"The York Moors Venturer"

[atsf_fT]

Pathfinder tours "The York Moors Venturer" 1Z47 with 47749 "City of Truro" up front
Departed Newport south wales at 05.27.am today heading for Scarborough all must of seemed well until it left Stourbridge junction at 07.50.am only 1 min down and set off for Old hill bank
only to come to a stand just short of Old hill station with lack power going to the traction motors.
Power was there but no amps were getting to the Traction motors .

London midland Trains were all cancelled both ways with a few Lm services from Snowhill to Rowley regis terminating and then returning .

66518 was sent from Birmingham's Lawley st ,via New st station to help out ,arriving there at 11.23.am the crew off 47749 having plenty of time to sock up the sun beforehand.

The train left at 11.34.am

Help is on its way folks

 

[Kite159]

Oops at the broken down 47 (what a shock it lasted as far as Stourbridge before doing what a 47 does best and breaking down)

 

[Mag_seven]

Oops at the broken down 47 (what a shock it lasted as far as Stourbridge before doing what a 47 does best and breaking down)

This particular machine seems to have a problem with inclines - this is also the 47 that failed hauling the Caledonian Sleeper up Cowlairs incline a few weeks ago.

 

[theblackwatch]

A good old railtour shambles - the sort of thing any charter promoter dreads, I do feel for Pathfinder and their passengers. And a lot of disruption to LNW services too.

Nice set of pics by the way!

 

[50039]

Oops at the broken down 47 (what a shock it lasted as far as Stourbridge before doing what a 47 does best and breaking down)

Over 50 years service...

 

[87015]

Over 50 years service...

And last proper maintenance in 19??...

 

[50039]

And last proper maintenance in 19??...

Good point and no idea... often wondered about maintenance these days... nothing gets the big Crewe Works style overhauls of old - appreciate that new machines are built differently and maybe don’t need so much maintenance, but not sure how the older machines are maintained...

 

[satisnek]

Nice pics. I was on the train behind this - at the signal behind this. It was certainly an interesting experience going 'bang road' back to Cradley Heath. One amusing observation while waiting at the signal, looking down on the back gardens, was a tiny little dog which, although we obviously couldn't hear anything inside a 172, was yapping its head off at this stationary thing which wasn't normally stationary.

Needless to say that the Stourbridge line services were comprehensively trashed, and West Midlands buses were accepting rail tickets.

Bloody railtours

 

[LAX54]

And last proper maintenance in 19??...

Major: 12/07 and an 'A' 19/04 Good to see it stopped a loco (or thereabouts), length short of the signal, makes life so much easier

 

[STEVIEBOY1]

Did the railtour still run very late or was it cancelled?

 

[iainbhx]

Needless to say that the Stourbridge line services were comprehensively trashed, and West Midlands buses were accepting rail tickets.

They said they were accepting tickets - the actuality was as usual somewhat different. As usual, some drivers either weren't told or were ignoring it.

 

[matt]

Did the railtour still run very late or was it cancelled?

Ran late but only as far as York not Scarborough behind a class 66

 

[Ash Bridge]

Ran late but only as far as York not Scarborough behind a class 66

Perhaps should have been renamed "The York Venturer" then?

 

[Harbornite]

Nice shots, I went to Langley Green to see this but couldn't stay too long as I had to be at Leamington by 10:40.

 

[satisnek]

They said they were accepting tickets - the actuality was as usual somewhat different. As usual, some drivers either weren't told or were ignoring it.

Had no problem myself, even when an Inspector (or whatever they're called these days) got on at Five Ways or thereabouts, but perhaps I was just lucky

 

[Shenandoah]

In addition to feeling sorry for travellers and tour companies expenses there is also the factor of local shops who having been advised, most likely on local tv and newspapers, that a train load of tourists are coming. Then, maybe having bought in extra supplies to cater for them now find themselves stuck with overstock. Fine if they are not dated or perishable but if they are then a financial loss could well be incurred.

 

[xotGD]

Perhaps should have been renamed "The York Venturer" then?

Or 'The Old Hill Festerer'?

 

[Ash Bridge]

Or 'The Old Hill Festerer'?

Or that indeed!

 

[TimboM]

Major: 12/07 and an 'A' 19/04 Good to see it stopped a loco (or thereabouts), length short of the signal, makes life so much easier

Also received a major works overhaul including full re-wire when still with Colas, prior to going on-hire to GBRf for the beds this time last year. Was also in Barrow Hill for a week before the Easter Weekend undergoing repairs/maintenance. City of Truro is not an engine that's short of attention from fitters, that's for sure...!

Perhaps should have been renamed "The York Venturer" then?

Even if it had gone on to Scarborough the "York Moors" moniker was a bit of a push anyway - the York-Scarborough line goes through some decent scenery, but not the (North) York Moors National Park at any point I don't think.

 

[nat67]

This particular machine seems to have a problem with inclines - this is also the 47 that failed hauling the Caledonian Sleeper up Cowlairs incline a few weeks ago.

They should have put another Brush on the rear as insurance like West Coast do, And I think they have been warned about this before when using one brush nowadays. Poor communication Pathfinders.

