXANDRA PAL 10:42:30 10L 10:52:45 9L 11:05:03 14L 11:08:00 8L 4 07 HORNSEY 10:43:00 10:53:15 11:05:37 11:08:30 3 33 HARRINGAY 10:43:30 10:53:45 11:06:05 11:09:00 2 41 FINSBURY PARK 10:44:00 10L 10:54:00 9L 11:06:47 13L 11:09:15 7L 0 60 Belle Isle 10:46:15 8L 10:56:30 9L 11:09:55 14L 11:12:30 5L 0 07 KING'S CROSS 10:48:15 8L 10:58:45 8L 11:12:31 14L 11:14:45 4L

Regards

Bob Jennings

Milepost 38 -56- April 2017 Dear David

Recent results from Voyager monitoring

Measurements of the southbound acceleration of Voyagers on the 1:176 downgrade after Macclesfield Moss summit in March 2017 suggest that acceleration rate control has been removed from Cross Country Class 220 and 221 sets (typical accelerations at 95 mph of 0.187 and 0.173 m/s2 respectively compared to the previous software limitation for both types at this speed of 0.154 m/s2).

It is not known if modifications to the traction control system were the cause of the pronounced power issues which affected Cross Country sets in the summer of 2016, but the change follows installation of DAS (driver advice system) and presumably reflects growing driver confidence and competence in using time saved from faster accelerations for later more energy-efficient coasting and cruising.

Regards

David Stannard

Dear David

Re: Milepost 37¾ - page 258

I read with interest Sandy Smeaton’s article and the log with 73149 in particular. I would agree that this run is probably the ultimate. Two runs of mine were published in Milepost 31¾ on the same train, and were recorded about seven weeks later. I had thought that they were set out in their entirety, but that was not the case. These are shown below. It would seem that from Stirling to Larbert, mine was slightly better. There was also a very good run in my article in Milepost 31¾ with 73149 from Perth to Aberdeen. Run 1 2 Date Jul-65 Jul-65 Train 1030 Perth-Glasgow 1030 Perth-Glasgow Loco 73151 5MT 73151 5MT Load formation 6,205/220 8,281/300 Recorder D Lloyd-Roberts D Lloyd-Roberts miles Timing Point Sch. m s mph m s mph 0.0 PERTH 0 00 0 00 2.1 Hilton J 5 45 2/sigs 3 55 4.0 Forgandenny 9 12 53 5 52 60 6.9 Forteviot 11 59 60/63 8 33 64/61 9.7 Dunning 14 47 60 11 21 60/61 13.8 Auchterarder 19 42 44/42 16 29 41/35 15.9 Gleneagles 22 22 50 20 00 0.0 Gleneagles 0 0 00 0 00 2.2 Blackford 3 54 60 4 34 54 6.5 Greenloaning 7 28 81/79 8 18 75 9.7 Kinbuck 10 10 62/66 11 08 64/66 12.3 Dunblane 15 13 05 14 13 0.0 Dunblane 0 0 00 0 00 2.0 Bridge of Allan 2 49 67 3 15 62 3.0 Cornton 3 44 73 4 12 70 4.9 Stirling 6 5 55 6 27 0.0 Stirling 0 0 00 0 00 1.6 Polmaise 2 38 52/58 3 03 48 4.0 Plean 5 17 57 6 04 50

Milepost 38 -57- April 2017 miles Timing Point Sch. m s mph m s mph 5.9 Alloa J 6 55 70/73 7 53 70 8.1 Larbert 11 9 40 10 19 0.0 Larbert 0 00 0.7 Larbert J 1 44 20tsr 2 38 tsr30 3.6 Greenhill 6 12 43/45 6 22 38 5.4 Castlecary 8 06 60 8 23 57 8.9 Cumbernauld 13 12 22 55/54 13 02 0.0 Cumbernauld 0 00 0 00 4.1 Garnqueen J 5 17 64 6 03 62 5.3 Gartcosh 6 50 68/75 7 26 67/73 8.8 Stepps 9 20 68 Robroyston E 10 05 tsr 20 10 05 22tsr 9.7 Robroyston W 11 27 tsr 20 11 15 22tsr 10.4 Milton J 12 30 48/60 12 15 46/52 Sighthill 13 51 13 48 13.1 BUCHANAN ST 18 16 18 16 19

I went to Scotland again in August 1966 when steam activity was sparse, to say the least of it. I did, however, record two runs with -guess what - 73149 between Glasgow and Stirling on a commuter train. These are shown below.

Run 3 4 Date 08/08/1966 10/08/1966 Train 1735 Glasgow- 1735 Glasgow- Dunblane Dunblane Loco 73149 5MT 73149 5MT Load formation 6,206/220 6,206/215 Recorder D Lloyd-Roberts D Lloyd-Roberts miles Timing Point Sch. m s mph m s mph 0.0 BUCHANAN ST 0 00.0 0 00.0 1.0 St Rollox 4 08.0 3 12.0 22 2.7 Milton JC 8 18.0 25 7 02.0 25 3.4 Robroyston W 9 37.0 29 8 20.0 40 Robroyston E 10 42.0 9 22.0 40 4.5 Stepps 11 49.0 46 10 27.0 6.0 Garnkirk 13 47.0 52 12 22.0 52 7.2 Gartcosh 15 12.0 54 13 42.0 60/57 9.0 Glenboig 17 07.0 52/64 15 30.0 57/64 13.1 Cumbernauld 21.0 21 57.0 20 06.0 Cumbernauld 0 00.0 /69 3.6 Castlecary 4 52.0 62/59 4 46.0 66/64 5.4 Greenhill 7 03.0 65/30 6 28.0 69/60 8.4 Larbert J 11 42.0 20/56 9 02.0 64/57 9.0 Larbert 13.0 12 57.0 10 52.0 Larbert 2.3 Alloa J 4 00.0 60 3 53.0 61 4.1 Plean 6 03.0 53 6 04.0 47 6.6 Polmaise 8 32.0 68 8 39.0 64/68 8.1 STIRLING 11 10 34.0 10 40.0

Regards

David Lloyd-Roberts

Milepost 38 -58- April 2017 NEWS

THE ULTIMATE ARMCHAIR TRAVELLING – NOEL PROUDLOCK

During the September 2016 visit of “Flying Scotsman” to the Severn Valley Railway a film was made using cameras and loudspeakers showing and recording the footplate activity and conversation, and also from outside-filming was the motion from the front and the rear. When I watched it the first time I observed there were no “breaks” and so when I saw it was to be repeated (without commentary) I thought that I might make a log deriving speeds from rpm, which were easily determined.

