Heritage traction speed limit

[notadriver]

Does anyone know if heritage traction is subject to any lower speed limits on the main line ?

 

[matt]

Does anyone know if heritage traction is subject to any lower speed limits on the main line ?

Steam is limited depending on the driving wheels up to a maximum of 75mph.

 

[Flying Phil]

A few years back the new build A1 Tornado was tested for running at 90mph. This involved being tested at 10% over speed ie 99mph but they were authorised to go slightly over and 100mph was recorded. However, on the later "Ebor" railtour, the centre valve gear seized and the locomotive had to be stripped and rebuilt. It has since run reliably, but now limited to 75mph I believe.

 

[43096]

Does anyone know if heritage traction is subject to any lower speed limits on the main line ?

It depends how you define heritage!

 

[Rail Quest]

Preserved mainline diesels seem to be a bit inconsistent. For example, I believe (though could well be incorrect) that 40013 (D213) is limited to 75mph nowadays despite having a service max speed of 90mph. A few 20s like the ones LS have also seem to be limited to 60mph despite having a service max speed of 75mph.

 

[43096]

Preserved mainline diesels seem to be a bit inconsistent. For example, I believe (though could well be incorrect) that 40013 (D213) is limited to 75mph nowadays despite having a service max speed of 90mph. A few 20s like the ones LS have also seem to be limited to 60mph despite having a service max speed of 75mph.

125 Group’s HST set is limited to 125mph…

 

[Alanko]

This presumably gets tricky when heritage traction is leased out to FOCs! I saw 50050 'Fearless' earlier this year, sent off to rescue 37116 from somewhere up north. Which loco is 'heritage' in this scenario?


Sad irony that 50 to 60 year old diesel traction is still pressed into service while a good number of the ~ 30 year old Class 90s are considered defunct.

 

[Townsend Hook]

A few years back the new build A1 Tornado was tested for running at 90mph. This involved being tested at 10% over speed ie 99mph but they were authorised to go slightly over and 100mph was recorded. However, on the later "Ebor" railtour, the centre valve gear seized and the locomotive had to be stripped and rebuilt. It has since run reliably, but now limited to 75mph I believe.

LNER A4 'Bittern' was also specially authorised to run at 90mph on a limited number of railtours in 2013 (is it a decade ago already?!) to mark the 75th anniversary of 'Mallard's speed record being achieved.

 

[co-tr-paul]

Some steam is permitted at 90 but most is 75
Diesel and electric is as per design.