6th - 9th October 2006

Railway Touring Company
Autumn Highlander

Locos Used 40145, 47245 & 55022
Stock Used 17015+3149+1679+3107+3140+3122+3066+1680+3119+17105

Route:
1Z55 : Kings Cross to Edinburgh Waverley
1Z56 : Edinburgh Waverley to Inverness
1Z21 : Inverness to Kyle of Lochalsh
1Z22 : Kyle of Lochalsh to Inverness
1Z23 : Inverness to Thurso
1Z24 : Thurso to Inverness
1Z25 : Inverness to Kings Cross

Date Loco(s) Route
06/10 55022 (1) London Kings Cross - (via ECML) - Doncaster (2) - (via ECML) - Edinburgh Waverley
06/10 40145 (1) Edinburgh Waverley - Haymarket - Dalmeny - Invernkeithing - Burntisland - Ladybank - Perth - Aviemore - Inverness
07/10 40145 (1) Inverness - Dingwall - Achnasheen - Kyle of Lochalsh
07/10 47245 (3) Kyle of Lochalsh - Achnasheen - Dingwall - Inverness
08/10 40145 (1) Inverness - Dingwall - Brora - Georgemas Junction
08/10 47245 (3) Georgemas Junction - Thurso (4)
08/10 40145 (1) Thurso - Georgemas Junction
08/10 47245 (3) Georgemas Junction - Brora - Dingwall - Inverness
09/10 40145 (1) Inverness - Aviemore - Perth
09/10 40145 + 55022 (5) Perth - (reverse of outward route) - York
09/10 40145 (6) York - (reverse of outward route) - London Kings Cross

Notes :
(1) 47245 on rear.
(2) Somewhere just north of Doncaster 55022 suffered an engine failure whereby a piston was ejected through the engine casing (usually referred to as "putting a leg out of the bed"). This is the first time this has happened to any Deltic post-service days.
(3) 40145 on rear.
(4) Suggested to have been the first visit ever of a class 40 to Thurso however Tony Browne comments: I believe 40143 got there on a fertiliser train of OBA wagons in 1980, which I remember seeing passing through Invergordon. Can't remember the exact date, but it was an August Saturday as I remember. I may be corrected be someone on the finer details, but I assume it went all the way as the resident locos up there at the time were vacuum only Class 26s, i.e. not able to work the above wagons.
(5) (1) 47245 on rear. 55022 was initially dead-in-tow until approx MP37 just south of Ladybank when the remaining good engine was started and 55022 was worked in tandem with 40145 as far as York.
(6) With 55022 dead-in-tow & 47245 on rear - equivalent to about 16 coaches in tow for 40145!

Sources : Rob Fraser & Ralph Barrett

Tour Review
(by Garry Sparks)

Day 1: Due to the late arrival of the ECS from Old Oak Common, 55022 departed Kings Cross 18 minutes late however due to slack timings time had almost been made up by the time the charter departed from Stevenage. Following a few more pick up points we arrived in York almost to time and had a leg stretch before heading on towards Edinburgh, however I soon received a message saying that RSG had suffered some kind of engine problem and would be operating on one engine only to Edinburgh. Despite the problem we arrived in Edinburgh only a couple of minutes behind schedule.

The two hour break enabled the train to be serviced and participants of the train to enjoy a bit of time to explore the delights of the Scottish capital.

40145 was now at the helm as we departed on time from Edinburgh , a spirited run from 40145 up the Highland Mainline meant again we only arrived a couple of minutes late into Inverness.

Day 2: Saturdays itinerary was a simple out and back return to Kyle of Lochalsh, having been on last years trip to Kyle with 40145, the thing that stood out again was the appalling weather which greeted the brave souls out photographing the tour. The early evening departure from Kyle enabled 47245 to haul us back to Milburn Junction before 40145 pulled us back into Inverness.

Day 3: Now the highlight of the weekend, 40145 took us forward from Milburn Junction to Georgemas Junction, the noise from 40145 as we climbed up towards the summit at Lairg  was unbelievable and another bit of thrash as we passed through Golspie on the approach to the break at Dunrobin Castle.  After a two hour break we headed further north with the climb up to County March Summit to sample, we duly arrived at Georgemas Junction where the customary seminar shot was taken and waited for 47245 to take us onto Thurso.  Another break of an hour and a half was undertaken before 40145 hauled us back to Georgemas Junction, then as before 47245 did the honours back to Milburn Junction.