For an engine as big as “Flying Scotsman” the work was very easy and the regulator could never be opened beyond part of the first valve. The fireman did over-fire a little at one stage and so the safety valves lifted while the engine was coasting downhill – much to the fireman’s chagrin. There was a NRM representative on the footplate keeping an eye on the fireman, and he said to him “you’ve too much in the middle and not enough at the sides”. There was also an older person at the driver’s side who I suspect was Ian Riley’s representative. The driver did say to him towards the end of the journey “the brakes on one of these coaches is sticking a bit”, so he must have felt the train a little heavy or snatching during braking. However, I did see 21” of vacuum on the gauge when the camera briefly focussed on it.

Date Sept 2016 - around 23rd Train 1234 Bridgnorth-Kidderminster Town Loco 7P 4-6-2 60103 Flying Scotsman Driver Roger Norfolk Fireman Ryan Green Load formation 9 - est 290 tons Recorder N Proudlock Position/ GPS From BBC4 coverage broadcast 1-1-17 miles M C Timing Point m s mph ave 0.00 149 73 BRIDGNORTH RA 0 00.0 slip 0.00 149 73 BRIDGNORTH Move 1 50.0 1.16 148 60 Summit 6 20.0 16/27 15.5 2.20 147 57 Eardington 8 58.0 24 23.6 4.01 145 72 Sterns LC 14 56.0 18/21 18.2 4.50 145 33 Hampton Loade 17 50.0 #5/TXF12 10.1 5.82 144 07 Country Park Halt 20 48.0 23/27 26.8 6.66 143 20 Highley 22 54.0 TXF 23.9 7.49 142 34 Borle LC 24 48.0 27 26.1 8.99 140 74 Arley 29 48.0 TXR 18.0 10.94 138 78 Northwood Halt 37 14.0 29/14 15.7 Sig stop * 16s 12.56 137 28 Bewdley 44 00.0 TO/8 14.4 12.74 137 14 Bewdley South 45 12.0 10 8.7 13.89 137 11 Bewdley TNP 48 30.0 26/28 20.9 Sig stop * 2mins 15.53 135 40 KIDDERMINSTER TOWN 58 03.0 10.3 R/A Right away given TXF Exchange single line token - fireman TXR Exchange single line token - Riley's rep TO Give up single line token - Fireman # Fireman looking for signal * Waiting departing train to clear to ensure safe crows control Very large numbers at all vantage points

But the most entertainment for me was the start from Bridgnorth. Some may remember the antics which often accompanied the starting of LNER “big” locomotive:

Milepost 38 -59- April 2017 Yank the regulator open with both hands - nothing happens. Close it, tug the reverser round – also with both hands. Another yank at the regulator to set back Tug the reverser round again Yank the regulator – violent slip Shut it again Another two-handed yank – then perhaps get away ... or perhaps another slip

Dr Tuplin wrote about it at some length in “Trains Illustrated” in the early fifties. At that time the maximum cut-off of A3s was 65%, but later it was increased to 75% which made things better.

So, at Bridgnorth, the “right away” was given, the regulator was given a two-handed pull and she would not go. The driver gave another pull – but still no movement and he was visibly non-plussed. So, the man standing behind him came forward, the regulator was shut, a setting back took place, then the regulator was opened again, there was a slight slip and she moved off. The delay - as shown in the log – was almost two minutes. But I chuckled to myself, and recalled many similar events that I witnessed.

In Praise of a Driver, but all for Nothing- Martin Robertson

I had a business trip to London, in which I came south overnight to allow a run up the ECML with Virgin East Coast using the 12 00 service to Inverness, an HST. There had been an incident at Retford earlier in the day where a person may have been hit by a train, which led to significant disruption to services.

The 11 30 service to Edinburgh, an HST left at 11 57 and the 12 03 service to Leeds, also an 3 HST left at 12 07. We departed at 12 12 around 4 /4 minutes behind the Leeds service. There was a dreadfully slow exit from Kings Cross, although I suspect the driver stuck to the ruling psrs, followed by a gradual acceleration on the climb out of London with 125mph reached at Stevenage. The subsequent 40 miles to Connington North were covered at an average of 125.8mph without exceeding 127mph. The Gps unit was stuck at 127 with the odd flicker down to 126, other for the easing at Offord and the ascent to Leys Summit.

Our progress was interrupted after Yaxley as we were checked down to almost 30mph to allow the 1203 Leeds service to enter the platform loop. Then, a hard acceleration to reach 108 at Helpston before braking for an 80mph tsr. The unit struggled to better 114mph on the long ascent to Stoke summit, other than the brief easing of the gradient at Corby Glen. Then, a minor tsr at Great Ponton before the driver was back to running at 126mph on the descent 3 into the Trent Valley. However, an 11 /4-minute departure time difference in departure from Kings Cross was insufficient to prevent a stop outside Newark for the 1130 service to Edinburgh to make its booked call, after its Peterborough stop. I do not know if this service suffered any other out of course checks, but if not, it appeared not be running very well.

The unit struggled to exceed 115mph on the ascent to Markham Summit but was up to line speed on the descent. A brief 80mph tsr at Ranskill interrupted progress before another hard acceleration to reach 119mph at Ranskill. The 1130 service also calls at Doncaster and we suffered another signal check before Bridge Jn to allow the service ahead to access the platform loop. A Network Rail ballast service was on the slow line where we were stopped, which may have prevented the preceding service being turned off the main line earlier. There

