46233 - Derby - Bham New Street - London Euston - 22/11/14

Email from PMR today stating they have yet to receive final timings.

 

Sounds like it ! Maybe DBS, Give NR Less headaches, unlike WCR With their constant feuding with regional NR Hierarchy.

 

I've had that impression for at least the last two years. Remember the 'ACE' back in April 2013? I seem to recall the final timings arrived either right at the end of play on the Thursday or the Friday morning before the off. But to what extent are DBS trips arranged around their existing slots in the national timetable? Is it just a case of 'filling in the gaps' when compared to WCRC's more complex one-off timing applications?

 

This trip was a late addition to PMR'S tour calender but agree West Coast trips are more complex while the DBS ones are usually relatively straight forward.

 

There is an element of that. Take the Clan line operation for example, it almost exclusively uses diagrams that exist in the system, just requiring activation.

 

Could get you a diesel banker?

 

It shoulden't be a surprise that one off's take more time to time and plan, a large percentage of DBS's work consists of repeat work like the Torbays and Surrey Hills, I just hope the complicated one offs live on for as long as they can, although a dream for the operator, going the same destination on every tour would soon lose it's appeal to me (though I somehow always manage to end up stopping at flaming Carlisle at least every 12 months).

 

That's precisely why I'm trying to make the most of it while I can. Hopefully one more trip to Carlisle next year and I'll be done. I don't mind stopping there for 45 minutes for an engine change or something, but there's nowt else to do there nowadays apart from 'spoons, the King's Arms and the Howard Arms.

 

I always end up in the model shop, and spend a load of money. I was quite glad the Scottish Lowlander didn't stop during opening hours!

 

The Tulley House Museum and the Cathedral Close are both well worth a visit if you like that sort of thing. Fifteen mins walk from the station so good for a two hour layover.

 

Doesn't seem to me like much of a hardship.

 

The Museum is well worth a visit, particulary in my case the gallery on the Border Reivers, since I have a Reivers surname.
The Castle is worth a visit when you have time, I been there twice.

I have to try the Howard Arms next time, if I get sufficient time! Late arrival on the the last 3 visits behind 45699 twice and 48151 once have mean't only enought time for fish and chips and a quick pint.

 

The Howard Arms is nothing too special (Trip Advisor suggests its had a management takeover a month ago), but it gets you out of the usual shopping precinct and gives you bragging some rights in the furthest distance passengers get from the station in two hours competition. One good thing about Carlisle is the shop near the Citadel (I think its a Nisa store), as it sells local beers. Derwent Brewery Carlisle State Bitter is an excellent brew, and at 3.7 per cent, it punches above its weight in the flavour stakes without giving you grief later on. Anyway, we digress from 46233 to Euston...

 

http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/U50539/2014/11/22/advanced
http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/U50540/2014/11/22/advanced

 

So Birmingham New Street is canned, but routing via Sutton Park line could be a bonus for some I guess ?

 

Only just posted up on RTT by the looks of it. A slightly earlier drive down to Sheffield from York. Good news is that we are heading through Coventry, so some more new track, though by no means a carbon-copy of the VT run. BNS slumbers on in my steam map of Britain...