Day 4: Today history would be made, the longest single journey by a class 40!! We departed on time and the gen was that RSG would be attached at Perth, Perth arrived and 40145 was detached to allow RSG to be tucked inside and 40145 to lead, however RSG was switched off, but a few miles south of Ladybank the one operational Napier engine erupted into life, now what a way to finish the weekend, a Whistler and Deltic working in tandem. The booked arrival time into York was met even though we were thirty minutes early passing Durham. This was where RSG adventure ended as she was switched off due to there being no available driver, again we were kept to time and we arrived into the Cross just before 2210.

 Thanks must go to the Railway Touring Company, Premier Train Catering Ltd and West Coast Railway for their hard work, but a big thank you to Martin Walker and the CFPS for allowing these two fine machines to work this charter.

Garry Sparks

Photo Review
(courtesy of Rob Fraser)


06/10 : 55022 'Royal Scots Grey' at Edinburgh Waverley


09/10 : Ouch!


06/10 : 40145 takes over at Edinburgh Waverley, 1Z55 becomes 1Z56.


07/10 : 40145 stands proud at Kyle of Lochalsh


08/10 : 40145 waited whilst the passengers visited Dunrobin Castle


08/10 : 40145 at Georgemas Junction


09/10 : 40145 waits to leave Inverness for the run homewards


09/10 : Better weather by the time the train got to Perth!


09/10 : 55022 'Royal Scots Grey' shows the scars from Fridays failure


09/10 : 40145 leads 55022 'Royal Scots Grey' at York


09/10 : 40145 & 55022 'Royal Scots Grey' on arrival into Kings Cross


Timings (Booked & Actual)
(from Rob Fraser)

06/10 & 09/10

Location Booked Actual   Booked Actual
Kings Cross 07.55d 08.13   21.58a 22.06
Belle Isle 07/57 08/15   21/54 22/01
Finsbury Park 08/00 08/19   21/49½ 21/59
Alexandra Palace 08/04 08/21   21/47½ 21/57
Potters Bar 08/15 08/28   21/40½ 21/50
Welwyn Garden City 08/25 08/33   21/35½ 21/41
Woolmer Green 08/29 08/35   21/32 21/35
Stevenage 08.38a ~ 08.40d 08.39 ~ 08.45   21.20a ~ 21.23d 21.24 ~ 21.30
Hitchin 08/45 08/49   21/14½ 21/19
Sandy 08/54½ 08/59   21/04 21/09
Huntingdon 09.07a ~ 09.10d 09.12 ~ 09.15   20.46a ~ 20.49d 20.51 ~ 20.54
Holme LC 09/30 09/26   ? ?
Peterborough 09.37a ~ 09.41d 09.35 ~ 09.42   20.06a ~ 20.09d 20.12 ~ 20.18
Tallington Jn 09/51 09/52   19/58 20/05
Stoke Tunnel 10/11 10/08   19/47½ 19/53
Grantham 10.18a ~ 10.21d 10.18 ~ 10.23   19.37a ~ 19.40d 19.41 ~ 19.44
Barkston South Jn 10/27 10/28   19/32 19/35
Newark North Gate 10/34 10/35   18/45 18/47
Retford 10/48 10/47   18/30 18/33
Loversall Carr Jn 10/58 10/56   18/20 18/22
Doncaster 11.03a ~ 11.09d 11.01 ~ 11.07   18/17 18/18
Shaftholme Jn 11/25 11/14   18/11 18/14
Templehirst Jn 11/32 11/22   18/02 18/06
Hambleton North Jn 11/36½ 11/27   17/53½ 18/01
Colton Jn 11/42½ 11/34   17/47 17/55
York 11.49a ~ 11.52d 11.39 ~ 12.07   17.22a ~ 17.40d 17.21 ~ 17.47d
Skelton Jn 11/54½ 12/10   17/19 17/18
Tollerton 12/04 12/18   17/13 17/10
Thirsk 12/14 12/29   17/01 16/59
Northallerton 12/28 12/35   16/54 16/52
Darlington 12/42 12/57   16.32a ~ 16.41d 16.39 ~ 16.40
Ferryhill South Jn 12/53 13/11   16/21 16/27
Durham 13.03a ~ 13.10d 13/30   16/12 15/41
Birtley 13/21 13/38   16/04 15/34
Low Fell Jn 13/34 ?   ? ?
King Edward Bridge South Jn 13/37 13/45   16/00 15/29
Newcastle 13/42 13/49   15/58 15/28
Heaton South Jn 13/47 13/53   15/50½ 15/24
Morpeth 14/01 14/09   15/32 15/11
Morpeth North Jn 14.04a ~ 14.09d ?   ? ?
Alnmouth 14/25 14/38   14/49 14/39
Belford 14/38 14/54   14/29 14/26
Berwick-upon-Tweed 14/49½ 15/09   14/12 14/14
Marshall Meadows 14/52½ 15/13   14/07½ 14/12
Grantshouse 15/05 15/27   13/54 13/59
Dunbar 15/14 15/36   13/42 13/47
Drem 15/43 15/45   13/33 13/39
Monktonhall Jn 15/56 15/54   13/23 13/31
Portobello Jn 15/58 15/56   13/21 13/29
Edinburgh Waverley 16L03a ~ 18L06d 16.06 ~ 18.06   13/18 13/25
Haymarket 18/10 18/11   13/14 13/13
Haymarket West Jn 18/12 18/14   13/13 13/10
Dalmeny Jn 18/18 18/21   13/03½ 13/04
Inverkeithing 18/23 18/28   12/57 12/58
Burntisland 18/33 18/39   12/44 12/48
Kirkaldy 18/41 18/47   12/35 12/40
Thornton South Jn 18/45 18/53   12/28 12/37
Ladybank 18/54½ 19/02   12/16 12/26
Newburgh 19/05 19/12   12/05 12/14
Perth 19/20 19/36   11.19a ~ 11.49d 11L32 ~ 11L58
Pitlochry 19.50a ~ 20.19d 20/30   10/47 10/52
Dalwhinnie 21.08a ~ 21.25d 21.25 ~ 21.28   09/54 10/14
Kingussie 21/40 ?   09.26a ~ 09.36d ?
Aviemore 21/52 21/53   09/13 09/30
Inverness 22.35a 22.36   08.10d 08.10