 

[theblackwatch]

They should have put another Brush on the rear as insurance like West Coast do, And I think they have been warned about this before when using one brush nowadays. Poor communication Pathfinders.

Pathfinder didn't run the tour - GBRf did. it is up to the operator to decide how they operate the train. From what I gather, Pathfinder's communication has been excellent, and tour participants have already received a letter regarding the trip.

 

[nat67]

Pathfinder didn't run the tour - GBRf did. it is up to the operator to decide how they operate the train. From what I gather, Pathfinder's communication has been excellent, and tour participants have already received a letter regarding the trip.

Sorry but it did have the Pathfinder headboard, ok may be it is up the operator but as a Brush fan they knew it had failed two weeks ago so why only use one brush on load 10?.
So its GB's fault but at least everyone got there money back.

 

[TimboM]

Sorry but it did have the Pathfinder headboard, ok may be it is up the operator but as a Brush fan they knew it had failed two weeks ago so why only use one brush on load 10?.
So its GB's fault but at least everyone got there money back.

GBRf only had one “Brush” available (unless you count GB’s Class 92s which wouldn’t have been much use!)

There was a path for 47727 (at Barrow Hill) to go to Eastleigh with 47749, so appears there was a plan at one stage to have two 47s on it.

However, 727 was not quite ready in time - had a test run on Tue after a couple of years in store / major overhaul - so was close, but missed it by a couple of days.

749 had spent a week at Craigentinny and then a week at Leicester including an A Exam, so was suitably prepped for the tour.

Unfortunately, things go wrong sometimes - or plans (eg having 47727 available too) don’t come off. It’s easy with hindsight to say what should’ve been done, but before the event GB would’ve needed to weigh up the risks and make a call as to what was the best way forward. eg strapping a 127 tonne Class 66 on the back, which couldn’t keep up with a path timed for 95 mph, “just in case” probably didn’t seem like a good idea at the time.

 

[DarloRich]

Good point and no idea... often wondered about maintenance these days... nothing gets the big Crewe Works style overhauls of old - appreciate that new machines are built differently and maybe don’t need so much maintenance, but not sure how the older machines are maintained...

yes they do: Eastleigh, Derby and Leicester are three places I can think of where such work is done

 

[TimboM]

yes they do: Eastleigh, Derby and Leicester are three places I can think of where such work is done

Washwood Heath did the major works overhaul of 749 in late 2016/early 2017; and also did (most of) 727's major overhaul, which was then completed by HNRC at Barrow Hill after Washwood Heath was closed.

I'm sure Loughborough Brush would do a major overhaul too if someone asked/paid them to.

 

[nat67]

GBRf only had one “Brush” available (unless you count GB’s Class 92s which wouldn’t have been much use!)

There was a path for 47727 (at Barrow Hill) to go to Eastleigh with 47749, so appears there was a plan at one stage to have two 47s on it.

However, 727 was not quite ready in time - had a test run on Tue after a couple of years in store / major overhaul - so was close, but missed it by a couple of days.

749 had spent a week at Craigentinny and then a week at Leicester including an A Exam, so was suitably prepped for the tour.

Unfortunately, things go wrong sometimes - or plans (eg having 47727 available too) don’t come off. It’s easy with hindsight to say what should’ve been done, but before the event GB would’ve needed to weigh up the risks and make a call as to what was the best way forward. eg strapping a 127 tonne Class 66 on the back, which couldn’t keep up with a path timed for 95 mph, “just in case” probably didn’t seem like a good idea at the time.

True, I can understand and they are 60 years old and the electrics will fail so. Would they not have been able to hire in a ROG 47 like 813.

 

[DarloRich]

Washwood Heath did the major works overhaul of 749 in late 2016/early 2017; and also did (most of) 727's major overhaul, which was then completed by HNRC at Barrow Hill after Washwood Heath was closed.

I'm sure Loughborough Brush would do a major overhaul too if someone asked/paid them to.

i forgot about Barrow Hill! They have done lots of this work.

 

[TimboM]

True, I can understand and they are 60 years old and the electrics will fail so. Would they not have been able to hire in a ROG 47 like 813.

47749 had received attention at EC and at Leicester, including an A Exam. It then ran fine from Leicester to Eastleigh; and then with the ECS to Newport - a reasonable "test run" I'd say. I suspect the margins GBRf (and the other FOCs) make on the railtours are pretty slim and hiring in another operators' loco (even if one was available, which it may well not have been) "just in case" would've probably wiped whatever margin there was out.

Again, it's easy with hindsight to say it would've been cheaper to pay a hire-in fee than all the refunds/delay minutes etc., but when making the decision before the event there's no crystal ball and probabilities need to be weighed up as to which is the best way forward. That will also be dictated by circumstances - i.e. there was no readily available "other 47" - so sourcing one would've been a significant extra logistical challenge/cost compared to (say) if 47727 had been ready and could've just done the shortish hop from Barrow Hill to Leicester then joined 47749 from there.

 

[nat67]

That sounds reasonable and its just pot luck that it happens to GBRF.