The Somerset & Dorset Railtour Thur 23rd March

[James]

Times here:

http://www.uksteam.info/tours/t06/t0323a.htm

Double headed with Standard 4 Mogul 76079 and Unrebuilt Bulleid Light Pacific 34067 "Tangmere", running Minehead-Taunton-Exeter-Yeovil-Castle Cary-Westbury-Bath-BTM-Weston-Taunton-Minehead!

First steam up Exeter Central bank for...who knows! A bloody long time!

Into BTM at 15.11

[DAVE]

Local timings are
BATH 1452
BRISTOL TM 1511
WESTON S M 1551 WATER STOP DEPARTS 1606

76079 WILL BE RUNNING AS 76009.

DAVE NAILSEA

[madhattie]

First steam up Exeter Central bank for...who knows! A bloody long time!

You jinxed it!

Currently stalled on the bank and awaiting a banker. (although one report says the tour is now cancelled because of the loss of path)

[James]

I was on this tour and neither delay was anything to do with "bad luck". I don't think I'd better say any more because there may well be legal action on its way and I want the "party/ies" responsible to suffer.

[madhattie]

Have you seen this vid?

http://youtube.com/watch?v=pOqqf-cbqQk

Astounding! They're lucky they didn't do some real damage to the locos by the look of it.

I'd like to see some footage from closer up if you see any posted.

[DAVE]

What went wrong?
My theory would be that a standard 2-6-0 4mt and a west country pulling 13 coaches approx.500tons would struggle on this bank.
Back in my "spotting" days trains were banked from St Davids to Central and I think this could well have "saved" the day if this had been done!
There is a theory doing the rounds that water falling from the overbridge at this location caused the problem, if that was the case obviously in hind sight the banking option would have got over this problem.
Anyone else out there with more information?

Dave Nailsea

[James]

What went wrong?
My theory would be that a standard 2-6-0 4mt and a west country pulling 13 coaches approx.500tons would struggle on this bank.

The loading was fine, and there was a big enough margin for error. The major problem was the driver of the pilot loco 76079 refusing to use the sanders which led to an inevitable loss of adhesion. 34067 didn't slip at all because her sanders were on, but she simply couldn't haul 13 coaches and push a Standard 4 at the same time.

He then had no idea how to stop the slipping (owner's representative took control) but by then she'd already slipped violently for around 20 secs. Also as the train began to roll backwards, 76079's driver tried again to move forwards, of course causing more slipping.

*insert unprintable comments*

[DAVE]

A little bit disappointed to see on the official website of th W.S.R. that there was NO mention of the tour, let alone the problems it faced!

Dave Nailsea

[James]

Well it was nothing to do with the WSR really, just ran on their metals for the first small part of the tour. Why should they attract negative publicity to themselves because of the incompetance of "a certain" TOC/driver? Especially when they've had possibly the most successful gala ever.

[APW]

What happened to this story in the end? I believe there was an investigation. Was anyone shot at dawn?

[Roger]

There have been many comments in the railway press about the cause - one interesting point was the use of the down line to ease the curvature when making the ascent of the bank, but the problem could well have been when the standard hit the greasing point at the top of the bank used by services descending to St Davids. The last thing you need when struggling up a bank with such a load is a good greasing !!!!!

There is some excellent footage on the PSOV DVD for the period Jan - June 2006 which shows the ascent from several vantage points. It does appear (to my untrained eye) that the slippage occurred immediately the standard passed over the greasing point.

Another thought is that when steam was in regular use on this bank, expresses had at least one banker and a lot less coaches.

Look forward to seeing the special.

[James]

The flange oiler was underneath the rear of the support coach at the time 76079 slipped. Believe me, I was there, and have since been back to check the location. Both locomotives passed over it without a twitch, and any oil splashed on the railhead from previous services would be further downhill rather than further up the grade.

The report was published "internally", and it seems to have been swept under the carpet. The driver in question is still banned from the owner's locomotives though...

[DAVE]

Although the report findings were not published, speculation in the railway press was rife with rumour and counter rumour and still is.
One of the major things to come out of the findings though was that the tour operator broke the rules by using more carriages than was agreed!
The loading was an issue there is no doubt about that and the use of a banker was a requirement in the days of steam.
As regards the driver of the standard being to blame, it is interesting to note that although a certain Mr Riley may not be allowing him to drive his engines, no other owners of certain 4-6-2 locos seem to worry about his ability, indeed he has received plenty of praise in the press for some recent mainline performances.
Its to late to rectify what has happened, but I am sure the powers that be will ensure that all future railtours up Exeter bank will be more than adequately powered for the task in hand.

Dave Nailsea