07/10

Location Booked Actual   Booked Actual
Inverness 12.30d 12.30   21.37a 21.35
Muir of Ord 12.58a ~ 13.00d ?   20.43a ~ 21.02d ?
Dingwall 13.08a ~ 13.10d 13.15 ~ 13.19   20.34a ~ 20.36d 20.34 ~ 20.36
Garve 13.34a ~ 13.39d ?   20.10a ~ 20.12d ?
Achnasheen 14.11a ~ 14.13d 14.20 ~ 14.22   19.25a ~ 19.38d 19.25 ~ 19.38
Strathcarron 14.46a ~ 14.48d 14.54 ~ 14.56   18.49a ~ 18.51d 18.46 ~ 18.51
Kyle of Lochalsh 15.30a 15.38   18.00d 18.09

08/10

Location Booked Actual   Booked Actual
Inverness 08.05d 08.05   22.47a 22.21
Muir of Ord 08.33a ~ 08.35d ?   22.02a ~ 22.04d ?
Dingwall 08.43a ~ 08.45d 08.48 ~ 08.50   21.49a ~ 21.51d 21.40 ~ 21.41
Invergordon 09.05a ~ 09.07d ?   21.29a ~ 21.31d ?
Tain 09.25a ~ 09.27d 09.30 ~ 09.32   21.09a ~ 21.11d 20.59 ~ 21.01
Ardgay 09.46a ~ 09.48d ?   20.43a ~ 20.50d ?
Lairg 10.11a ~ 10.13d 10.14 ~ 10.16   20.24a ~ 20.26d 20.21 ~ 20.24
Dunrobin Castle 10.50a ~ 12.50d ?   ? ?
Brora 12.58a ~ 13.00d 13.01 ~ 13.03   19.23a ~ 19.25d 19.31 ~ 19.34
Helmsdale 13.16a ~ 13.41d 13.19 ~ 13.39   19.06a ~ 19.08d 19.11 ~ 19.13
Georgemas Junction 14.48a ~ 15.18d 15.00 ~ 15.18   17.30a ~ 17.50d 17.30 ~ 17.50
Thurso 15.33a 15.33   17.15d 17.15


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