Dartmouth Steam Railway General Discusssion

What engine is hauling the trains tommorow?

 

7827 in service tomorrow (Monday). Then two train running (starting Tuesday) should start off with 7827 & 5542 with 4277 replacing 7827 mid week.

 

Thanks, planning on a visit tommorow. Do you have an idea what the loadings will be?

 

Normal train is always load 7 (Devon Belle, 3x DMU and 3 Mrk 1's). With it being bank holiday Monday extra coaches are always a possibility. Today's 1415/1515 had load 9.

 

On a normal day, can you get day rover tickets or are you restricted to a single journey per ticket?

 

Rover tickets are available on any day, I believe they are around £20 for an adult.

 

Great, thank you.

 

If you are staying for a few days its worth considering the jubilee pass as it gets you access to the boats and the affiliated buses.

 

I went yesterday (30.5) with my oldest two on the ;'Round Robin' GWR to Paignton then bus to Totnes to catch Kingswear Castle

Utterly delightful, slipping down the Dart, standing in the bows just listening to the water rush past and the gentle beat of the paddles.

Oh& Ruth Goodman (Victorian Farm etc) was filming I had a quick conversation with her as she got off the KC at Totnes & we met up again on the Devon Belle at Kingswear - she was going the other way round

 

I am a little surprised that they don't run the peak timetable on Spring Bank Holiday Monday - true, rarely the busiest day of the week but still usually pretty busy.

Steven

 

7827 failed today with a broken spring, so the Rat took over the 2nd train. 5542 and 4277 out tomorrow. 7820 due to arrive soon to help cover the summer season.

 

A little update from an operational point of view.......

Not our best start to the 2 train summer timetable. Twice the 25 has had to come out this week. It did a round trip on tuesday after a strange knock was discovered on 4277. After some investigating it was found to not be quite as bad as we had feared, so was allowed to carry on & the remedial work scheduled for a later date. Then wednesday 7827 was failed at 9 45am with a broken spring hanger bolt on the bogie. Being to late to have another loco in service for any of her rostered trips, out came the 25 again! After managing to dismantle half the bogie in situ and replace the defective bolt, she now resides at churston awaiting a washout. 5542 is now running with 4277 being the rostered engine this coming weekend, with 5542 out next weekend. It's also the debut of the torbay airshow next friday to sunday, so if the weather holds out its a great excuse to come and visit!

75014's boiler has been in steam for the past 2 weeks. The first time in over 12 years! She's fought us all the way and does certainly seem happy to stay in the workshop forever! She has her out of frames steam test tomorrow ( Fri 3rd ) and the boiler will then be trial fitted in the frames the following week. This is to allow all the smokebox to be aligned with the rest of the boiler & running plate bracket bosses to be lined up properly. It will then be removed the following week, bosses welded on. Smokebox rivetted on, boiler lagged and clad! So, all being well, the boiler should be in the frames for good by the end of june! We hope to have her out and about by the end of august, but anyone who has the pleasure of working on these things will appreciate a plan is just more of a rough guide!

4555's boiler is progressing well, with the new doorplate ready to be formed and the 2 replacement sections of barrell awaiting final fettling before rivetting together. The boiler will be delivered back to churston by december, so she will be running by april/may time next year.

5239 is still sat at paignton, awaiting her spot in churston works once 75014 has vacated. With 4277 being withdrawn at the end of next year too, dependant on what work is found with them both, we may revert to the proper old fashioned way of doing things & swap their boilers around to at least get one of them going again.

A visit to see the progress on the S160 was made last month and the boiler is pretty much ready to start having all the replacement plate work measured up and fitted. The frames were looking good and all the axle centres in the process of being lined up ready to machine all the axleboxes. The view is fingers crossed, for it to join us by the start of the summer 2 train timetable next year!

 

Splendidly informative and very well written. Thanks for sharing on here and good luck with the endeavours ahead.

 

She's on her way.....



https://facebook.com/DinmoreManorLocomotiveLtd/

 

The tender has arrived - I passed by it when it was approaching Churston Station. I did not get the opportunity to see if the loco was there or was following.

It was great when here last year and I see no reason why it should not be popular again.

 

The loco has arrived parked next to Lydham Manor under the bridge at Churston.

 

Agreed - no offence to the Prairie or 42xx types, but that line is best experienced with a barking Manor or two.

 

Agreed totally, having spent a week there a couple of years ago I can fully appreciate that. Fantastic!!!

 

Hoping to see steam trains during airshow, is there a change to timetable or anyone what locos are out

 

5542 is the service engine today, on our standard green timetable. 4 trains today.