Steam hauled footex - 15/05/16

Do you happen to know the gradient?

 

I think it's about 1 in 50 in places but I don't know of any photting spots.

 

I'm thinking more of doing sound than taking a pic to be honest as the only places to get a pic seem to be station platforms.

 

There is the A236 Bridge in Croydon, Mole Bridge, Leatherhead and free the Haslemere stop the shot at Bruiton but having said that I will agree it is a difficult route for,photography.

 

That route out of Victoria with two reversals seems like NR playing trains for fun. And likewise the route from Southall the previous evening, all the way to Wembley instead of straight round via Acton Wells and W London Jn.

 

There are a lot of track closures this Sunday, might be a case of getting it somewhere accessible, and it is a DB operation who have facilities at Wembley, and with Tornado/pullmans bedded down at Stewarts lane there is probably no room there.

 

Thanks for the suggestions. I'm planning to go by train to see it in so will be looking for somewhere within easy walking distance of a station. Then I'll be off to do some beer research.

 

1:50 sounds about right.., probably lessons a little after Waddon station to Carshalton Beeches, but it sharpens considerably just before Sutton. (The Carshalton - Sutton line is worse, but then so is St Helier to Sutton thats just mad, even for EMUs).

To watch I'd suggest 3 points going west bound..

Either before or after Wallington station, it's approx 1 mile straight line with the station in the middle, its a climb throughout, theirs stone footbridges either side of the station, so no cars.

(If I do Wallington, I'm thinking to do the west side bridge and look towards west croydon)
I'm going to do a wreckie their tomorrow to see what it looks like.

The other option is Carshalton Beeches station, its quite an old feel southern country station (lattice open footbridge, old buildings and canopy) the track curves into the station, passes under the foot bridge, then under the 1930s concrete road bridge.. I'm thinking here for the return journey though it's all down hill on the way back.

Beyond CB the climb gets sharper and on a curve upto Sutton.

However as climbs go, Thornton Heath to Selhurst is a very good climb, having seen 2 black 5s on an ECS of 12 also slip to walking pace there one early dawn, it may get a little help away from the station . and if it's raining definitely with help. However once it's on the bridge from the station it drops dramatically down to West Croydon, it's a bit like ELRs ski jump.

Reverse direction, it's all down hill from Cheam through Sutton, Wallington to West Croydon, but it's a very severe sharp curved climb to Selhurst.

My plan (I think), will be to see it at Clapham, then take the Epsom service at 09.55 from platform 15 (conveniently attached to platform 16, with a view of it in Platform 17) to either Wallington or Carshalton Beeches, just because I want to catch it in that section, that doesn't see much steam, however Sutton station from Plat 1 would provide a nice long video pan, as would Cheam (though steam gets here a few times a year).
I actually recently saw a picture of a Rebuilt, leaving Sutton on a footex in the 1960s too ! (apparently Bullieds weren't so common here then either).

 

fyi there;s a video here of Duchess of Sutherland coming to grief at Selhurst..



and 70013, at 48 seconds you see the drop from Selhurst to West Croydon.

you can see the drop to West Croydon

here's some pictures around Beeches.. of a Rebuilt WC on a railtour in 1964, sidings have gone but otherwise it hasn't changed much.

http://www.friendsofhoneywood.co.uk/Transport/1960s.htm

View from the road above Beeches station looking towards West Croydon (obviously being under the bridge on the platform is better).
http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/3800101

Wallington station (not the prettiest) but shows the long straight climb (I'm thinking of being on one of these two bridges) in the pictures

From West Croydon
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/...1_looking_east_-_geograph.org.uk_-_795370.jpg
Towards Sutton
http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/795366

 

I know what am doing on Sunday. My daughter is marching at Gordon's School in Surrey at 1030am (so I will miss the Clapham Junction departure and Plymouth are poised to trounce Portsmouth in the second leg of the 2nd division playoffs at 6pm. So just when I was hoping to see the first steam hauled football special since 1967, I won't be able to. I guess it's You Tube vids! By the way, the last steam hauled football special I travelled was a School Special from Taunton to Wembley behind Sketty Hall in 1962. Great memories even after all these years. Tomorow really is a fantastic landmark event and I am a little sad I won't see it.

 

Haven't found any detailed times on RTT or its equivalent so does anyone know the booked arrival of the ecs at Clapham Jct?

 

Good research. Have been looking at similar sources myself. Had considered the recreation ground near Carshalton Beeches but Streetview shows palisade fencing on the bridge there and it looks well treed in as well.

 

Thanks.

 

I've done a Google Earth trip all the way to Guildford and apart from the Mole Bridge there's nothing unless you go against the light.

 

Official timings now on RTT

http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/O93422/2016/05/15/advanced

http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/O93424/2016/05/15/advanced

 

The video here shows the climb up into Selhurst (34067 Tangmere in this case), from the down slow line platform. The still is from the middle platform on a different date, same loco. But both show the steepness of the climb, shame the football special has to stop here.

 

No sun forecast for the area on Sunday when I checked earlier so the direction of the light may be of lesser importance. If I choose to do sound then the light is an irrelevance.

 

Not sure I'd bother with stanley park, it's in a cutting below (he's the view), but from the footbridge at least of carshalton beeches it's not too bad ..