Railway Performance Society Magazine - Milepost
Highland Azuma
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PITLOCHRY-KINGUSSIE (43.23 miles) The Azumas are not permitted to travel at SP (Sprinter-remember them?) speeds and the Azuma had no problem keeping to the speed profile with a brief burst to 89 after Dalwhinnie. Drumochter Summit (24.43 miles) was passed in 26m 03s and Kingussie reached in 43m 08 after a signal check on the approach. The HST net 42m schedule still in force was equalled. KINGUSSIE-AVIEMORE (11.86 miles) 94 max over the 100 mph section to Kincraig (5.89 miles) passed in 5m 18 and 84 beyond (PSR 85 mph). The last mile was probably signal checked taking 2m 26 secs and a time of 11m 41s was recorded. Net schedule 10.5 mins, which may well have been achieved with a clear approach. AVIEMORE-INVERNESS (34.54 miles) 80 mph is permitted up the climb to Carrbridge but no more than 74 was achieved before the final dip at 82 mph. After slowing to 57 through the station to little more than 60 was achieved on the initial 1/60 climb to Slochd (PSR 75 mph). There’s an unfortunate omission of a nbd 65 PSR from 93m 40 to 94m 60 in the Chart, hinted at but not carried forward. The driver may have been slightly distracted by a broadcast message on the latter stage of the climb, but the 50 PSR just south of the summit makes any performance judgement difficult; the summit (12 miles) was passed in 11m 58s. The downhill romp to Inverness poses no problems and Inverness was reached I min early in 33m 15 secs (net sch 33.5 mins) IINVERNESS-AVIEMORE The acid test with just over 20 miles of climbing broken briefly around Culloden and Moy. 80 mph applies to Culloden, half a mile at 70 there, then 75mph to Tomatin terminating with a 60 mph finish to Slochd. The 50 PSR starts 0.25 miles after the summit. There was a maximum of 57 before Culloden (6.51 miles in 8m 01s) and speed stabilised at about 61-62 to Moy (14.89m in 15m 55s-sch 16.5 mins). After 71 mph on the easier stretch beyond we were badly checked by the passing of the northbound sleeper at Tomatin (18.94miles in 20m 46s). The passing speed was 42 mph increasing to 54 on the final climb- Slochd 22.55 miles in 24m 57s. Aviemore was reached in 36 m 21s against a net sch of 34.5 mins. Difficult to assess a net time. AVIEMORE-KINGUSSIE 81 before Kincraig (5.98m in 5m 39) and 98 after. Net sch 11m, time 10m 58. KINGUSSIE-PITLOCHRY Newtonmore 2.8 miles passed in 3m 11s. Speed held closely to the max as far as Inchlea where a 90 PSR applies to just short of Dalwhinnie. 80 reached before a 67 slack through the station and Drumochter (18.80 m) passed in 16m 50 at 73 mph. Then it was the downhill spurt to Pitlochry reached in 39m 59 against the 39.5 min net HST schedule. PITLOCHRY-FALKIRK GRAHAMSTON Dunkeld (12.9m) passed in 11m 46s (sch 11.5m ) after a 60 TSR and Perth in 28m 13 (net 27) after a slow crawl in. On to Gleneagles (15.65m) in 14m 38s (sch 14m) with the 38 secs all lost in the slow start out of Perth. 97 max at Forteviot before the1/100 kicked in reducing speed to 83 mph. Gleneagles-Stirling (17.33m in 15m 19secs-net sch 15m). Blackford (2.3m) passed in 2m 54 at 82 then 87-89 to Dunblane. Stirling-Falkirk Gr (10.94m in 10m 19:net sch 10m). Now on electric power Plean summit (3.83m) was passed in 3m 31 at 98 mph. Arrival on time. David Stannard, one of our Technical Editors, has had a look at the data and confirms it was made at “factory settings” and LNER have no plans to upgrade the engines permanently to their maximum capacity just for the Aberdeen/Inverness services. All engines were functioning both ways but if one fails the remaining four will be boosted to compensate we are told. IU 31.01.20 |
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