Tornado over the Surrey Hills

In SR438 I detailed two runs with Clan Line on the VSOE/Belmond British Pullman in 2012 and 2014. With Clan Line now undergoing overhaul, it has fallen to the ‘A1’ Tornado to take over Belmond steam duties, and at the kind invitation of the A1 Steam Locomotive Trust I was able to travel in the support coach on the Surrey Hills circuit on December 12. The load was the usual 13 coaches, including 10 Pullmans, with diesel No. 67015 coupled at the rear to provide assistance on the 1-in-64 out of Victoria up to Grosvenor Bridge. On this occasion, due to the omission of a generator vehicle, the diesel was also supplying electric power to heat the train. Once on Grosvenor Bridge, tractive power was shut off on the diesel for the remainder of the run. The gross load was 615 tons, the same as on my two previous runs with Clan Line over the same course. The train crew comprised Driver Paul Major, who had been fireman on my 2012 run; Fireman Jim Clarke, whose father Don - now retired - had been driver on that same train and was travelling as a guest on this one; and the genial Traction Inspector Colin Kerswill, who was on all three runs. Simon Moore was in charge on the diesel. Paul Major and Jim Clarke swapped roles at Shalford, with Jim driving from Victoria to Shalford and Paul from Shalford to Victoria. This time I have not tabulated the outward journey via Stewarts Lane, Richmond and Staines to the Shalford water stop since this heavily congested piece of railway is always beset by signal checks and the locomotive has little chance to show its capability. The fastest point is usually between Ashford (Middlesex) and Staines and here Tornado achieved 54mph, against maxima of 56 and 59½mph, respectively, on the two Clan Line runs. The schedule to Shalford is 110mins for the 39.90 miles from Victoria, compared with 112mins in 2012 and 2014, but this is largely due to a different distribution of pathing allowances, which I refer to in the logs as ‘recovery time’ since they also

incorporate allowances for engineering work. In the event, Tornado took 114mins 45secs, the lost time being attributable to adverse signals either side of Woking and approaching Guildford, together with a 20mph permanent way slack at Woking Junction.

Quick drink

The 22-minute allowance at Shalford to take water was cut to just under 13mins and we were able to leave 4½mins early, as shown in Table 1. This is always the aim at Shalford as the train is allowed only 9mins from there to passing Gomshall (5.75 miles mainly up at 1-in-100), clearly impossible with 600 tons! In the event, Tornado took 13mins 42secs, whereas Clan Line took 15mins 50secs in 2012 and 14mins 48secs on my 2014 run. Speeds at the top of the first part of the bank, at Milepost 36¼, were 20½, and 22mph for Clan Line, respectively, compared with 29mph for the ‘A1’, which slipped at that point. The maximum on the descent to Dorking Deepdene was 71¼mph, just on the line limit. At Betchworth summit No. 60163 fell to 52¾mph, compared with 52½ and 54mph respectively on the two Clan Line runs. Thanks to the early start from Shalford, the ‘A1’s’ train was 2½mins ahead of time through Reigate, but we crawled to a stand in the platform at Redhill just as the stopping EMU to Victoria, which we were due to follow, rolled in. Thereafter the run was beset with signal checks but we crossed to the fast line at Selhurst (as booked) and almost touched 60mph at Streatham Common. Signal stops at Stewarts Lane and outside Victoria caused the arrival to be ¾min late, but the ‘A1’ had proved itself master of the job. Speaking to Colin Kerswill at Victoria afterwards I learned that 45% cut-off and ¾ regulator had been employed on Gomshall bank, care being taken to avoid slipping. Colin’s only other comment was that ‘much sand was used’!