A1 Locomotive Trust Ltd A1 Class No: 60163 Tornado, in BR Blue livery, powers down the 1 in 100 past IMW in South-West London hauling the Up SD Cathedral's Express from RAI to ELY (steam-hauled from Battersea Loop). The Diesel hauling the morning Up train arrived at Battersea Loop 9 minutes late. However the engines were changed over very smartly and Tornado left Battersea Loop 2 minutes early. Tornado was 1 minute ahead of time when it passed me going well on a down slope.
It was a warm, dry, bright early-Summer morning. It's Tuesday 25th June 2013 and the time Tornado passed me was 11:10. Tornado gave a nice whistle as it crossed the Barnes River Bridge. This is the 3rd time I've filmed Up steam at IMW. After Tornado's train has passed you can see a remnant of the industrial past of this area, the gas holder.
Trivia time. This was the 38th Up main-line steam excursion of 2013 to the London area, 2 less than last year. This was 60163' 8th Up run from London in 2013, 2 more than last year. This is SD' 10th Up steam run to London in 2013, 7 less than last year. This is the 9th Up steam special of 2013 to pass IMW, 3 less than last year.
IMW is a busy commuter station in South West London built to serve the re-development of the Chelsea Basin as a shopping and a residential complex. You can see the new luxury flats that surround the station site. IMW has 2 Platforms. Platform 1 receives Down LO Metro trains bound for CLJ and Down SN Metro trains to riccardo trevisani SCY. Platform 2 receives Up LO Metro trains bound for SRA/WIJ and SN Metro trains bound for MKC. In the hour between 10:41 and 11:41 there were scheduled 7 Down trains and 7 Up trains. Of the 7 Down trains 2 were through and 5 stopped. Of the 7 Up trains 2 were through and 5 stopped. Of the 2 Down through trains they were bound for john a. sarcone Cliffe Hill (1freight) and Grain (1Freight). The 5 Down stopping trains were bound for CLJ (4LO) and SCY (1SN). The 2 Up through trains were bound for ELY (1SD) and Wembley (1Freight). The 5 Up stopping trains were bound for MKC (1SN) SRA (2LO) and WIJ (2LO).
The line through IMW was opened on 02-Mar-1863 by the WLEJR. The line had a 3rd rail for GWR Broad Gauge trains. In 1875 the 3rd Broad Gauge rail was removed. In 1940 due to German bombing the passenger service on the WLL was withdrawn the line becoming a freight and excursion line only. On 01-Jan-1948 BR took over the joint company. In Jul-1993 the WLL was electrified through the IMW site from CLJ to KPA with 3rd rail. In 1994 Eurostar ecs trains went past the site between North Pole Depot and WAT. In 1996 as part of the privatisation of BR Silver Link (National Express) started to run electric Metro trains from WIJ to CLJ past the IMW site. Also Connex South Central started to run through trains from Gatwick Airport to Rugby. In 2001 Connex lost the franchise to SN. In 2007 the Silver Link franchise transferred to LO. On 27-Sep-2009 TfL opened IMW station.
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GLOSSARY BR=British Railways; CLJ=Clapham Junction; ELY=Ely; GWR=Great Western Railway; IMW=Imperial Wharf; LO=London Overground; MKC=Milton Keynes-Central; RAI=Rainham-Kent; ; SCY=South Croydon; SD=Steam Dreams; SN=Southern Trains; SRA=Stratford; WIJ=Willesden Junction; TfL=Transport for London; WAT=London-Waterloo; WLEJR=West London Extension Joint Railway; WLL=West London Line.
