The Oxfordshire Explorer, 21st Nov

The usual solid show from Rood on Saturday, with it's atmospheric passage through Rowley Regis on the climb up Old Hill.

 

Quite excellent! Yes 4965 was very good on Saturday without being exceptional but didn't need to be. 36.7 min on Campden bank in the morning. Will feature in my next column for HR. Go with Vintage. Guaranteed pure steam with no DL

Don

 

I agree GD’s verdict on this trip 110% in every respect. Classic Great Western motive power over classic Great Western (OWW) metals – it just perfectly captured the essence of what a main line steam outing with relatively modest ambitions should really be all about. Coupled with the gloriously sunny weather for the outward leg and the decent path that we enjoyed (well at least from Oxford North) on the return, allowing RAH to stretch its legs for a while, this tour was just about all you could ask for. From the vantage point of a Mark 2 TSO, the North Cotswold line and the setting of the South Midlands landscape has never looked better.

So a big thankyou to Vintage Trains for serving up a great day out, and a welcome return to form after the intermittent difficulties that seem to have beset VTL since March in delivering the tour programme that they set out to achieve this year.

And its great news to learn that, just two months after RAH enjoyed star billing in late September’s “With Full Regulator” column in HR, its set to do it all over again. Hope the coverage includes the Herculean effort on Old Hill Bank on the return….definitely a highlight of the day, late in the day.

 

My footage from Chipping Campden Tunnel and Ascott-under-Wychwood.

 

I had to return home after the morning run so missed the return, though I would like to refer to some of the detail in my column so if anybody has details of the running between Stourbridge Jct and Snow Hill and is willing to share it perhaps this could be emailed to me off group. Thanks

Don

 

As this will be our last train of the year I thought I'd post a report on a proper steam hauled day out with steam.

To be honest we wouldn't have booked this train if 4965 had hauled the Cotswold Explorer, but as it failed we transferred our booking as we hadn't done a Hall up either Honeybourne or Old Hill banks. We used the water stop at Worcester to enjoy an excellent Bacon Roll and coffee from the buffet. If you haven't tried the buffet there you really should, 2 freshly grilled bacon rolls off the hot plate and two coffees for £7!

As has been said in the thread, the route is generally undemanding with only two banks of consequence; Honeybourne on the outward and Old Hill on the return. Smart running is required over the single track sections to keep time but the grades are generally gentle. Restarting from Norton Jc there's a short 1 in 162 climb into Pershore (mp112 1/2), passed at 56; MP110 passed at 56, speed fell to 52 on the mile of 1 in 235 either side of mp109. 4965 was making plenty of noise on the short 1 in 234 approach to Evesham, passed at 48. Then Ray began working 4965 harder and speed was 56 at the start of the mile of 1 in 126 towards Honeybourne Station, 52 at the top. We picked up to 54 on the short level stretch through Honeybourne Station itself (mp102 and a bit) where the 4 1/2 miles 1 in 100 bank commenced. Speed fell to 51 at MP 101 1/2; 45 at MP100; 42 at MP99; and 39 at MP98 1/4, just short of Campden Tunnel Entrance. We roared into and through the tunnel. There was a short slip just before we blasted out of the tunnel, speed being 36 at MP97 1/2 which was held to the summit.

Speed picked up rapidly to 60 down the 1 in 154/165 into the dip to Blockley, the bottom of a minor "summit" reached over 3 miles of an average grade of 1 in 150 commencing at MP94 3/4, passed at 57. This climb was good and noisy. Speeds were 54 at the top of the 3/4 mile of 1 in 151; 53 at the top of the next 1/2 mile of 1 in 110; 52 at the top of the short 1 in 290/166 and then 41 at the top of the final mile of 1 in 151 (MP92 1/2).

We were slowed through Moreton-in-Marsh (13) then 4965 scampered through Kingham, MP 84 3/4 at 60; Shipton 58; Ascott-under-Wychwood 59. Speed held around 59/60 until we braked for Charlbury (MP76.75) where we stopped to wait for a train coming off the single line section. Ray made a brisk getaway onto the single line section, reaching 50 in less than 2 miles. Speed rose to 60 by MP73 before braking hard through Combe (29) before the stop at Handborough (MP70 1/2) to set down passengers for Blenheim Palace. 4965 made a smart departure and we hit 55 passing MP68 before braking for Wolvercote Junction passed in 7mins 30secs against the 8mins booked time. Then we waited at Oxford North for the booked 38 minutes and arrived in Oxford a couple of minutes late.

The evening return saw a further 45 minutes stay at Oxford North, followed by a slowish pick up on the 2 miles of level track to Wolvercote Jc due to our close proximity to the Paddington-Hereford train which was running a few minutes late. We crossed the junction at 33 and topped the mile of 1 in 240 through Yarnton at 45. Pick up was good and speeds were: Handborough 55; Combe 59; Charlbury 62; Ascott 64; Shipton 59, and then rose down gentle grades to 61 by Kingham. We braked hard approaching Moreton-in-Marsh (24) and then accelerated down the 2 1/2 miles at an ave. 1 in 150 to 62 at Blockley. Speed fell to 56 at the top of the mile of 1 in 165/154 and then picked up to 63 down the 1 in 100 into Campden Tunnel and dropped to 57 as we braked through Honeybourne. We stopped at Evesham after which Ray opened 4965 up over the undulating gentle grades to a max. of 63 at the foot of the 1/2 mile 1 in 198 climb into Pershore, was passed at 57. Speed remained at 58/9 for the 5 miles to Norton Junction.

We drifted through Shrub Hill (13) and Tunnel Jc (22). 2 miles past the junction speed was 51 and rose steadily to 57 on the approaches to Droitwich Spa where we were slowed to 42 through the station. Speed rose into the mid/high fifties and we passed Hartlebury at 58; Kidderminster 53; Blakedown 53, before being slowed to 43 through Hagley. We set down passengers at Stourbridge Junction and then the serious work began. Ray eased the train out of the station and then worked 4965 hard. I thought I'd put the 1/4 mile distances from Stourbridge Junction speeds in as it shows the effect of the steep gradients from Cradley Heath to Rowley Regis:

1/4 19; 1/2 25; 3/4 35; 1 41; 1 1/4 45; Lye 46; 3/4 45; 2 46; 2 1/4 49; 2 1/2 48; Cradley Heath at a very noisy 43; (I'm not sure exactly where the 1 in 51 starts but the fall in speed suggest close to Cradley Heath Station) 3 miles out 39.5; 3 1/4 34.4; 3 1/2 30.1; 3 3/4 25.5; 4 23.2 (short slip, well recovered); Old Hill Station 18.6; 4 1/4 15.5; Old Hill Tunnel 13.5. A short distance outside the tunnel on the 1 in 81 (showing 5.07 miles) 16.6; 5 1/4 20.3 and Rowley Regis 23.4, the top of the bank.

Speed then rose over the 2 1/4 miles of easier grades to 49 through Langley Green; The Hawthorns 49; Smethwick Galton Bridge 55 before drifting through Jewellery Quarter at 23 to a 4 minute early arrival at Snow Hill.

4965 performed impeccably and our thanks go out to Tyseley Workshops, VT and WCR for another proper steam hauled day out.