The Oxfordshire Express 23rd May.

Times for this are now on RTT

http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/U50743/2015/05/23/advanced

http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/U50746/2015/05/23/advanced

This is NOT a duplicate thread.
This thread is about this particular tour on this particular day - just as many other threads are.

Just wanted to say that before someone locks the thread for no good reason.

 

No water stop between Derby and Banbury on outward trip? Can that be correct?

 

I think so, the Duchess has a modified tender with a higher capacity so a bit more than 4000 gallons, unusual to stop at Tyseley both ways.

 

In terms of route miles, the distance from Derby to Banbury via Tyseley works out at just over 82 miles. Sutherland accomplished more than this, considerably more than this, in fact, taking account of gradients and topographical variation, when it ran the Appleby Explorer last October from a water stop at Carnforth to its intermediate destination at Appleby via the Upperby chord - a distance by my reckoning of just over 93 miles.

So, in reply to the question you pose; I can't say whether its correct or not. What I can say is that there certainly seems to be a precedent for this kind of waterhole-to-waterhole mileage. The PRCLT website quotes Sutherland's water capacities at 2,100 gallons boiler plus 5,000 gallons tender. It also quotes an evaporation rate of about 45 gallons per mile. I am not qualified to make any kind of judgement as to whether this metric is appropriate to the Oxfordshire Express schedule and load. But the broadest judgement on these numbers suggests that there is certainly some kind of reasonable margin in reserve here.

 

Tickets arrived ok today and looking forward to it.

 

Friday 22nd May L/E + 99041: Butterley-Derby North Dock
http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/…/U50741/2015/05/22/advanced

 

She actually stopped at Penrith for water on that tour after climbing Shap. I know that as I was on the tour when she went to Appleby.

 

The light this morning at Heyford was awful, but much better at Culham later in the afternoon for the return

Thanks to all for organising

Duchess on GWR Metals by Stephen Dance, on Flickr

 

hello
awful light also at nechells in Birmingham passing the iconic gasometers that will soon be gone
www.stevebottrill.zenfolio.com
regards

 

Zep108 - You did well considering the conditions

 

After dashing back from Toddington for this, my camera decided it didn't fancy operating the shutter, fuming especially considering the lovely reporting number vice headboard on the return.

 

On the return leg at Whitnash.

46233 at Whitnash by chris bridges2, on Flickr

46233 at Whitnash by chris bridges2, on Flickr

Chris

 

Storming ascent of Hatton this evening. I am advised that 24C was the local shed of Alan Castle who sadly died earlier this week.

 

Back to Culham and a slightly different angle. Reading your notes Stephen I was heading for a different location when I drove past Culham but noticed the clear view:

 

Thanks to horrendous Bank Holiday traffic I missed the outward run, but got the return at Tackley:

 

Good run for Sutherland today on a different route.

 

Video of the train leaving Oxford on the outward leg, and leaving Didcot on the return. Nice view from the new footbridge at Didcot North junction

 

The Duchess seen both directions around Elford.

 

My friend's footage. Had a bit of a problem with a Voyager!

 

Video of her flying up Hatton Bank with 11 coaches in tow and a whistle to go with it.