Pullman train Wed 3 June. Not steam - and where did they all go?

The 'Orient Express' Pullman train should pass through Harringay station towards York around 0840 on Wed 3 June, It's a handsome sight, even though diesel hauled, and takes the rarely-used curve from the Gospel Oak - Barking line to Harringay (by the south end of Platform 2) travelling quite slowly - for photographers' benefit, who also benefit from the clearer view after vegetation clearance for the forthcoming Gospel Oak - Barking electrification.

The last steam-hauled train through Harringay was March 12th, the next steam won't be till July, and that's by no means certain. Why?

If you've caught headlines like 'Hogwarts Express banned', that's about West Coast Railways, the operator of 90% of steam excursions on Network Rail tracks, being prevented by Network Rail from operating any trains for all of April and the first week in May. They can now operate some trains in a phased return to full operation, but initially on out-of-the way routes like Fort William to Mallaig ('The Jacobite', also known as the Hogwarts Express because that line was used for filming the Harry Potter films). It seems it will be a while longer before they are allowed to operate on major routes like the East Coast Main Line.

Why were they banned?
A steam excursion operated by WCR passed a signal at danger on the Great Western Main Line, overrunning the signal by 700 yards, around one minute after another passenger service had cleared the junction protected by the signal. According to the Rail Accident Investigation Branch, this was caused by driver error, after the driver manually switched off the Automatic Warning System (AWS) and Train Protection & Warning System (TPWS) on approach to a temporary speed restriction in the area of line shortly before the red signal. These were not reactivated on approach to the red signal: as a result, the train was not automatically stopped by the safety systems as it passed the signal at danger. The train was manually brought to a stop by the driver; it came to a rest across Wootton Bassett Junction. Network Rail's suspension notice stated that they had had "concerns about WCR’s performance of its Safety Obligations for some time, and recent events lead Network Rail to believe that the operations of WCR are a threat to the safe operation of the railway".

The other steam operating company, DB Schenker, primarily a freight operator, and with only a few locomotives on its books (Tornado, Britannia, and Clan Line) is not affected by this, but Tornado is not yet ready after its overhaul - it should have been operating through Harringay late today.

What's next, possibly? Tornado about 2130 on Tue Jul 7th, and possibly The Cathedrals Express on Sun July 5th about 0900, return on Tue July 7th about 2200.