Spitfires "The Prisoner", May 29th

[Drimnagh Road]

Anybody doing this?

Booked flights over for it there the other day. Into May now and haven't had a 37 at all this year so looking forward to it, the Norwich one featuring a class 20 and the previous Crewe-Stanhope featuring a 47 putting me off doing them ones. Plus a surge in Irish charters kept me busy at home.

Anyway, its advertised as two 97s forward from Shrewsbury, I assume one of those will be coming off at Machynlleth due to the restrictions on Barmouth bridge? Somebody mentioned to me yesterday that they could possibly top n tail it, is that permitted over the bridge?

Also, I wonder will the DRS 37s that haul us from Preston-Shrewsbury in the morning be the same pair that take us back later that night? Personally, 409 would be a major coup if it appears, anybody know if this is still at Barrow Hill or has it been released?

 

[37401]

I think you can have 2 locos on the bridge now I'm sure there's a photo somewhere anyhoo if you're on come say hi

 

[Moodster020]

Oh yes!

Last did that route on a pathfinder 37 tour in 2006.
Great scenery!

 

[4SRKT]

Have restrictions been reimposed on the bridge since they were lifted in the 1980s? I remember the great excitement when they were lifted and locos could run again. The London > Pwllheli and return on summer Saturdays was a pair of glorious 37s. What fun!

Prior to the restriction being lifted it used to be interesting to see engineers' trains being hauled by one of those single-car parcels DMUs (class 128 IIRR). Reminded me of very distant memories of through Dublin > Derry freights being hauled over NIR metals by a pair of DEMU power cars in the absence of any suitable locomotive.

 

[Drimnagh Road]

Not sure what the story is today 4SRKT, but when I done it in 2008 with 37401 & 417, 401 came off at Machynlleth and we continued onto Pwllheli solo, 401 rejoining us on the return.

Was there an IRRS tour to Portrush a few years back with the Gatwick set, and when the 111 went bust the carriages were top n tailed with two 80 class power cars or did I dream that? can't find any photos of said tour online.

 

[4SRKT]

Not sure what the story is today 4SRKT, but when I done it in 2008 with 37401 & 417, 401 came off at Machynlleth and we continued onto Pwllheli solo, 401 rejoining us on the return.

Was there an IRRS tour to Portrush a few years back with the Gatwick set, and when the 111 went bust the carriages were top n tailed with two 80 class power cars or did I dream that? can't find any photos of said tour online.

Could be, although the PCs would have to be separately driven because the 80 class has MW jumpers running throughout the train, and (certainly used to have) a 3-pipe air brake system rather than the usual UIC 2-pipe version.

Try going on the Yahoo group 'Railcar' which is full of useful NIR gen, plus a set of photos I took on a day in March 1991 when I did the whole network in a day, and clocked both remaining Hunslets in action in Lisburn station at the same time. The next day was the last time 101 ever worked a passenger train, apart from an RPSI positioning move later in the yaer with No.4 which went bang between Knockmore and Lisburn and had to be dragged into Lisburn by 101. I was on this train and it was a very cold day, and conditions were Baltic by the time we were rescued!

Link below, but you'll have to join to view it.

http://finance.groups.yahoo.com/group/railcar/
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Drimnagh Road, I got an e-mail from one of the lads on the Railcar group, who confirmed that 80 class vehicles cannot work with ordinary Mk II stock because of the different braking system I mentioned, and also a different electrical system. He described the cock-up on the tour you mentioned thus:

"On Saturday April 24th 111 failed at Belfast Central as it was about to haul the gatwick set to Dublin as the first leg of the IRRS railtour. An attempt to substitute 218 did not work as this loco burned out its starter motor when York Road Depot tried to start it. The Belfast-Dublin-Belfast section of the railtour was cancelled and passengers were conveyed on the 0650 ex Belfast and 0935 ex Dublin (217+dd) 111 remained at Central while 456 hauled the 7 gatwick vehicles to York Road . An initial attempt to haul the set to the depot with 111 dead on the rear resulted in 456 stalling on the bridge outside Central (no serviceable locomotives in the area) 111 was rectified at Central and ran light to YR, returning to Central with the gatwick set but again failed. The Belfast-Castlerock-Portrush-Belfast part of the tour was worked by 91+755-777-94 and then 111 plus gatwick had been sufficiently revived to work Belfast-Dublin-Belfast without incident."

