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Steam to Liverpool Street
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DavidCarbonis
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Steam tours definitely have operated out of London Liverpool Streets in the last few years - I recall in 2017 Tornado was chartered by a local council for a Liverpool Street - Walton-on-the-Naze service (terminated early at Stratford on the return leg though due to delays during the Walton-Colchester Town shuttles during the day).
Whistler40145
Established Member
IIRC a few years ago a steam charter suffered from clearance issues with the OHLE, causing a complete short circuit and a lot of sparks as the loco had been unfortunately positioned with the chimney under an insulator, causing it to overheat
You do need to turn the fire alarms off though!
Same happened with a Class 37 on an inspection train. Wires came down as a result.
Same happened with a Class 37 on an inspection train. Wires came down as a result.
As others have said this has occurred in the past and I have departed twice. Brittania and a Merchant Navy. Perhaps the problem at the moment is paths and platform availability. TFL have taken up more paths in recent years on both West Anglia and the GEML slow lines.
I saw a video of that with a large bang and flash on YouTube. I havnt got time to post a link right now but will get round to it later tonight.
ChiefPlanner
Established Member
Hope the Bishopsgate pilot is on standy-by to help with one struggling on the bank. (to quote G F Fiennes) - straight off the platform end onto the climb.
306024
Established Member
Class 37s with roof mounted horns were banned from Liverpool St when 37s were a daily sight. Would have to check the Sectional Appendix if that is still the case.
There have been many steam excursions at Liverpool St, but nothing in recent times could match the Winton Train from Harwich International to Liverpool St on 04/09/09 with Tornado on the front. A truly emotional day.
Here's the link:
The 315 pulling in on the adjacent platform had lost its lights, - as had every other train in the station, except the departing steam excursion train of course! 
You just beat me to it. It's an irony that the steam train that caused the power failure was the only one that left on time. Most of the pssengers on it probably wouldn't have known that anything was wrong. An example of just how safe an OLE installation normally is.
Indeed so.
I wonder if the group intending to (re)create a Claud will ever succeed. That would be a splendid sight at LST in royal blue even if it didn't have the belpaire firebox.
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O L Leigh
Established Member
Steam traction always used to use the west side (P1-10) as it is only the east side which is classed as a sub-surface station, but must be routed directly onto the Down Main to avoid Bishopsgate Tunnel. They were also not permitted to take the WA route through Hackney Downs and the tunnels towards Coppermill Jn, but must instead run down to Stratford and then along the Temple Mills line.
Thanks for the info folks. I will keep my eyes peeled for a suitable steam charter to enjoy!
As an aside, I enjoy the old fashioned anachronism of the Liverpool Street departure board being split into "West"and "East". Must mean nothing to those who don't know!
As an aside, I enjoy the old fashioned anachronism of the Liverpool Street departure board being split into "West"and "East". Must mean nothing to those who don't know!
This got mentioned also in the thread I started a while back about Nicholas Winton. What were the moments of the day?
Sadly it’s one of those events that although I was involved, I simply can’t remember. I’m not even sure I made it to the station, although I think I did, towards the end.
37s with roof-mounted horns were a daily event at Liverpool Street, with several in the 3726x series allocated to Stratford.
However they were banned from the route to Cambridge via Clapton, because of a low bridge on that route. Any Cambridge line train that got one of the high-numbered 37s would need to be diverted via the Southbury Loop to avoid the troublesome area.
As for the Winton train, the emotional event was the reuniting of the (now very elderly) Winton "Children" with Sir Nicholas himself on the platform at Liverpool Street, after travelling (by steam-hauled train) all the way from Prague.
A truly amazing event.
306024
Established Member
The train was 1Z70 09.12 Harwich International to Liverpool St (10.37) on Friday 9 September 2009. 60163 Tornado with load 8. It was the final leg of a journey that had started in Prague some three days previously.
To get any path on the GEML is difficult, but various plans were made to ensure the train got a decent run, with NXEA agreeing to loop any train as necessary. The train departed on time, and it was soon clear we were part of something special with crowds of people all along the line. This caused a brief delay at Ardleigh level crossing where many had gathered, but Control and Colchester box were on the ball and looped the 09.00 Harwich Town to Liverpool St at Colchester instead of Witham as it was just ahead of us, having been more severely delayed at Ardleigh.
We passed the school at Feering, near Kelvedon, where all the children were lined up to wave. By now a BBC helicopter had joined us, and as we ran parallel with the A12 every lay-by was full of parked cars. Some smart running was needed but we were 2 minutes late passing Stratford. However with the standard recovery time approaching Bow Jn the train ran down the hill into Liverpool St platform 10 bang on time, to a media reception that caught many by surprise.
After the speeches the guests went by vintage buses to the Czech embassy, leaving some proud but relieved railway staff to look back at what was a remarkable day, and an honour to be a part of.
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MichaelWells
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37175 was in Liverpool Street yesterday!
306024
Established Member
Presume that one is of the horned variety. All the wires have been replaced since the 1980s, and there is no reference banning 37s with roof mounted horns in the sectional appendix now.
They did merge the two at one point which confused the hell out of me. There must have been complaints as the spit was reintroduced pretty quickly.
silverfoxcc
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- 17 Apr 2012
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That is the group i would give a long term loan of the full price if the Euromills ever comes up
Trainfan344
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I was on the Oliver Cromwell tour that unfortunatley failed, we had a 47 on the rear that was helping a lot to get us up the bank, we then spent a lot of time going slow to allow as much to get past us as possible
Sean Emmett
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Problems with steam out of Liverpool St are that it's difficult to get the stock in and out, and fact that they're limited to load 10.
Had a trip with Ollie that got inside even time at Marks Tey after 7 min late departure, guard stuck on very late running 'one' service.
Have done 5 trips out of Liverpool St, but only 1 managed to get back. Two trips with B1 caped at Norwich due to hot box at Diss and, er, hitting the buffers at Norwich. Further trips with a Brit and Tangmere caped at Stratford. Route knowledge, probs getting stock back.
Finally, at fifth attempt, Ollie back from Norwich via Cambridge and Stratford went all the way in to Liverpool St.
Had a trip with Ollie that got inside even time at Marks Tey after 7 min late departure, guard stuck on very late running 'one' service.
Have done 5 trips out of Liverpool St, but only 1 managed to get back. Two trips with B1 caped at Norwich due to hot box at Diss and, er, hitting the buffers at Norwich. Further trips with a Brit and Tangmere caped at Stratford. Route knowledge, probs getting stock back.
Finally, at fifth attempt, Ollie back from Norwich via Cambridge and Stratford went all the way in to Liverpool St.
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