Class 37 pushing a steam railtour from Carlisle?

[badger1badger]

Good morning

The steam train will be once again setting of for Carlisle from Leeds

Last week there was a 37 on the back... When setting off it appeared to have more engine noise than say idling.

Is this the case and is it providing any motive power or indeed braking or is it just purely auxiliary power for electrics etc.

 

[driver9000]

The 37 will be providing ETS to the train. As you say lights, air conditioning etc.

 

[Sir_Clagalot]

I doubt it as the ETH index of a 37 is quite low. Most charter sets have a generator van at one end. It might be the 37 was requested to give a shove to help get going, especially if well loaded

 

[theblackwatch]

The ETH index of this 37 is particularly low - it is 0 (as is the case with all WCRC 37s)! It was on the train due to fire risk.

 

[driver9000]

The ETH index of this 37 is particularly low - it is 0 (as is the case with all WCRC 37s)! It was on the train due to fire risk.

I thought WCRC had a couple of ETH 37s? My mistake.

 

[badger1badger]

No diesel on today ?

 

[455driver]

the diesel on the back was doing most of the work so the kettle on the front didnt set fire to anything, its been standard practice for some time now when there hasnt been any significant rain for a while!

 

[route:oxford]

the diesel on the back was doing most of the work so the kettle on the front didnt set fire to anything, its been standard practice for some time now when there hasnt been any significant rain for a while!

I'm curious how this works...

Is it just experienced guesswork when pushing - or is there some form of automated control from the steam loco?

 

[driver9000]

I'm curious how this works...

Is it just experienced guesswork when pushing - or is there some form of automated control from the steam loco?

I expect the 37 has a driver on it working to instructions passed by radio from the steam loco crew, I'm not aware of any steam loco capable of working in multiple with a diesel. Through working of the brake would be from the steam engine. That said I haven't seen this happening on any of the steam charters I've seen this summer, The Fellsman hasn't been hauling a diesel loco on the rear apart from once or twice when the diesel has been behind the steam loco.

 

[Beveridges]

37s can provide a significant amount of tractive effort when pushing, why leave it at idle when it could give the train a very hefty shove

 

[IanD]

the diesel on the back was doing most of the work so the kettle on the front didnt set fire to anything, its been standard practice for some time now when there hasnt been any significant rain for a while!

It's hardly steam haulage then, more like diesel pushage. I'd be asking for some money back.

 

[D365]

It's hardly steam haulage then, more like diesel pushage. I'd be asking for some money back.

That's a fair point, but I'm sure that the novelty of having steam locomotion, in steam and heading trains, is better than there being no operation at all, as has happened on the Nene Valley Railway this month due to a lineside field catching fire.

 

[Teaboy1]

Quite agree, 1/2 loaf better than nowt!!
Would soon be big heated debate [pun intended] if said kettle set fire to half of Penygent and Wernside !!
Plus 37's have a nice whine / gruffness to them anyway !!

 

[IanD]

Quite agree, 1/2 loaf better than nowt!!
Would soon be big heated debate [pun intended] if said kettle set fire to half of Penygent and Wernside !!
Plus 37's have a nice whine / gruffness to them anyway !!

True - but if you get half a loaf, you'd only want to pay for half a loaf.

(Personally, I'd prefer the 37 on the front giving it everything, it would be more nostalgic for me!)

 

[455driver]

(Personally, I'd prefer the 37 on the front giving it everything, it would be more nostalgic for me!)

+1.

When the Paignton & dartmouth rly had the rat out due to the steam fleet being fec, um broken I made a specific trip for it, the look on the guards face when, after he apologised to me for the "dirty diesel on the front", was priceless as I replied "thats okay I am only here for the dirty diesel and wouldnt have bothered if it was a kettle on the front"!

 

[Beveridges]

+1.

When the Paignton & dartmouth rly had the rat out due to the steam fleet being fec, um broken I made a specific trip for it, the look on the guards face when, after he apologised to me for the "dirty diesel on the front", was priceless as I replied "thats okay I am only here for the dirty diesel and wouldnt have bothered if it was a kettle on the front"!

Superb!

serves him right for assuming the line is there entirely for the Kettle Heads.

 

[E&W Lucas]

+1.

When the Paignton & dartmouth rly had the rat out due to the steam fleet being fec, um broken I made a specific trip for it, the look on the guards face when, after he apologised to me for the "dirty diesel on the front", was priceless as I replied "thats okay I am only here for the dirty diesel and wouldnt have bothered if it was a kettle on the front"!

He was probably relieved, as every other passenger would have been giving him earache.

You always get a couple that travel especially for the paraffin can, but try sitting on a Sulzer by the stops in Whitby, whilst seven coaches full of fed up pax file past, who've just handed over a lot of brass for a "Steam Train Ride"!
How to seriously damage your business!

 

[Beveridges]

"Dirty " Diesel on the front"

As opposed to what ? An even filthier Kettle ?

Like them or hate them you have to admit a Kettle is far, far dirtier than even the first generation of diesels such as Rats ?

 

[DarloRich]

It's hardly steam haulage then, more like diesel pushage. I'd be asking for some money back.

most normal people wouldn't notice plus i am sure it will be in your T&C's when booking

 

[341o2]

the diesel on the back was doing most of the work so the kettle on the front didnt set fire to anything, its been standard practice for some time now when there hasnt been any significant rain for a while!

this is what has happened to the Dorset Coast Express which should have been steam worked throughout with the down loco banking the up train out of Weymouth, cancelled during July, August/September runs with diesel at rear doing most of the work due to fears of setting the New Forest alight

 

[EltonRoad]

In fairness you can see their point when you get lineside fires like this:

taken near Mallaig about a year ago just after the Jacobite passed, caused a small lineside fire that was then fanned by strong winds and set fire to the entire hill! It was put out by the fire brigade within a couple of hours, following which the afternoon steam train came past without any problems!