61306 The Cathedrals Express to Kingswear - 1st April 2015

Here are the times below for Mayflower's trip to Kingswear on April Fool's Day!

http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/U50641/2015/04/01/advanced - Outward
http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/U50642/2015/04/01/advanced -- Return

Weeks ago, Mayflower was supposed to take over at Westbury as a diesel takes charge of the train from Oxford to Westbury and back whilst Mayflower's leg is Westbury to Kingswear and back via the Berks and Hants Line. But apparently according to UKSteam and Steam Dreams, they are pushing the boat out and Mayflower is going to do the whole route.

I hope we don't fall into an April Fool Joke on this tour and hope Mayflower will run faultlessly without too many problems.

 

SD confirmed that when I rang to book tickets last week. The ECS movements are below:

http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/U50633/2015/04/01/advanced
http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/U50634/2015/04/01/advanced

Looks promising for a diesel free day, hopefully with load 9 as on the return there is a speed restriction on Torre bank apparently.

 

It's looking like a B1 and class 25 double header between Paignton and Churston, then a solo 25 to Kingswear. 61306 will haul the train up from Kingswear with a 25 banker till Paignton.

 

There seems to be some "times" differences with this tour around Westbury. UK Steam is showing Westbury as 10:41 - 10:58 whereas RTT is showing Westbury pass at 10:41. I assume that RTT is the more up-to-date !

 

As a regular and long time user of both UK Steam and RTT, odds would favor UK Steam for being correct. Assume nothing until the trip runs, RTT has a knack for being incorrect.

 

I'd agree with that. Assuming Frome is a water stop,Westbury presumably is not,but it might well be a pathing or crew change stop maybe?

 

there are no crew changes between Oxford and Paignton or on the return.

 

SD now have a longer water stop at Frome on their timings page, 1052-1126.

 

Its going well sounding good just seen it fly through Kintbury
No diesel

 

61306 hammers along towards Thatcham this morning:

 

https://youtu.be/ys1TVzXVnEo
Over the Thames on time.

 

Page comes up with a NP error.

 

Goodness knows why as I've typed in what it says.Will keep trying.
Had to get the help of a moderator some time ago when the same problem occurred.
U tube tells me it has been viewed twice so it is there somewhere.
Took four blooming hours to upload!

Is indeed on U tube but not via N.P. for some reason.

 

For those wondering if a B1 has ever visited Devon before.....

The 1948 locomotive exchanges of 1948.

Ex-LNER Class B1 61251 'Oliver Bury'.
Bristol - Taunton - Plymouth. <BJ>

 

Staggered up Whiteball with the crew working hard on the fire by the look of it - down to 5 mph just beyond Beam Bridge but found enough to avoid coming to a halt just before the tunnel.

 

I've redone the link. It was adding the NP url for some reason.

 

Yes, Whiteball was a close run thing. I though the loco was going to stop because the beat was so weak, but as it approached the little car park the sound deepened and I think the boiler must have been coming round. The Crew gave us a smile and thumbs up as they passed and speed as increasing as 61306 approached the tunnel.

Video to follow.

 

Nice video Buseng, thanks!

Here's my video of her passenger stop at Aldermaston. Great sound getting away, could hear her accelerating towards Newbury for ages. Unfortunately the traffic jams on the A4 meant I didn't get to Newbury in time to catch her there.

 

Here's my shot of Mayflower making very hard work of herself up Whiteball Bank as she slogs up towards Whiteball Tunnel. It looked like she was struggling to steam as I saw the crew on the footplate working quite hard and looking in the firebox for the solution to the problem. Hope you enjoy.