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Dorset Coast Expresses 2015

Discussion in 'What's Going On' started by johnnew, Jul 22, 2015.

  1. Big Al

    Big Al Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Moderator

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    Funny sounding Tangmere......usual business at the back.
     
  2. green five

    green five Resident of Nat Pres

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    What a farce! Nearly booked on the SD trip to go on the Dean Forest Railway option. And why are they saying 34067 is unfit when Tony from the support crew says she is still fine?

    This incident and others this year have made the producers of the Carry On Films decide to release at last the forgotten film in the series, Carry On Railtouring. It was never released as they thought audiences would find it far fetched. Below are some extracts:

    Carry On Railtouring!
    - Starring;
    Sid James as Sidney Draincock, the Railtour promoter,
    Kenneth Williams as Ivor Big-end, the irate customer,
    Barbara Windsor as Allota Buffers, the on train stewardess,
    Hattie Jacques as Ivana Big-end, the irate customers wife,
    Bernard Bresslaw as Dick Spanner, the train guard
    Charles Hawtrey as Freddie Roughshunt, the Buffet steward.

    Scene 1; Interior of a charter train somewhere in the South of England. Ivor Big-end sits with his wife Ivana and complains that the steam locomotive at the front of the train is being pushed by the diesel at the rear.
    Ivor : "I am not putting up with this anymore Ivana. I am going to complain to someone in charge, try and get some money back too".
    Ivana: "Don't Ivor. Remember what happened last time you complained about something. You couldn't walk right for a month!"
    Ivor : It's okay I know what I am doing."

    Stewardess Allota Buffers walks past.
    Ivor: Excuse me miss......sorry, what's your name?
    Allota: "Buffers, Allota Buffers Sir"
    Ivor: Looking at her ample chest "Yes, quite!. Er well I wondered if I could speak to someone in charge?"
    Allota: Okay Sir, I will get Mr Draincock right away".
    Allota disappears and then returns with Mr Draincock.
    Mr Draincock: "How can I help Sir?"
    Ivor: "Is there something wrong with the old girl up front as she keeps taking it from behind from the purple throbbing thing at the rear?"
    Mr Draincock: "I beg your pardon Sir? We don't like your sort on here."
    Ivor: Ooohhh! No wait!
    Mr Draincock: Dick!
    Ivor: How dare you!
    Mr Draincock: Dick! Dick Spanner!
    Ivor: Well I have never been so insulted in all my life!
    Dick Spanner the guard arrives behind Ivor.
    Dick: "Something up Mr Draincock?"
    Mr Draincock: "This pervert is leaving at the next station. He is saying rude things in front of Miss Buffers".
    Ivor: "No........I What?"
    The train stops at the next pick up point and Ivor and his wife are escorted to the nearest door.
    Mr Draincock: "Dick, help these people off will you".
    Dick: "Yes Mr Draincock. Come on you two"
    Dick stands on the platform and tries to remove Ivor from the train. Miss Buffers lends a hand.
    Ivor: "Help! Help! Miss Buffers is pulling me off!"
    Mr Draincock watches from the window and lets out his hearty laugh (insert video below)

     
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  3. Tony172

    Tony172 New Member

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    Bloody brilliant!!!!


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
     
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  4. green five

    green five Resident of Nat Pres

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    Thanks. I thought of this while I was at work. Things are a bit quiet at the moment!
     
  5. Steve1015

    Steve1015 Member

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    Because it was late and wanted to get to line speed asap .....

    Is that good enough for you?
     
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  6. gricerdon

    gricerdon Guest

    Could it simply be that it needs a boiler washout?
     
  7. 99Z

    99Z Guest

    Deleted
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 11, 2015
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  8. D1002

    D1002 Resident of Nat Pres

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    Filmed at Bincombe and Romsey:

     
    Last edited: Sep 10, 2015
  9. Big Al

    Big Al Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Moderator

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    Same reason, I suspect. It's quite simple really, Buseng. If the train is late then you are bound to want to use all available means to get back into path even when the timings mean you are booked to sit somewhere for ages later on. (A good example is the slack timing between Branksome and arrival at Bournemouth on the return where it is usually held outside for a while.)

    Like you, I don't like it but you can't really blame the operator when the option is available. Trips to avoid therefore if it matters to you.
     
  10. KentYeti

    KentYeti Guest

    Yesterday, somewhere well North of The Dorset Coast Express, "Phileeeppe, go and make sure that nasty diesel on the back isn't pushing us along, one doesn't want one's pure steam mileage ruined does one."
     