Milepost 38 -60- April 2017 Date Wed 1-2-17 Miles m c Location m s mph ave Train 1200 Kings Cross-Inverness 92.12 92 17 Little Bytham 53 41.5 114 112.4 Loco 43315/43320 94.91 95 00 Mp 55 09.5 114 114.1 Load formation 9,306/315/460 97.00 97 07 Corby Glen 56 15.5 117 114.0 Recorder M D Robertson 100.05 100 11 Stoke Summit 57 50.5 114 115.6 Position/ GPS 3/11 Dry Cold Y 100.90 100 79 Stoke T'l (N) 58 17.5 115 113.3 Miles m c Location m s mph ave 102.04 102 10 Great Ponton 58 53.0 113 115.6 0.00 0 07 Kings Cross d 0 00.0 90tsr 104.0 0.49 0 46 Gas Works T'l out 1 53.0 29 15.6 105.35 105 35 GRANTHAM 60 55.5 101 103.8 1.26 1 28 Holloway 3 17.5 35 32.8 107.72 107 65 Peascliffe T'l In 62 16.0 112 106.0 2.42 2 41 FINSBURY PARK 4 38.0 68 51.9 109.57 109 54 Barkston S JN 63 11.0 124 121.1 3.32 3 33 HARRINGAY 5 22.0 79 73.6 111.57 111 53 Hougham 64 10.5 126 121.0 4.91 5 00 ALEXANDRA PAL 6 28.0 94 86.7 113.62 113 57 Westborough 65 09.5 126 125.1 6.37 6 37 NEW SOUTHGATE 7 23.0 98 95.6 115.25 115 27 Claypole 65 56.0 126 126.2 8.26 8 28 OAKLEIGH PARK 8 31.0 101 100.1 116.77 116 69 Balderton 66 39.5 126 125.8 10.46 10 44 HADLEY WOOD 9 48.0 104 102.9 118.95 119 03 Barnby 67 56.5 52br sc 101.9 12.66 12 60 POTTERS BAR 11 03.5 105 104.9 ss 69 27-70 30 14.40 14 39 BROOKMANS PK 12 00.0 114 110.9 120.02 120 09 NEWARK NG 71 46.5 39sc 17.61 17 56 HATFIELD 13 40.5 116/118 115.0 120.70 120 63 Newark X 72 33.0 60 52.6 20.24 20 26 WELWYN G C 15 02.0 116 116.2 122.89 122 78 Bathley Lane 74 15.0 90 77.3 21.86 21 76 WELWYN NORTH 15 52.0 116 116.6 126.22 126 25 Carlton-on-Trent 76 14.0 110 100.7 24.95 25 03 KNEBWORTH 17 27.5 120 116.5 127.36 127 36 Crow Park 76 50.0 115 114.0 27.51 27 48 STEVENAGE 18 41.5 125 124.5 131.85 131 75 Tuxford North 79 10.0 115 115.5 29.91 30 00 Mp 19 50.0 127 126.1 133.64 133 58 Markham Smmt 80 05.0 116 117.2 31.86 31 76 HITCHIN 20 45.5 127 126.5 137.37 137 37 Grove Road 82 00.0 120 116.8 33.21 33 24 Caldwell 21 25.0 127 123.0 138.52 138 49 RETFORD 82 35.0 120 118.3 35.44 35 50 Three Counties 22 30.0 126 123.5 141.61 141 56 Sutton 84 08.5 118 119.0 36.91 37 00 ARLESLEY 23 10.5 127 130.7 143.89 143 78 Ranskill 85 39.5 80 tsr 90.2 38.45 38 43 Langford 23 53.0 126 130.4 145.75 145 67 Scrooby C íng 86 57.0 96 86.4 41.10 41 15 BIGGLESWADE 25 08.0 127 127.2 147.56 147 52 Bawtry 88 02.0 103 100.2 44.04 44 10 SANDY 26 31.5 127 126.8 149.26 149 28 Pipers Wood 88 58.5 106 108.3 46.29 46 30 Everton 27 35.0 127 127.6 151.27 151 29 Rossington 90 03.0 119 112.2 47.29 47 38 Tempsford 28 03.5 127 126.3 152.91 153 00 Black Carr Jn 90 53.0 113 br 118.1 49.79 49 70 Little Barford 29 15.0 127 125.9 153.94 154 02 Decoy Jn 91 31.5 65 br 96.3 51.61 51 56 St NEOTS 30 07.0 125/121* 126.0 ss 93 03-93 57 55.81 55 72 Offord 32 09.5 122 123.4 155.37 155 37 Bridge Jn 95 29.5 49 tsr? 58.75 58 67 HUNTINGDON 33 34.5 126 124.5 155.90 155 79 DONCASTER 96 09.5 51 tsr? 47.7 61.91 62 11 Leys Summit 35 06.0 122 124.3 157.94 158 02 Arksey 98 11.0 80 60.4 63.31 63 32 Abbots Ripton 35 46.0 126/127 126.0 160.20 160 23 Shaftholme Jn 99 41.5 99 89.9 65.91 66 00 Woodwalton 37 00.0 126/127 126.5 162.09 162 14 Barcroft 100 46.5 110 104.7 68.26 68 28 Connington N'th 38 07.0 122 126.3 164.09 164 14 Fenwick 101 50.5 117 112.5 69.24 69 26 Holme 38 38.0 105/102* 113.8 168.22 168 25 Railway UB 103 53.0 125 121.4 72.70 72 63 Yaxley 40 38.5 104 103.4 105 26.5 127 74.91 75 00 Fletton Jn 42 02.5 65/33sc 94.7 172.45 172 43 Selby Canal 105 54.0 126 125.9 76.25 76 27 PETERBOROUGH 43 50.0 65 44.9 OB 20 107 35.5 126 78.56 78 52 Footbridge 45 44.0 90 72.9 OB 26 109 00.5 126 79.89 79 78 Marholme 46 33.0 101 97.7 OB 34 110 30.0 127 81.81 81 72 Helpston 47 37.5 108 107.2 182.89 182 78 Colton Jn 110 52.5 127 125.9 80tsr 103.1 184.70 184 63 Copmanthorpe 111 44.5 118 125.3 84.71 84 64 Tallington 49 33.0 95 102.6 188.04 188 10 Holgate Jn 114 13.5 29* 80.7 87.00 87 07 Greatford 50 55.5 106 99.9 188.46 188 44 YORK arr 115 18.0 23.4 88.70 88 63 Essendine 51 52.0 109 108.3

may have been a 50mph tsr through Doncaster, as we appeared to coast for some time before acceleration commenced. The unit was worked up to 126/127 with the Selby Canal to Copmanthorpe pass to pass average being 125.7mph. A cautious entry into York to arrive 15 1 minutes late. To only lose 3 /4 minutes was an excellent effort by the driver, a testament to his hard running between the checks.

During our stop at York the 1212 Liverpool Lime Street to Newcastle Trans-Pennine service

Milepost 38 -61- April 2017 left approximately one minute late - around three minutes ahead of our departure. We reached 125mph at Raskelf only for a signal check to 65 before Thirsk, where the TP service had been turned out to the slow lines. Another hard acceleration to reach 119 at Northallerton, for the brakes to be applied for a 50mph tsr, the length of which was no more than a chain. A further hard acceleration to reach the permitted 115 at Croft Spa, before an unchecked entry to Darlington.

From Darlington, there was a clear run to Bensham where we braked longer than usual to stop on the King Edward Bridge for five minutes to allow the 1508 TP service to Liverpool to head south followed by an, assumed empty Azuma unit, before we were allowed into the usual northbound platform.

