60163 Tornado creeps thru S Ruislip. Down W Shakespeare. 30-Dec-2011.MOV

You thought it was all over for Main-Line steam in 2011. It is now. (Apologies to the late Kenneth Wolstenhome and the BBC) A1 Locomotive Trust Limited A1 Class No: 60163 Tornado creeps to a halt at South Ruislip (SRU) at the head of the United Kingdom Rail-tours Down William Shakespeare from London-Paddington to Stratford-upon-Avon and return. It's Friday 30th December 2011 at about 08:25 and Tornado was bang on-time, but, it was brought to a halt at the Down relief Starter. I was deluding myself that as the Chiltern main-line is so busy that Tornado would roar through at 60mph. Ha! Fat chance.
There is a curious little Chiltern commuter train from Marylebone that terminates at SRU on the Down Relief. It then waits, as empty stock, for two Northbound fast trains to pass on the Down Main. Then it goes forward to West Ruislip where it will shunt onto the Up Main. Unfortunately it has to wait at West Ruislip for a Southbound Up Fast to clear so Tornado was held at SRU waiting for the Chiltern ecs to cross.
From SRU Tornado would head North, passing West Ruislip and then heading out of London until it joins the main Oxford-Banbury line at Aynho.
This was Tornado's last run for 2011. Does that sound familiar? Well it's what I said in my notes after watching Tornado pass Hounslow bound for Norwich on 19-Dec-2011. Great Western 60xx King class 6024 King Edward I was originally rostered to work this train but, Network Rail had gauging issues so Tornado was swapped for KE1 last week.
Trivia time. This was the 107th and final outward steam excursion from, or around London in 2011. 15 of those 107 were hauled by Tornado. Remember, up until 18th June Tornado had not worked 1. Only 1 of the 107, this train was called William Shakespeare. Only 2 of the 107 passed South Ruislip. So, even though Tornado was creeping along I hope you agree it was nice to see steam on the Chiltern main-line.
SRU is a 5-track, four-platform station. Platform 1 is the Down London Underground-Central Line where trains go to West Ruislip. Platform 2 (an island with 1) serves Up Central Line trains bound for Central London, City of London and then right out to Epping, Essex. Platform 3, where I stood, is the Down Relief. Commuter trains go onto High Wycombe and Prince's Risborough. The middle track is the Down Main. Because of re-modelling a few years ago fast trains now take SRU at 60mph. They go to Banbury, Bicester and Birmingham. Platform 4 is the Up Main serving fast and commuter trains to London-Marylebone.
The line through SRU was opened in May 1906 by the Great Western and Great Central Joint Committee. The line connected the Great Central and Metropolitan main-line from Neasden and the Great Western main line at Old Oak Common. It's purpose was to give the Great Central a less busy main-line to and from Marylebone and avoid the Joint Line with the Metropolitan. It also gave the Great Western a shorter main-line to Birmingham. However, the Great Western only sent commuter trains up this line in its first four years.

When the line opened there was no station at SRU but, two years after the line opened, in May 1908, the Joint Committee opened a four-track station with platforms serving the outer relief lines. The station was originally called Northolt Junction to mark the junction just up from the station where the Great Central main-line diverged from the Great Western main-line.

Hope you enjoy and please give me your feedback. I wish all viewers and subscribers a Happy, Prosperous and Steamy New Year.

Category:

Travel & Events

Tags:

• 60163
• Tornado
• creeps
• thru
• S
• Ruislip
• Down
• W
• Shakespeare
• 30
• Dec
• 2011

[megatwingo]

Nice train and a formidable loco. Thumbs up! :)

[bkendlerA4]

@megatwingo I agree with you and thank you for the comment. Barry

[robmasterman]

Nice one Barry, plenty of time to enjoy it passing, with the added bonus of the mirror reflections....That generator van was a little noisy though....Bob

[bkendlerA4]

@robmasterman Hiya Rob, Thanks for the comment. You're the only one who spotted the mirror reflection. So my camera saw passengers eat their breakfast twice. I don't like the throb of that generator van. I noticed it at Victoria when I filmed 60163 departing for Sherborne on 14-Dec-2011. Barry

[bobnweaver]

Nice video Barry, Good to see you still get some main line steam at this time of year. Regards, Jeff.

[bkendlerA4]

@bobnweaver Hiya Jeff, Actually there were originally three planned steam runs between Christmas and New Year including two around London. The William Shakespeare rail-tour was the only one that survived. Barry

[bkendlerA4]

@lmogden1 Thanks for the comment. Glad you liked it. Barry

[bkendlerA4]

@MrKnowwun Ha! I did feel my camera was being intrusive. Well spotted. LOL. Barry

[MrKnowwun]

At least you managed to get good clear shots of the breakfast being served.