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  11. buseng

    buseng Part of the furniture

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    Show me in the forum rules where it says you cannot comment about steam tours unless you are/were a passenger?
    Everyone is allowed an opinion involved or not.
    One of my biggest bugbears is being ripped off, especially financially.
    This applies to all walks of life, not just the steam tour market.
     
  12. GWR4707

    GWR4707 Nat Pres stalwart

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    You know it doesn't say that one cannot comment about tours if you aren't on them, that would just be silly! Everyone is allowed an opinion and should they choose a counter opinion, although you do appear to have a habit of getting a little irate and aggressive towards those who have opinions counter to your own?

    No one likes being ripped off financially, however as you have no financial interest in these or any steam tours you not been ripped off in the slightest - I just don't understand the anger - each to their own I suppose - I have no intention of ever going bungy jumping although I have previously watched friends at their own expense doing it, thus I would not waste time and energy getting agitated on the internet about the costs of such things or the quality of service provided?
     
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  13. banana patch

    banana patch Member

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    I was on DCE and47 did do more than take its own weight for a good deal of the time it didn't spoil my day but did take gloss off Tangmere's performance so why not switch 47 off at Victoria and only switch it on at Weymouth then turn off at Southampton it would not only save fuel and maintenance but save anger on this forum! ! I can only assume turning on and off old 47s is easy said than done!
     
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  14. Spamcan81

    Spamcan81 Nat Pres stalwart

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    You don't always get what you pay for in other hobbies. I go to lots of airshows and "no shows" happen all the time for a variety of reasons.
     
  15. GWR4707

    GWR4707 Nat Pres stalwart

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    You were on the tour so I suggest have more idea than 95% of the posters on here (myself included) and also are one of the very few posters who would actually be entirely justified in moaning on here about it - I am glad that it didn't spoil your day.

    What I don't buy (and this isn't aimed in the slightest at your good self or anyone in particular) is this idea or paranoia that seems to circulate that WCRC just put diesels on the back for the sake of it or to irritate customers, they are running a business which as far as I am aware does not include in its objectives 'offering fun days out for bored and lonely class 47 &57 diesels'. Therefore there must be an operational reason for it.
     
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  16. 99Z

    99Z Guest

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  17. Shaggy

    Shaggy Part of the furniture

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    My thought on the issue which hopefully won't cause offence to anyone.

    I presume that the diesel ticks over rather than gets shut off is for timing issues. As already noted, this tour was over 20 minutes down at one stage on the outward leg yet arrived at Southampton within a minute of right time. It has also been confirmed that the duff was giving the train a shove during this period.

    With all that has gone on already this year with West Coast surely they are trying to mitigate against any further wrath from Network Rail, the ORR and other TOC's. Running a train late these days, especially on the busy route form London to the South coast can be very costly to SWT which can also impact on other TOC's and FOC's. I saw this DCE arrive at Southampton and the 47 was quiet by then. I also went to Romsey to see the return leg and the 47 was conspicuous by its silence. As these delay costs are covered by Network Rail, could the use of the diesel to get back on schedule be considered as a reasonable way to get the service back on time thus avoiding the wrath from the powers that be? After all, it was not working all the time but only when required to keep or regain time.
     
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  18. Big Al

    Big Al Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Moderator

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    Nota bene. End of Dorset Coast Express season. Therefore end of thread. Thank you.
     
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  19. KentYeti

    KentYeti Guest

    Hope I am allowed to make a comment about the Basingstoke departure. Uphill and slightly curving. In steam days the starting area was often covered in grease and muck from the many locos that stopped there as booked and took water. Even with it much cleaner today Tangmere on the equivalent of 13 for close on 500 tons full if the diesel was not working could have taken a fair bit of time to get going, likely making an already late train a lot later.

    Not sure when the next down steam train will make a restart from there, but certainly one to watch if the load is very heavy.
     
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  20. gricerdon

    gricerdon Guest

    On my run behind Tangmere in December last year started away from Basingstoke with no problems with 12 on for 470 tons and no DL on the back. It was a damp and misty morning and we were on the down slow but nevertheless impressive. We then got averse signals before the signalmen decided to give us priority over a down Bournemouth and Dave Hewson needed no second chance as Tangmere sailed away to reach 79 mph at Hurstbourne before being eased. One of my best runs with 34067. Details in Heritage Railway 202

    Don
     

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