Arrival in Newcastle was 23 minutes late with a loss of 11minutes from Kings Cross. Approximately eight minutes were lost due to the check from the TP Unit before Thirsk, and assuming an unchecked entry into Newcastle. As regards the punctuality statistics, this was not a good performance, but the driver produced a superb performance in uniform running slightly above the line limits, although all of the lower prsr’s were scrupulously observed. Being critical of the Network Rail signallers’ one could ask if could not foresee what was coming when the 1130 ex KX stopped at Newark and could the service have been looped at Grantham. The connections off the 1130 service at York were going to be missed and the service was always going to be a blot on the punctuality statistics. North of York the TP service should either have been put on the slow lines at Skelton Bridge J or Tollerton, to allow the Inverness service a clear run, with either option incurring minimal delay to the TP service. A clear run through Newark and Doncaster, with less probability of the delays suffered north of York, might have seen the 1200 service into Edinburgh in sufficient time to meet its northbound 1633 departure time.

North of Newcastle the service was unchecked, other than a signal check on the entry to Calton Tunnel. While the running was adequate, 43m55s to Berwick was unspectacular, although there was crawl up the platform. Berwick to Edinburgh was run in 40m 50s - a reasonable effort. Departure from Edinburgh was 18 minutes late, but behind the 1645 Scotrail service to Glasgow which calls at Linlithgow and Polmont. The Real Times Trains website advised that arrival in Inverness was 16 minutes late.

With so many delays a net time from Kings Cross to York is a difficult to estimate accurately, but a time of 101 minutes was probably realistic. In comparison with the four unchecked runs (87,88, 90 and 91), published in the 40 year tribute to HST’s , the driver took 40,60, 70 and 50 seconds respectively from these runs between Alexandra Palace and Holme; a real tribute to the standard of running he achieved.

The rhps on the ascent to Stoke and the acceleration from York both gave values of around 3800rhp, which were good. In passing, the catering crew and the guard on the service, who started from Newcastle, work right through to Inverness, where it is assumed that they stay overnight. The driver was changed at Edinburgh.

Milepost 38 -62- April 2017 The winter 2016 100mph list – Jeremy Hartill

I have once again waded through the timetable to list all 100mph start to stop runs in the UK. For the record the times are those given by the National Rail Enquiries website for weekday services. You may be forgiven for thinking I have just cut and pasted the previous list in as there is very little change. All that has happened is a small number of trains have dropped out on the ECML and WCML, nine in total to be precise. Looking at the big picture there is not a lot of change from the 2014 winter timetable to the current one though the number of 100mph services is still a considerable increase on the summer 2011 timetable. The slow decline in 100mph running on the WCML does seem to be a constant feature of this, is the drop this time on the ECML a sign that this reduction in 100mph running is a feature of Virgin trains or perhaps it’s just to make the introduction of the IEP’s look better. At the top end its no change with 395’s on HS1 at 111.4 mph in the lead followed by a Pendolino on the WCML and a Class 91 on the ECML. It is still a surprise that a 140 mph train on a purpose built high speed line can only manage 0.8 mph more than a 125 mph train on a Victorian railway. The bad news is this time the GWML has got even further away from the 100mph mark, 95.3 mph putting them behind the MML’s 97.3 mph run. Looking at individual trains the 1952 London to Doncaster, a Grand Central service which had a 90min timing last time has had a three-minute cut, the 87minute schedule to Doncaster equates to 107.4mph. I suspect this is the fastest diesel train in the world although not as fast at the Hull trains 2011 Stevenage to Grantham sprint which managed 111.2 mph. As ever if anyone finds services I have missed please do let me know. The complete list is on the RPS web-site-Ed.

mileage runs 31513 419 ECML 12752 151 HS1 3911 138 WCML 14850 130

Network Developments – Ian Umpleby

Perhaps the most significant speed change over the past three months has been the elimination of the three-year-old 50 mph TSR on the down ECML just north of Doncaster; however, a 75 mph TSR just west of Prestatyn becomes permanent and the long Sevenoaks Tunnel 50 TSRs extended in the Up direction. An even more ancient TSR over Gwinear Road LC (Cornwall) was removed in December. The MML sees an increase to 115 mph over the Up Line from 108m 28 to 106m 38, and the eastern approach to Ordsall Lane, Manchester from Eccles is also quicker. The partial re-doubling of the Wrexham to Chester line comes with 90 mph PSRs. Otford (Kent) has had a 40 PSR imposed through the station although all scheduled trains stop there. Work has started on the next stage of the Calder Valley speed upgrade east of the Pennines and the first reference in notices to HS2 has occurred in relation to sidings at Euston but, following the Bill being granted Royal Assent, construction will start this “spring”. The Brentwood-Shenfield Electric Lines will reopen on the 2nd May with a new bay platform on Shenfield’s north side and a fan of sidings for terminating Crossrail trains; some moderate PSR changes will occur. Forres station is being relocated on the abandoned avoiding line and work is well under way. Engineering work on the Ordsall curve and doubling/electrification of the Kettering-Corby line continues. A new feeder station at Essendine (ECML) has come on stream allowing removal of the Neutral Section at Stoke Summit. Preparation of the formation on Filton Bank, Bristol for quadruple track is thought to be only that with no budget for track, signalling etc yet. Reinstatement of the ECML Up Slow north of Huntingdon is going ahead. Electrification work at Bolton is seeing the removal of the Passenger Loops south of the station and restoration of south bay platform no 5; Chorley’s temporary platform has been removed. Planned improvement to the North Wales line have started with the closure of Mostyn Box and installation of Up/Down loops there. Abergele’s

Milepost 38 -63- April 2017 Down Passenger Loop has closed and the Down platform rebuilt alongside the Down Main. Bath/Stevenage/Northallerton/Durham and Edinburgh’s platforms are currently being extended for the new IC Express Trains. The Settle & Carlisle line was on target for re-opening on the 31st March at the time of writing. Bristol Parkway to Berkeley Road and Hullavington have been re-signalled. Electrification schemes continue with various levels of success - Heathrow Airport Jn. to Maidenhead was due to be energised in early April, but a similar date for Newbridge Jn to Glasgow Queen St. was cancelled in late March. Gospel Oak to Barking has been delayed, but Barking’s bay line has been done. Work on the NW, Reading-Newbury Shotts and Cannock schemes continues. An experiment with aluminium conductor rails has started between Newington and Rainham (Kent). New stations are to open at Ilkeston (2nd April), Cambridge North (May) and Low Moor (May?). Work on the long-delayed Reading Green Park station should start this month and Worcestershire Parkway soon. Kenilworth is taking shape but opening has been put back to December 2017. In Ireland, the relocation of Derry/Londonderry has been agreed, Carrick-on-Suir loop removed and the Waterford- Rosslare line is one of those closed lines which Irish Rail is seeking to abandon. On a brighter note the Antrim to Lisburn line will see plenty of stone traffic in connection with re-ballasting work on the Dublin Line south of Lisburn and the Douglas Horse Tramway is not being shortened.

