Oliver Cromwell breaks down

[JW16]

Quite a bit of press coverage of Oliver Cromwell's journey from Liverpool Street to Norwich but it looks to have broken down between Diss and Norwich, causing knock-on delays to Greater Anglia services. Shame!
http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/U55042/2018/02/22/advanced

 

[dave4jackie]

only 47 mins late, didn't take long to find a rescue loco if it did break

 

[Richard1960]

only 47 mins late, didn't take long to find a rescue loco if it did break

I think all steam on the main lines have to have a diesel on the back to push them should the Steam Loco break down ,to avoid any long term hold ups.

 

[JW16]

I read the diesel loco on the back pushed it the last ten miles to Norwich.

 

[Crawley Ben]

I think all steam on the main lines have to have a diesel on the back to push them should the Steam Loco break down ,to avoid any long term hold ups.

I don't think that's the case. Happy to be corrected if I'm wrong though.

Cheers

Ben

 

[Darandio]

I don't think that's the case. Happy to be corrected if I'm wrong though.

I agree, i've seen several tours over the past year that haven't had anything accompanying them.

 

[Whistler40145]

I think all steam on the main lines have to have a diesel on the back to push them should the Steam Loco break down ,to avoid any long term hold ups.

I’ve been on the Carnforth to Carlisle Steam train via Blackburn and over the Settle & Carlisle line without a Diesel loco on the rear.

I’m not sure what the rules are on this.

 

[GB]

Pretty sure having another loco on the other end is for operational convenience to avoid run rounds etc. The train in question was ment to work Norwich to Liverpool St before heading elsewhere. I believe the steam loco is coming off at Norwich and the train will be worked by diesel but only to Stratford, then run empty to southall.

 

[eastdyke]

There is a short video kindly posted on the site by @D1002 earlier today.
The video shows the train with 70013 working vigorously through Diss. There is a diesel in rear.
https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/the-cathedrals-express-70013-oliver-cromwell-22-02-2018.161097/

 

[Andrewh32]

I've seen plenty of tours with just the steam loco, however this had 47804 at the back which did push everything to Norwich once Oliver Cromwell had failed.

 

[Richard1960]

I’ve been on the Carnforth to Carlisle Steam train via Blackburn and over the Settle & Carlisle line without a Diesel loco on the rear.

I’m not sure what the rules are on this.

To be honest i'm not 100% either on this. For some reason I remember hearing somebody saying this in the past , which could well have been wrong though ,sounds like it was.!

 

[eastdyke]

On the other hand 70013 on a Cathedrals Express 19th December 2017. There is no diesel in rear.

 

[Whistler40145]

I can imagine that the starting station and where the stock has run ECS from and reversals will require another loco on the rear, that plus it’s useful to provide rear end assistance and train heating when necessary

 

[GW43125]

I can imagine that the starting station and where the stock has run ECS from and reversals will require another loco on the rear, that plus it’s useful to provide rear end assistance and train heating when necessary

And if anyone here was on the 73s to Paignton in mid-2016, they will understand that having locos on the rear is a godsend!

 

[Whistler40145]

You certainly would need a pair of locos on the back, just in case the 73/1s boiled over, a well known problem when working on Diesel Power.

 

[GW43125]

You certainly would need a pair of locos on the back, just in case the 73/1s boiled over, a well known problem when working on Diesel Power.

They did.
Sorry to lead this thread OT, but the first /1 went bang near Teignmouth, the second at Torre.
Had the upside of being an hour late into Paignton.

 

[Buggleskelly]

I think all steam on the main lines have to have a diesel on the back to push them should the Steam Loco break down ,to avoid any long term hold ups.

That certainly was the case when 60163 'Tornado' was on the GEML last August, pulling the Walton Pier Express. 66020 was at the rear, looked quite out of place trailing the rake of Mk1's and 2's.

 

[simple simon]

Maybe only some steam tour trains have diesels at the rear, and maybe the decision whether to have the additional loco partly depends on the chosen route. This much I do not know for sure. But I am 100% certain that this specific train did have a diesel loco at its rear... because I saw it there! I've also learnt its identity. 47 804.

I'm adding my video of this train to the thread linked in message No.9, above. The diesel loco is clearly visible in the film.

Simon

 

[mp01]

What will become of next week's scheduled tour to Cardiff - cancelled, replacement loco, Oliver Cromwell repaired?

 

[alastair]

What will become of next week's scheduled tour to Cardiff - cancelled, replacement loco, Oliver Cromwell repaired?

Probably too early to say, but as of last night the stated intention was to repair the problem in time for the Cardiff trip. I would suggest waiting until Monday at least for it to become clear what is happening.

 

[Crawley Ben]

I remember travelling with Vintage Trains last summer from Startford upon-Avon to Birmingham and return with just a steam loco (Earl of Mount Edgcumbe I think it was..?).

Cheers

Ben

 

[Trainfan344]

I was on board the train when it broke down, the steamer got a push to Norwich at 20mph. Diesel on the rear was to pull the train into Liverpool Street.

 

[156443]

Hopefully will be ok for going to York next Saturday as I was planning on going down there to see 70013, was going to book some tickets on Monday to go there but won’t if 70013 will be unable to perform the journey.

 

[Cowley]

Probably too early to say, but as of last night the stated intention was to repair the problem in time for the Cardiff trip. I would suggest waiting until Monday at least for it to become clear what is happening.

Does anyone know what the fault was?

 

[156443]

Faulty bearing according to what it says here

http://www.gazette-news.co.uk/news/...e_s_final_journey_brought_to_a_halt_by_fault/

 

[Cowley]

Faulty bearing according to what it says here

http://www.gazette-news.co.uk/news/...e_s_final_journey_brought_to_a_halt_by_fault/

Thanks 156443. Having picked through that typical cliche ridden local news article , it looks like a standard hotbox problem so hopefully a reasonably straightforward repair (assuming facilities are available somewhere).

 

[DavidCarbonis]

That certainly was the case when 60163 'Tornado' was on the GEML last August, pulling the Walton Pier Express. 66020 was at the rear, looked quite out of place trailing the rake of Mk1's and 2's.

The 66 was there for operational reasons: Walton-on-the-Naze and Colchester Town (the two stations the shuttles ran between) had no facility to run the steam locomotive around (which also allowed for the "high frequency" of the shuttles).

 

[Roger100]

Tornado failed today as well, and 66014 pulled it and its train into Carlisle. Apparently a TPWS fault. There are a few pictures on Flickr:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/alanp...vek9u-23y8PRQ-21T6gqQ-23gJMtB-21T6KAh-21T8ftW

 

[jamesontheroad]

Cromwell is still stabled at Norwich this morning, with a single carriage, presumably crew accommodation. I’ve seen volunteers working on it over the last few days; if they are staying in the carriage I hope they have sufficient auxiliary heat!

 

[Cowley]

Cromwell is still stabled at Norwich this morning, with a single carriage, presumably crew accommodation. I’ve seen volunteers working on it over the last few days; if they are staying in the carriage I hope they have sufficient auxiliary heat!

The single coach would be what is known as the Support Coach. It’ll probably have a basic kitchen, somewhere to sleep and sit and a selection of various tools to do repairs that are possible while away from the locos main base.
The people that look after these machines deserve a lot of credit, they can be away from home for days and as you say let’s just hope they’ve got a decent heater.