 

[Drimnagh Road]

thanks for that 4SRKT. Thought as much that would be the case. Anyway, this is what caught my eye, 111 remained at Central while 456 hauled the 7 gatwick vehicles to York Road . So a unit did haul coaches, ok wasn't in the same context of what I was thinking but I was adamant something along these lines happened. In fact that's even more interesting as I certainly didn't think a 450 could haul a rake of mk2s!

Didn't realise though there were so many other farces happening on the day! Its like a comedy script!

I couldn't bear the thought of joining a railcar group of any description to find out so I asked on my local forum, Irish Railway News. A poster was able to provide a link to a very decent video of the trip in Northern Ireland...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FKaLRt8vm3M

 

[Jordy]

I'm on this with a couple of others from the forum

 

[4SRKT]

thanks for that 4SRKT. Thought as much that would be the case. Anyway, this is what caught my eye, 111 remained at Central while 456 hauled the 7 gatwick vehicles to York Road . So a unit did haul coaches, ok wasn't in the same context of what I was thinking but I was adamant something along these lines happened. In fact that's even more interesting as I certainly didn't think a 450 could haul a rake of mk2s!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FKaLRt8vm3M

Well, at 560 hp a 450 ought to have no problem hauling itself and 7 Mk IIs over short distances. After all, BR station pilots were almost invariably 08s at 350 hp, required to shunt release locos from long rakes. Indeed the Scarborough pilot was for many years 03084 (204 hp) which on summer Saturdays had to release rake after rake of 10+ length.

 

[Dreadnought]

Just read on the Spitfire website tour is now 2 x WCRC 37s Preston - Shrewsbury and 2 x DRS 37s Shrewsbury - Pwllheli due to ERTMS not yet being commisioned and therefore NR 97s not being available.

 

[37113]

Just read on the Spitfire website tour is now 2 x WCRC 37s Preston - Shrewsbury and 2 x DRS 37s Shrewsbury - Pwllheli due to ERTMS not yet being commisioned and therefore NR 97s not being available.

You beat me to it Dreadnought,

An update has just gone onto our site : http://www.spitfirerailtours.co.uk/index.htm

Items include confirmed timings and route for the 22nd May, an announcement regarding 97's on the 29th May and subsequent lack of, confirmed traction for the 26th June and our new tour the Cumbrian Crusader III for July 31st.

July 3rd is a casualty however, we cannot get agreement with the Paignton and Dartmouth Railway for their 25 being out, being the main reason, hope to get to Paignton still though at some point for a Riviera Rat II !.

29th May announcement - The Prisoner :
We have been advised by Network Rail that due to the delay in the installation of the ERTMS Signalling, their 97/3's will not be available to haul any charters (until ERTMS is commissioned). The train will now be 2 x WCRC class 37 Preston to Shrewsbury and 2 x DRS class 37 from Shrewsbury forward. Thanks go to our Train Operating Company for their short notice assistance in ensuring 4 x class 37's are available for this charter.

 

[37401]

will the WCRC 37s rejoin at Shrewsbury on the way back or will the DRS 37s stay on?



Cheers

 

[37113]

will the WCRC 37s rejoin at Shrewsbury on the way back or will the DRS 37s stay on?



Cheers

WCRC37's to work the return from Shrewsbury.

 

[37401]

Cheers, lets hope for 4 winners

 

[theblackwatch]

Cheers, lets hope for 4 winners

No chance of that! My expectation of one looks much less likely now. Still, at least there's nothing nasty up front!