TPE York to Durham non-stop – a timing too far? Ian Umpleby

The December 2016 timetable change brought about the first stage of Trans Pennine Express’s plan to double the frequency of their Manchester to Newcastle service, which until then was hourly from Liverpool via Manchester Victoria to Newcastle, the only TPE service not serving Manchester Piccadilly. The obvious candidate for the new service was the xx06 Manchester Airport – Piccadilly – York service of which four SX (0806, 1006, 1206 and 1703) and five SO (0806, 1006, 1206, 1406 and 1706) trains were extended to Newcastle. A simple solution but fraught with difficulty as the xx40 arrival at York dictated a xx42 departure at best. A 0942 departure would follow the 0932 XC and 0935 EC services and precede those at 0950 XC and 0953 EC, not a problem with the 125mph stock on order. However, the current class 185 dmus have, of course, only a 100mph capability and could not be timed to reach Newcastle ahead of the 0950 service even with just Darlington and Durham stops.

The solution was to eliminate the Darlington stop but running outside the station on the Down Main Line was impracticable due to a conflict with two southbound XC trains calling at the station which had to cross the Down Main twice before calling at and after leaving the Up platform. It was found practicable to run via Darlington’s down platform 4 at reduced speed, call at Durham and reach Newcastle without causing the following services to be retimed. The net booked time was 43½ minutes for the 66 miles from York to Durham, an average of 92 mph, and included a 7½ minute timing from Darlington to Ferryhill South Junction requiring an average of 98 mph from a start at 35 mph and including the 85 mph Aycliffe curve. The initial two minute allowance to Skelton Junction was tight also. Altogether the 44-minute public timing looked very difficult to achieve but there was only one way to find out.

My first opportunity arose on Monday 6th February and I awoke to negotiate the various potential obstacles in my quest. It was possible to cover all three daylight non-stops with around 15-minute turn rounds at both York and Durham, but I decided this was too risky and had a two hour break in Durham, missing out the 1142 from York. The forecast misty weather materialised and was quite thick in the morning as far as Aycliffe when the sun broke through. There had been a Down Main TSR for ballast consolidation at Northallerton which was due to be lifted in the early hours, and it was. Then there was the chance of delays to the 0917 from Leeds from late running trains on the tightly packed Manchester to Leeds axis so it was with trepidation that I consulted Realtime Trains on the bus into Leeds. On time from the Airport and thus far was the response. My train was fitted in behind the Liverpool to Scarborough

Milepost 38 -64- April 2017 train with no exposure to the stopping trains that the latter had. The Scarborough did suffer in the final approaches to Leeds and we left four and a half minutes late, not a disaster with 23 minutes allowed to York which was cut to 21m14 secs. There was a crew change here and, although I didn’t know at the time the 0932 XC had left on time and the 0935 EC two down with both stopping at Darlington and Durham. Our three-minute late departure was somewhat fortunate as we were unlikely to catch them up at Darlington and there were no conflicting Saltburn/Bishop Auckland trains there either. However, another potential party pooper was just around the corner in the shape of the 0830 Leeds-Harrogate–York train due over Skelton Junction at 0941, three minutes ahead of us if we made a punctual departure. The late start of the EC train meant this was unable to pass over Skelton Junction until 0943½ but our late start meant we passed it on its final approach to York without suffering any delay apart from the obligatory running brake test (RBT) at York Yard North. Thereafter our driver drove for mile after mile as closely as possible to 100 mph before what seemed to be a smart approach to the 35mph restriction over Darlington South Junction. This ends half way along Platform 4 and it was encouraging to accelerate almost immediately up to the 50mph allowed before re- joining the Down Main, and even better, a further acceleration to 95mph before Aycliffe curve. The 90mph restriction at the end of the Wear Viaduct was well judged and the subsequent acceleration to 95 afterwards followed by a quick finish into Durham topped off an excellent driving performance, but still 26 secs over the PTT time and 56 secs over the net WTT allowance.

06/02/2017 07/02/2017 08/02/2017 09/02/2017 10/02/2017 York dep 0942 York 0 3L 0 21L 0 ½L 0 ¾L 0 6½L Thirsk 15¼ 16¾ 16 15¼ 15¾ Northallerton 20¼ 25¼ 21 20¾ 21 Darlington 29½ 35¼ 30¼ 31¼ 30¼ Ferryhill South Jn 37¼ 43½ 38¾ 44½ 39½ Durham 44½ 51 46½ 54 47¼ York dep 1142 York 0 3L 0 15¼L 0 1¼L 0 1L 0 4L Thirsk 15¼ 15½ 15½ 15 15½ Northallerton 20¾ 20½ 20¼ 20¾ 20¾ Darlington 29¼ 30¾ 30 29½ 30 Ferryhill South Jn 37¼ 38¾ 38¼ 38 38¼ Durham 44¾ 47¼ 46 45¾ 46¼ York dep 1342 York 0 1L 0 3½L 0 1L 0 ¾L 0 10½L Thirsk 15½ 15 15½ 15¼ 16 Northallerton 20½ 20 20½ 20½ 21 Darlington 29¾ 29¼ 29½ 28¾ 30½ Ferryhill South Jn 38 37¼ 37½ 38¼ 39 Durham 46 46 45½ 45¾ 47 York dep 1857 York Cancelled 0 4½L 0 T 0 T 0 3L Thirsk from 16 16 17 16 Northallerton York 21 21 26¼ 25½ Darlington 30 32 37 38¾ Ferryhill South Jn 38 40 45 47½ Durham 45¼ 48 53½ 55¼

The return to York was with a better than average Class 91 run during which a quick check found the 1342 York – Newcastle train shown on time. It arrived just after 1341 two minutes after the late departure of the 1336 EC to Edinburgh; the 1332 XC was out of the equation being 28 minutes late. The incoming Harrogate train was on time approaching Skelton Junction but it seems the EC train was given precedence over it probably causing our cautious start, and resultant later RBT just before Skelton Bridge. The 1342 was 16 secs behind the

Milepost 38 -65- April 2017 0942 at Beningbrough, increasing to 20 secs by Croft Spa and, following a more circumspect passage of the following section, 47secs behind at Ferryhill and 56secs at Relly Mill; a more cautious approach to Durham extended the difference to 91 secs. The PTT shows a 44-minute allowance for the 1342 but it has an extra one and a half minutes allowance in the WTT.

