Newly restored "Flying Scotsman" back in service - ongoing discussion

[whole diary]

[Lee]

I wonder how much the charter companies pay in various access fees/charges, and whether a better solution might be to frontload the cost of the previous year's disruption onto the next year's fees. This would encourage the charter companies to look at ways of preventing trespassing in the first place, rather than paying delay fees that would mean perpetually reacting to trespassing that had already taken place. Of course, the charter companies could instead decide that running the tours was no longer financially viable, which would then bring about the de facto main line steam ban that some have suggested as an alternative solution.

Or am i being too rational?...

[Timmer]

It has become a very common event on a daily basis as the Twitter accounts of SWR^» (South Western Railway - about), GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) and SR^‡(resolve) report.
With Flying Scotsman, surely the charter companies will look twice at using it if they are the ones paying the delay minutes fees.

This is what the train drivers are having to put up with

Thttps://twitter.com/highspeedpanda/status/1125139489255501824?s=21

Just looking at that image made me cross, the unbelievable stupid behaviour of some people. Like one person said on that thread, they are old enough to know better...clearly not.

[grahame]

And the press feed out the running times to all and sundry --- from Daniel Morrow, Trainee Reporter, Lincolnshire Live - ((here))

Please note - I have altered the times so that this in now FAKE NEWS ... as I'm making a point and not wanting to make crowds who ... based on an article without even a token warning to safety ... seems to add fuel to the fire.

Train lovers have been urged to be on the lookout as the Flying Scotsman is set to pass through Lincolnshire.

The world famous steam locomotive will be travelling through the county on its trip from London to York on Tuesday, May 7.

Its route will pass through Spalding, Metheringham before stopping at Lincoln Central. The Flying Scotsman will then pass through Saxilby and Gainsborough stations.

[snip]

Trainspotters will be able to see the train pass through Spalding at 2.56pm before it stops at Metheringham station at 3.27pm – when it will remain at the station for 13 minutes.

The next stop for the world famous train will be at Lincoln Central at around 3.53pm – but you will have to be quick as it will only stay at the station for two minutes.

It will then set off towards York, passing both Saxilby and Gainsborough at around 4.04pm and 4.15pm respectively.

Daniel may be a trainee reporter ... I wonder what his editor's directives are ... balance between "get as many readers as you can" and encouraging unthought/dangerous behaviour.

[bradshaw]

The image has been shared with Ian Prosser (ORR^» (Office of Rail and Road formerly Office of Rail Regulation - about)) and BTP^▸ (British Transport Police) on Twitter. One hopes that that will speed up identification.

[JayMac]

Hopefully the trainee reporter can be taught not to use the definitive article when writing about Flying Scotsman.

[TaplowGreen]

Reading some speculation in the Press today that Network Rail may ban The Flying Scotsman if trespassing morons continue to delay scheduled services.

[Timmer]

Reading some speculation in the Press today that Network Rail may ban The Flying Scotsman if trespassing morons continue to delay scheduled services.

Might as well ban it now then because it’s been proved over and over that they don’t.

[Robin Summerhill]

Reading some speculation in the Press today that Network Rail may ban The Flying Scotsman if trespassing morons continue to delay scheduled services.

I was just about to post on the subject as Taplow Green posted this.

One question that I would like answered is whether it is only this engine that is a particular problem? We don't appear to see many similar reports about other steam workings.

When I was on one of the 1T57 commemorative trips last August there were certainly plenty of linesiders, and Appleby station was overflowing with a lot of people of a "certain age" wth cameras in their hands, but I never saw anyone doing anything stupid.

If it is a problem that mainly only besets 4472/60103 then perhaps Network Rail may be on to something. Whilst it would be a nuisance (to put it mildly...) for the return on investment in the restoration being limited, perhaps it would be for the best if this engine were only allowed to potter along heritage railways at 25mph. It would certainly be for the best if the end result of continuous and repeated trespass incidents surrounding this engine resulted in another blanket ban on steam workings.

I am old enough to remember the last one!

PS - if anyone is interested in some grainy instamatic shots I took of Operation 6000, when KGV took the Bulmers train out for a ride in 1971, they are here:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/93122458@N08/18202252402/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/93122458@N08/17585298453/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/93122458@N08/18207091091/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/93122458@N08/17583269484/

[TaplowGreen]

Reading some speculation in the Press today that Network Rail may ban The Flying Scotsman if trespassing morons continue to delay scheduled services.

Might as well ban it now then because it’s been proved over and over that they don’t.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-derbyshire-48170533

....and this from a train driver.....

https://twitter.com/HighSpeedPanda/status/1125139489255501824?s=19

[PhilWakely]

Reading some speculation in the Press today that Network Rail may ban The Flying Scotsman if trespassing morons continue to delay scheduled services.

Hopefully the trainee reporter TaplowGreen can be taught not to use the definitive article when writing about Flying Scotsman.

My emphasis and alterations   

[Western Pathfinder]

From last night.
https://mobile.twitter.com/MrcogginsGarage

[TaplowGreen]

Reading some speculation in the Press today that Network Rail may ban The Flying Scotsman if trespassing morons continue to delay scheduled services.

Hopefully the trainee reporter TaplowGreen can be taught not to use the definitive article when writing about Flying Scotsman.

My emphasis and alterations   

I sincerely regret coming to the attention of (the) Grammar Nazis 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N4vf8N6GpdM

[GBM]

Way off topic, but from Journey Check
https://www.journeycheck.com/greatwesternrailway/

Line Update
Delays to services between Totnes and Plymouth
Due to trespassers on the railway between Totnes and Plymouth trains have to run at reduced speed on all lines.
Train services running through these stations may be delayed by up to 30 minutes. Disruption is expected until 18:30 06/05.
Last Updated:06/05/2019 17:29

Are we expecting said engine passing through?

[TonyK]

Hopefully the trainee reporter can be taught not to use the definitive article when writing about Flying Scotsman.

Or definitive times. That's definite, for sure!

[JayMac]

Hopefully the trainee reporter can be taught not to use the definitive article when writing about Flying Scotsman.

Or definitive times. That's definite, for sure!

Oh bum. Hoist again by one's petard. I, of course meant 'definite'.


Meanwhile there's these two prize turnips from the recent outing of Flying Scotsman.



Conflicting reports about how the Voyager came to a stand. It had either been cautioned to 5mph because of these trespassers and then stopped on sight of them, or had had the signal thrown back and emergency stopped.

Whatever the reason for the stop there's simply no excuse for those two muppets to be where they are. I've no qualms sharing their faces. I hope they will be, or have been, identified by BTP^▸ (British Transport Police) and are facing prosecution for railway trespass. I'd like to see a charge for obstructing engines or carriages on railways (Malicious Damage Act 1861) too. That can carry a sentence of up to two years in prison.

Idiots.

EDIT: Tweets from the driver involved. Confirms he had signals thrown back at him. Also confirms later in the twitter thread that his photos and the forward facing CCTV^▸ (Closed Circuit Tele Vision) have been sent to BTP.

https://mobile.twitter.com/HighSpeedPanda/status/1125139489255501824

EDIT: Apologies to TG. I somehow missed his earlier post with the same link.