 

[Drimnagh Road]

Interesting. Personally I would rather have the DRS 37s working to Pwllheli rather than the yellow stuff. Put it this way, when (if) this white elephant ERTMS thing gets up and running there'll be plenty of opportunity to scratch them off.

Virtually guaranteed two DRS winners personally, only had four of them. Again, 409 would be lovely. As for the West Coast machines, ideally 676 will make an appearance, 160 miles Preston-Shrewsbury return would just clear it for a grand.

 

[43034 The Black Horse]

As for the West Coast machines, ideally 676 will make an appearance, 160 miles Preston-Shrewsbury return would just clear it for a grand.

I've only had 1 WCRC one so far and it's 676, I'd need about 180 from it clear it for a grand. 516 and 706 would do me, or any other WCRC ones except 676.

 

[37401]

I've had 516 so 706 and 676 will do me fine

 

[Whistler40145]

Does anyone out there know which 37s are going to work?

 

[Dreadnought]

Does anyone out there know which 37s are going to work?

2 from 37516, 37676 & 37706 from WCRC and any 2 that DRS have available that weekend!

People will speculate which ones they will be, normally based on what they require but in the end nobody will know until they actually appear on the train.

 

[Whistler40145]

Are heavyweight 37s banned from Barmouth Bridge?

 

[theblackwatch]

Are heavyweight 37s banned from Barmouth Bridge?

I would suspect so, but given that DRS don't have any, I cannot imagine it being a problem!

 

[Drimnagh Road]

Bit of a stagger Preston-Crewe in the morning,

Preston - 07:02
Wigan NW - 07:32
Warrington BQ - 07:58
Crewe - 08:55

Should be kipping in the Crewe Arms and on the 05:57 to Preston.

Finally, I believe that 37685 has now officially begun its career for WCRC so that could also be a welcome possibility for Saturday.

 

[matt]

Bit of a stagger Preston-Crewe in the morning,

Preston - 07:02
Wigan NW - 07:32
Warrington BQ - 07:58
Crewe - 08:55

Should be kipping in the Crewe Arms and on the 05:57 to Preston.

Finally, I believe that 37685 has now officially begun its career for WCRC so that could also be a welcome possibility for Saturday.

It stops at Crewe for a little while to attach the blue 37s to the rear.

 

[Drimnagh Road]

516 & 685 have been mentioned for the Preston-Shrewsbury WCRC leg, with 069 & 218 forward with DRS.

Two winners there, so happy enough. Off to the airport shortly

 

[Chester025]

516 & 685 have been mentioned for the Preston-Shrewsbury WCRC leg, with 069 & 218 forward with DRS.

Two winners there, so happy enough. Off to the airport shortly

37516 & 37685 are now working from Preston - Crewe, for 37069 & 37218 forward to Pwllheli via the Abbey Foregate Curve.

 

[Dreadnought]

37516 & 37685 are now working from Preston - Crewe, for 37069 & 37218 forward to Pwllheli via the Abbey Foregate Curve.

Oh fantastic, and there was me thinking I was going to enjoy 2 WCRC 37s from Crewe to Shrewsbury and then 2 DRS forward, and now all I get is a pair of DRS because somebody in NotWork Fail cannot plan.

Too late at this stage to change the plans now in place for tomorrow to get further north, if I had known earlier would have probably booked a room in Preston to do the whole tour.

 

[Drimnagh Road]

Dreadnought, not sure if you are in a position to get the 05:57 Crewe-Preston, arrives 06:37. You'll get 50 miles of West Coast 37s. A bit measley, but I'm determined to scratch off 685 having made the effort to travel over for it.

 

[Concrete Bob]

37516 & 37685 are now working from Preston - Crewe, for 37069 & 37218 forward to Pwllheli via the Abbey Foregate Curve.

Is this correct? I thought the times were already confirmed?!

 

[Jordy]

Yes its been confirmed by spitfire over on WNXX, apparently the website has been updated but it doesn't appear to have been from this end...