Vintage Trains 2015

Word from the footplate - second hand from the platform at Lapworth - was points failure. Hopefully everything will run as planned on Saturday!

 

Filmed approaching Wilmcote:

 

If it came back that route every, Sunday, I'd book at least three trips throughout the shakey season.

 

Excuse my ignorance, but what is so special about that route over the regular one?

 

Much more hillier & In my opinion, more scenic. You have also got the, Great Western, station infrastructure which is still in place on many of the stations along the line. Lot's of curves too, great for window bashing.

 

'bout 10 mile uphill at around 1/150 thru' Henley up Danzey bank and through Wood End tunnel. Danzey is an excellent station to view north bound stuff. Gradient profile available here:
http://www.warwickshirerailways.com/gwr/gwrwil2624.htm

 

While a few stations have had some ghastly modern footbridges installed recently, the GWR one at Hall Green survives, I think the fact there is disabled access to both platforms via other means will ensure it's round for some time.

 

5043 looked in fine form on the approach to Lichfield this morning.

 

Making a nice departure from a brief stop at Tamworth:

 

Tyseley have announced the tours for the rest of this year and the beginning of next http://www.tyseleylocoworks.co.uk/tours/

 

Did he put the stumps back in, the bails back on top, take a fresh guard and say, "Strong wind blowing today" ?

 

It looks like the "Welsh Dragon" (Tyseley to Cardiff) was a success as VT plans to run it again next March. I'd certainly recommend it as my wife & I were on this year's trip and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. The only niggle for some passengers (and VT might find a way round it next year) was that the return journey involved a very long wait at Gloucester for a 60mph path on the section Northwards through Cheltenham, although this didn't bother us as we got off at Gloucester.

The Salisbury trip is rostered for 5043, I notice. I was wondering whether 7029 might be in the frame by then.

 

While I can well understand the logic of sticking with itineries that repeatedly work (say Chester & York for example), it's a shame there isn't at least one in there that is new or a bit different, as I can't see one that's leaping off the page at me yelling "book".

Is L94 (7752) out of ticket, given that's a rather large pannier that's going with 9600 this year ?.

 

Not really a surprise just at the moment. Maybe next year, once the new arrangements at Carnforth have had time to bed in, promoters may feel willing to be a little more adventurous.

 

http://www.tyseleylocoworks.co.uk/tours/tr_2015_0926.htm refers to 'our tour around the Welsh Marches in July behind “The Duchess"', but that tour had a change of loco and was then postponed to August.

 

If I recall 7752 only reentered service 4 years ago when the first double Pannier Tour ran around the East Midlands circle.

 

Very tempted by a few of the tours for next year! Well priced and decent destinations. Lovely collection of tours as ever