Dorset Coast Expresses 2015

Quite like the maroon to match the coaches but great shame they never seem to clean their diesels

 

Test Lane this evening, gorgeous light!



James

 

My shots of Tangmere this morning on the Dorset Coast Express at Clapham.
She didn't appear to be putting much effort in, but then again, the 37 didn't sound as if it was working particularly hard either.


Bulleid Battle of Britain Pacific 34067 Tangmere by Tim White, on Flickr


Bulleid Battle of Britain Pacific 34067 Tangmere by Tim White, on Flickr


Bulleid Battle of Britain Pacific 34067 Tangmere by Tim White, on Flickr


Bulleid Battle of Britain Pacific 34067 Tangmere by Tim White, on Flickr


Bulleid Battle of Britain Pacific 34067 Tangmere by Tim White, on Flickr

 

Good Lord, this is pretty spectacular, not sure Weybridge will ever be the same again

 

Going well at Farnborough :


RD11732. 34067 TANGMERE at Farnborough Main. by Ron Fisher, on Flickr

 

Sorry James, I didn't recognise you at Test Lane otherwise I would have said hello. I was standing next but one to you. Last time we met you had longer hair!

 

Filmed at Holes Bay (Poole), Test Lane (Redbridge) and Fleet.

 

Just as spectacular at West Byfleet. The glorious aroma of coal smoke and steam permeated the whole house for a good 20 minutes afterwards!

 

And definitely a case of holding on tight if you're on the engine!

 

Given yesterday's problems on Hemerdon, it will be interesting to see whether Tangmere is declared fit for this week's DCE. I wonder when we'll know, and what might replace her if she's not? Mayflower? Britannia? IIRC, both are gauged for the LSW mainline. I guess it depends whether either loco is undergoing maintenance at the moment and whether a support crew is available at short notice. Somehow, I doubt WCRC will send anything from Carnforth, though I may be wrong

 

Does wcrc have any alternatives?

 

Two alternatives come to mind -

run as advertised with a diesel all day as they did when the B1 failed at last minute.

Cancel Wednesday's run and perhaps reinstate the blank slot left for the week after (assuming the current cancellation of that run wasn't due to other reasons than booking numbers)


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Correction - reschedule bookings for the 19th (that's the blank week not the 12th, memory error.)


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I doubt that there is any mechanical problem with Tangmere and should therefore run as scheduled, I would think.

What happened on Hemerdon was regrettable but trains do stall on banks (steam and diesel) and the Royal Duchy just seems to have carried one coach too many.

 

As its due to carry a diesel on the back anyway, I suspect it will be Tangmere BAU.

 

I'm not so sure. The circumstantial evidence of problems with the steam reverser seems pretty strong. I expect they will have checked it over for leaks and so on, as soon as the loco got back to Southall. If they found anything that needs replacing (seals, pipes, etc) they may have to let her cool down first, in which case there probably isn't enough time to light her up again for today's FTR. Maybe someone with better knowledge of these locos (Tom, Spamcan81,...) can comment on this?

If it were my call, I'd have been on the phone to Britannia's and Mayflower's support-crew leaders on Sunday night, even as the 08 was dragging the train back to Plymouth. If they weren't able to help, I'd have called RTC to tell them to warn the passengers that Tangmere was only 50/50 for Wednesday's train.

 

Don't shoot the messenger...

According to someone on Facebook (someone I believe to be reliable on such matters), it sounds as though 61306 will be on the DCE tomorrow with 37706 bolted to the back.

If this is the case, full credit to the Mayflower support crew for getting their loco ready inside 48 hours!

James

 

Oh the delicious anticipation, its just like playschool

And what's through the square window today children

 

Hopefully a sigh of relief.