As can be seen from a summary of the week’s trains it was probably a mistake not to double back for the 1142 as it ran the 0942 very close seemingly. Although two trains made it past Thirsk in 15 minutes according to RTT none made it in 45 minutes or less. The three 50 minute+ times were all caused by delayed preceding trains. From Tuesday, the weather consolidated into a moderate east wind bringing miserable damp/rainy weather off the North Sea for the rest of the week.

Run One Two Date Monday 6th February 2017 Monday 6th February 2017 Train 0806 Manchester Apt-Newcastle 1206 Manchester Apt-Newcastle Loco 185106 185134 Load formation 3/164/170 3/164/170 Weather Thick mist to Aycliffe, then sunny Misty Vale of York then sunny Recorder/Position/ GPS IU,2/3;Y IU;1/3;Y miles M C Timing Point Sch. m s mph ave Sch. m s mph ave 0.00 0 00 YORK (P11) 0 0 00.0 0 0 00.0 58 sigs 37 1.05 1 04 York Yard N 1 51.2 50rbt 34.0 2 03.4 47 30.6 1.63 1 50 Skelton Jn 2 2 29.8 65 53.6 1.65 1 52 Skelton J 2 2 39.3 64/81/73rbt 60.2 5.50 5 40 Beningbrough 5 07.5 100 88.5 5 23.6 98 84.4 9.70 9 56 Tollerton 7 7 39.6 99 99.3 7 7 55.8 98 99.3 13.38 13 30 Raskelf 9 52.6 101 99.5 10 09.1 98 99.2 15.75 15 60 Pilmoor 11 18.4 100 99.7 11 35.2 99 99.4 17.98 17 78 Sessay 12 38.5 100 100.0 12 55.7 100 99.4 22.15 22 12 Thirsk 14½ 15 10.0 100 99.2 14½ 15 26.4 99 99.8 26.55 26 44 Otterington 17 49.0 100 99.7 18 06.4 99 99.0 30.00 30 00 Northallerton 19½ 19 53.1 99 100.1 19½ 20 11.0 100 99.7 33.76 33 61 Danby Wiske 22 09.0 101 99.7 22 27.6 99 99.2 39.16 39 13 Eryholme 25 23.4 100 100.0 25 43.3 99 99.3 41.50 41 40 Croft Spa 26 46.8 102 101.0 27 07.5 100 99.9 43.05 43 04 OB 94A 27 48.6 75 90.2 28 10.4 74 88.7 (via Platform 4) 34 44.15 44 12 Darlington 29 29 11.8 35 47.6 29 29 36.8 34 45.8 44.78 44 62 Parkgate 29 57.5 60 49.3 30 27.0 58 44.8 45.86 45 69 OB 105 30 51.4 79 72.6 31 27.2 70 65.1 47.31 47 25 Skerne V 31 51.4 95 87.0 32 36.2 86/89 75.6 49.36 49 29 Aycliffe J 33 13.1 83 90.3 34 00.6 88 87.5 53.91 53 73 Bradbury 36 03.1 100 96.4 36 50.4 100 96.4 56.18 56 14 Ferryhill SJ 36½ 37 24.5 100 100.0 36½ 38 12.1 100 99.7 56.95 56 76 Ferryhill 37 52.2 101 100.9 (½) 38 39.4 100 102.1 58.90 58 72 Tursdale J 38 39 02.8 100 99.4 38½ 39 49.3 100 100.5 60.26 60 21 Hett Mill 39 51.5 99 100.6 40 38.5 100 99.7 61.90 61 72 Croxdale 40 50.3 100 100.3 41 39.1 94/92 97.3 62.51 62 41 OB 178 41 14.5 88 91.2 (½) 95 63.38 63 30 OB 181 <½> <1> 42 37.1 87 91.5 63.95 63 76 OB 183 42 11.0 95 91.6 64.88 64 70 Relly Mill 42 50.2 80 85.1 43 45.8 69 78.6 66.18 66 14 DURHAM 44 44 26.0 48.8 45½ 45 57.0 35.7

A run of mine last year got to Tollerton 11 secs ahead of the 0942’s time due to making no RBT so it may just be possible to make the 44-minute public time but the net 43½ minute WTT timing would appear to be out of reach with a legal run. I’d be happy to be proved wrong!

Milepost 38 -66- April 2017 Timetabling the southbound extras proved to be easier although the majority are only able to make a Darlington stop which may have been a commercial decision.

ROCKET - Possibly the first British rail log – David Ashley

John Heaton was reminded that, many years ago, Peter Semmens mentioned a publication: The Rainhill Story: The Great Locomotive Trials, by Anthony Burton, where a resume of the activities on the day was reproduced. This has been summarised below in a more conventional format:

Date 8-10-1829 Loco Rocket Train Rainhill Trials Out Back Dep Arr Elapsed Note Dwell Dep Arr Elapsed Note Dwell Lit fire 09:37:00 1 10:38:15 10:45:58 00:07:43 00:02:14 10:48:12 10:54:55 00:06:43 2 10:58:37 11:05:45 00:07:08 2 00:04:35 11:10:20 11:18:42 00:08:22 1 00:03:42 3 11:21:10 11:29:02 00:07:52 00:02:45 11:31:47 11:39:50 00:08:03 00:02:28 4 11:42:45 11:48:52 00:06:07 00:02:20 11:51:12 11:58:15 00:07:03 00:02:55 5 12:00:42 12:07:13 00:06:31 00:02:27 12:09:40 12:15:45 00:06:05 00:02:27 6 12:17:50 12:23:45 00:05:55 00:02:53 12:26:38 12:35:20 00:08:42 00:02:05 7 12:39:25 12:45:20 00:05:55 00:02:35 12:47:55 12:55:30 00:07:35 3 00:04:05 8 12:57:54 13:03:34 00:05:40 00:03:14 13:06:48 13:13:45 00:06:57 00:02:24 9 13:17:10 13:22:28 00:05:18 4 00:04:02 13:26:30 13:33:35 00:07:05 00:03:25 10 13:35:50 13:40:02 00:04:12 00:02:01 13:42:03 13:47:15 00:05:12 00:02:15 1:02:21 1:11:47 Notes 1 Stopped to oil 2 Greased piston 3 Took water 4 Took water

It seems that the intention was to prove that it was possible to cover the distance from the Liverpool to Manchester areas at an average speed of 10mph and with a load of three times the weight of the locomotive, by running it backwards and forwards along the same section of track. As the length of track used was about a mile, Rocket passed the test with flying colours, and the consistent improvement in times on the outbound journeys was indeed impressive. At that length, run 10 was completed at about 15mph. No doubt the organisers today would promote it as the “Lancashire Shuttle”

Coincidentally, Stansted Express are promoting their service as “Like a rocket” The promotion of a rail service can be difficult when there is so little to promote – The service has hardly improved over the last twenty years - 37 miles in 47 minutes is decidedly leisurely. Perhaps they were referring to Stephenson’s Rocket!

