No. 46233 'Duchess of Sutherland'. Rugby to Bristol. 3rd Sept.,2015

What a waste of time. I did like the idiot with his head out,Have you a number for him lol

 

What?? Sensible people enjoying the sight and sound of a steam loco? Goodness me whatever next..

 

Now, now. You know that's not allowed these days.

 

Found this on YT, really love the remarks from the "author" (uploader).
Couldn't of put it better myself.



You have to watch it directly on YT to see them.

 

Ah, I went with the boy who created the video on the trip, he only has a little Panasonic camera. I had to try and lean out of different carriages or the opposite side to try and get a different view for my video.

 

My attempt of filming onboard this trip.

 

Love the old boy with the full length hi-vis jacket on.........................why???

 

So, if NR, or their possibly out-of-management-control contractors, have moved the infrastructure about a bit during their electrification or maintenance works and then not been sure that the Duchess wouldn't knock bits off things or itself as it passed - presumably we would all have sided with safety and said don't run it if you're not sure. The problem here is the lack of notice, so, when NR have finished bashing the railway around over the bank holiday to create a go-faster GWR, what do we think their priorities were for confirming gauging, and where do we think a one-off piece of rolling stock like the Duchess fits in their priority list, an engine that is probably bigger overall in its outline and swept profile than almost anything else that moves on today's railway. I Can well understand that around Wednesday the guy/girl who runs the gauging programmes on their super computer (having done all the important serious revenue earning stuff) got to the bit that said LMS Duchess and thought - probably better do this one as well then - he or she probably wouldn't know, and might not care, about the run on Thursday. Oh dear they say - my gauging programme throws up a large number of doubtfuls and 17 definite no-go's - checks planned runs and discovers it's due to go next day. Makes phone call and says - this one cannot run. End of subject for him/her. Just doing my job and my computer says it doesn't fit. It's not a conspiracy against steam, it's simply that on the priority list for Network Rail, an organisation that is under severe pressure and is decommitting from projects, gauging every possible preserved steam loco is at the bottom of their list. WE all care because it's our Duchess and our trip this week - for NR it's one out of ten thousands and if it gets cancelled - shame - move on. This is an important trip to us - to NR, it's a trip that run with an unexpected engine change at Southall - it got the passengers to Bristol - end of.

I would have been seriously p*ss*d off if I had been booked but that is part of the problem, we are all pretty much impotent in the face of NR decisions. Welcome to the railway in 2015. this will only get worse as the network gets busier and NR continue under political and commercial pressure.

(The other interesting thing to come out of this thread is the confirmation that Buseng no longer travels behind preserved steam and therefore all future comments will be taken as those of a lineside photographer or watcher, not a traveller)

Best wishes,

Mike

 

Originally I believe that 70013 was going to be the scheduled engine for this tour before 46233 stepped in because steam dreams new they needed a locomotive. And yet Oliver Cromwell is still at home base with the issues that have not been tended to hence availability. Look at how possibly better the tour schedules could have been for everyone had Ollie been action this summer. Ollie is more gauge friendly I believe. This is what has transpired now though. Boy am I digging deep into my brain remembering this stuff.

 

Can I ask, are you sure you were not killed to death several times over ? as some people this year would have us believing you basically stuck your head into a lions mouth, I can only see a bloke enjoying himself though which is odd...

 

Is it actually the case that the loco won't fit or as I suspect that no one has actually checked again ?, considering the clearance needed for wires and the length of the new Japanese guff coming in on the GWML, in theory clearances should be more generous than many other routes, certainly elsewhere, gauging restrictions appear minimal to non existent on electrified routes, presumably helped by the extra room needed for the knitting.

 

I Don't really understand your post ?? This is not my video, I only posted it to gauge the reactions. I was happy to see other enthusiasts filming out the window and enjoying themselves !

 

Apologies, I was trying to make light of people who get outraged with window hanging.

 

Oh ! I'm with you all the way on this one