Milepost 38 -67- April 2017 I assume that, based on the speeds achieved, they compare more with Stephenson’s Rocket than with a spacecraft.

TORNADO ON THE S&C - Noel Proudlock

Valentine’s Day 2017 was the first of three, when Northern Rail mounted a major publicity event in advance of the re-opening of the Settle – Carlisle line throughout on the 31st March. They had enlisted of the A1 Locomotive Trust, the Friends of the Settle-Carlisle line, Network Rail and GB Railfreight to use the A1 Pacific Tornado to haul service trains between Skipton and Appleby. The trains selected were the 0947 Leeds-Appleby and 1543 return, both extensively retimed, and ceasing to be through trains to Armathwaite. In the event, the consequence for genuine passengers expecting the journeys offered in the timetable, were very severe northbound arriving at Appleby 39 minutes later, but southbound departing 46 minutes earlier. Also, access to that train at Appleby was controlled by queueing on the un- roofed down platform – in February!

The train provided was formed of eight MK IID vehicles – 7 TSO and 1BSO – 487 seats which was three times that normally provided. About 50% had been allocated for reservation and I heard that they had been taken almost immediately. The combination of Tornado and the S&C route at normal prices generated about 650 passengers, so that at Skipton many were unable to board. I travelled north on the14th and 16th, and on the 14th I did not hear anything said, but on the 16th, the Class 158 which had formed the 0947 from Leeds was formed was shown on the departure board to provide an extra 1110 to Appleby. A passenger sitting opposite me on the return trip said that every seat was occupied by the overflow passengers. The queueing arrangements caused late starts on all the trips that I made. At Appleby, the departure was only ten minutes behind the 1447 service train, which was quite inadequate to bring the steam train into the platforms and count the passengers on, in batches of 64. This was well organized, having regard to the facilities available, and it was announced that an additional train would be provided at 1510 for any passengers who were excluded from the steam train. Skipton managed rather less well and I overheard quite a bit of grumbling about it. I had decided to find out how passengers using the 0947 from Leeds – expecting a through train – would be handled. This proved to be a wise choice, since the train was put into platform 4, and the steam train later came into platform 3; through passengers not being asked to leave the island platform, thus having the first choice of the unreserved seats. For me, very convenient! No such advantage at Appleby.

The late starts from Skipton impacted considerably on the 1017 Leeds-Heysham Port (as can be deduced from the average speed from Bell Busk to Switchers Crossing up the 1in132 climb, I believe 67029 gave some assistance to Swtichers Crossing summit, probably to try to minimise delay to the Heysham service. No such assistance was given from Settle or at any time on the 16th.

On the northbound runs, special speed restrictions were imposed between Helwith Bridge and Horton, and between Garsdale and Ais Gill in the area of Moorcock Tunnel. Southbound a severe restriction was in place at Hellifield and a less severe one between Bell Busk and Gargrave. There was no means of turning the locomotive at either end, and as it was facing north, the up runs were made tender-first – maximum speed 45mph. At first I thought that would be decidedly tedious at places where, in the past, I had recorded 80mph but on consideration realising that climbing from Appleby to Ais Gill speeds in excess of 45mph – other than at Smardale Viaduct – would be notable and this proved to be the case with the main climbs taken at 42mph whilst the schedule of 30minutes from Appleby to Ais Gill with one stop was “special limit” standard.

The operation was based on Appleby, and so two extra trains were operated – about 0845 up

Milepost 38 -68- April 2017 from Appleby and down from Skipton at 1715.

The S&C is notorious for extremes of weather and these three days were quite in character. Tuesday – the day all the media crews were about – was quite exceptional for February: very clear skies, pleasant temperatures and the scenery quite outstanding with snow on the highest ground. Mallerstang Edge was particularly impressive. Anyone who saw the media coverage could not have failed to think how fortunate it was. Wednesday and Thursday were very different. Thursday, in particular, with the cloud base down to 1,500feet and all the famous peaks quite obscured. At Appleby those who walked down to the town for some lunch got distinctly wet, although the rain had stopped by the time the queue for the return trip began to form. It was also fortunate that there was no wind on any of the days.

Table 1 Run 1 2 Date 14/02/2017 16/02/2017 Train 1044 Skipton-Appleby 1044 Skipton-Appleby Loco 60163 Tornado 60163 Tornado Load formation 8 + 67029, 394/434 8 + 67029, 394/434 Recorder N Proudlock N Proudlock Position/ GPS 3/12 Y 5/12 Y miles M C Timing Point Sch. m s mph ave m s mph ave 0.00 221 21 SKIPTON 0.0 0 00 10L 0 00 15L 0.59 221 68 Skpiton NJ 2 01 40 17.5 2 04 32 17.1 1.36 222 50 Niffany X 3 05 48 43.6 3 27 39 33.6 2.50 223 61 Delaney's Sdg 4 24 54 51.8 5 01 47 43.6 3.73 224 79 Gargrave 5 46 55 53.8 6 30 50 49.6 5.49 226 60 Ingber Mast 8 33 51 51.6 6.58 227 67 Bell Busk 8 48 59 56.4 9 47 54 52.9 7.94 229 16 Otterburn Mast 11 24 47 50.6 8.81 230 06 Switchers X 11 11 59 56.3 12 32 52 46.3 10.00 231 21 Hellifield 16.0 12 21 61 61.1 13 53 55 52.8 11.25 232 41 Long Preston # 13 34 61 61.6 15 13 57 56.3 13.26 234 42 Settle J 20.0 15 31 63/61 61.9 17 19 58/50 57.5 15.24 236 40 SETTLE 25# 18 45 36.6 21 04 38 31.6 0.00 236 40 SETTLE 28.0 22 13 4L 23 56 11L 0.74 237 19 Langcliffe Rd 2 49 28 15.7 0.95 237 36 Lamgcliffe 3 53 25 14.7 1.74 238 19 Stainforth Sdg 4 43 38 31.6 5 34 32 28.1 3.14 239 51 Sherriff Brow Via 6 45 42 41.3 7 50 39 37.1 4.75 241 20 Helwith Br 8 56 41/44 44.3 10 19 41 39.0 6.03 242 42 Horton in Ribb 12.0 11 02 31/29 36.4 12 20 31/32 37.9 8.35 244 68 Selside 14 53 42 36.2 16 10 37 36.4 10.66 247 13 Ribblehead 21.0 18 24 41/27/x21 39.5 20 02 39/30 35.9 11.99 248 39 Blea Moor 24.0 21 51 x24/25 23.0 23 34 x21/25 22.5 14.78 251 22 Dent Head via N 26 25 57 36.6 28 20 52 35.1 16.90 253 32 Dent 28 56 31 50.7 31 06 28/31 46.1 20.16 256 53 Garsdale 37.5 33 27 48 43.3 35 14 56/50 47.4 23.20 259 56 Ais Gill 38 20 31/46 37.3 39 44 31/50 40.5 26.75 263 20 Mallerstang 41 51 62-57 60.6 43 17 60-55 60.0 30.09 266 47 KIRBY STEPHEN 48.0 45 59 48.4 48 23 39.3 0.00 266 47 KIRBY STEPHEN 49.0 47 15 2L 50 40 13L 3.19 269 62 Crosby Garrett 4 34 61/58 41.9 4 57 51 38.6 5.33 271 73 Griseburn Ball Sdg [2] 6 44 61 59.2 7 28 58 51.0 8.23 274 65 Ormside 9 31 63/59 62.5 10 28 60/55/60 58.0 10.69 277 22 APPLEBY 15.0 14 48 2L 28.0 15 32 13L 29.2 #Not shown in schedule but clearly [1],[2] not shown

Milepost 38 -69- April 2017 Table 2 Run 3 4 Date 15/02/2017 16/02/2017 Train 1457 Appleby-Skipton 1457 Appleby-Skipton Loco 60163 (Tender first) 60163 (Tender first) Load formation 8 + 67029, 394/434 8 + 67029, 394/434 Recorder N Proudlock N Proudlock Position/ GPS 3/12 Y 3/12 Y miles M C Timing Point Sch. m s mph ave m s mph ave 0.00 277 22 APPLEBY 0.0 0 00 10L 0 00 17L 2.46 274 65 Ormside 4.0 4 39 45/42 31.8 4 11 47/38 35.3 5.36 271 73 Griseburn Ball Sdg 9 06 36/38 39.1 10 29 */30 27.6 7.50 269 62 Crosby Garrett 11.5 12 17 43/43 40.3 13 56 48/41 37.2 10.69 266 47 KIRBY STEPHEN 18.0 18 07 33/29 32.8 19 25 34.9 0.00 266 47 KIRBY STEPHEN 19.0 19 54 11L 20 37 18L 3.34 263 20 Mallerstang 5.5 5 59 38/41 33.5 7 18 33/42 27.4 6.89 259 56 Ais Gill 11.0 11 25 38/42 39.2 12 06 42/46 44.4 9.92 256 53 Garsdale 14.5 15 28 43/41 45.0 16 04 47/40 45.9 13.19 253 32 Dent 20 09 47/30 41.8 20 44 46/34 41.9 15.16 251 34 Dent Head via 23 09 45/40/39 39.5 23 46 38/41 39.1 18.10 248 39 Blea Moor 26.0 27 22 44/31 41.8 27 47 46/30 43.9 19.34 247 20 Ribblehead 29.0 30 13 x24/34 26.1 30 48 x25/20/31 24.6 21.74 244 68 Selside 33 36 46/44/47 42.6 34 08 46 43.2 24.06 242 42 Horton in Ribb # 36 37 43-48 46.2 37 10 47/45 46.0 25.69 240 72 Helwith Br 39.5 38 51 42 43.7 39 18 42 45.7 28.35 238 19 Stainforth Sdg # 42 15 48/45 47.0 42 53 48/45 44.6 30.09 236 40 SETTLE 47.5 45 43 42/47 30.1 46 11 31.6 0.00 236 40 SETTLE 49.5 47 33 9L 48 38 17L 1.97 234 42 Settle J 2.5 3 28 48/45 34.2 3 23 46/44 35.0 3.99 232 41 Long Preston # 6 18 41 42.6 6 07 43 44.2 5.24 231 21 Hellifield 9.5 8 44 15 30.8 8 28 17 31.9 6.43 230 06 Switchers X 11 25 38 26.6 10 42 43 31.9 8.66 227 67 Bell Busk 14 25 48-43 44.7 13 34 47 46.8 11.51 224 79 Gargrave 18 38 31/46 40.6 17 35 30/47 42.6 12.74 223 61 Delaney's Sdg 20 14 47 45.9 19 09 48 46.9 14.65 221 68 Skipton NJ 22 59 41/33 41.7 21 39 35 45.9 15.24 221 21 SKIPTON 24.5 25 12 10L 15.9 23 43 17L 17.1

# [2],[1],[2] not shown in schedule Emer Stop - DSD missed 7.51-8.53

If publicity is what Northern Rail wanted, in spite of some rather disgruntled passengers, then the event was a resounding success.

Railway books by Don Benn:

Biography of British Train Travel - £25 (Pen & Sword)

Southern Day Rail rover £8.99

For the love of steam – 2 parts - £13.50 each

Milepost 38 -70- April 2017 Twilight of British steam - £30.00 (Pen & Sword) MEETINGS

SATURDAY 13th May 2017

Calthorpe Arms, London,1215

AGM, followed by discussion by Noel Proudlock on early HST recollections

THURSDAY 25th May 2017

The Royal Oak, Borough – **Note new time 1215**

Area Meeting

SATURDAY 24th JUNE 2017 (may be extended)

Preston-Carlisle

Mass Timing Day – see page 21

THURSDAY 29th JUNE 2017

The Beaufort Arms, Bristol Parkway 1600

Area Meeting

TUESDAY 25th JULY 2017

The Grove Inn, Leeds 1700

Area Meeting

Milepost 38 -71- April 2017 Class 68s at Marylebone – see page 9

Milepost 38 -72- April 2017

Milepost 38 -73- April 2017