CathEx Paddington-Cardiff 28th July

Hi Mr. Dobbs0054.

You may be able to answer my question.

Has DBC actually got a new policy of shadowing steam charters with a diesel or was the recent example of Royal Scot and the Torbay Express simply a one off ? TIA. <BJ>

 

Yes

 

When father-in-law took my son to see the loco on Thursday evening at Gloucester, he was chatting to one of the crew and was told it had locked up under braking in the wet on a descent approaching Gloucester. They were also expecting it to go back to London to be fixed.

 

Has anyone heard yet if she will be allowed to return to london by rail or will it go by road direct to a depot that has a wheel lathe that can cope with turning large driving wheels ?

 

Sort of answered your own question. Midday Scot and TBX by definition cannot be a ONE off. Clearly it works. Delivers what the paying customer wants yet still provides insurance. What's not to love?

It would seem that DBC have concluded that the marginal in increase in time attaching a rescue diesel is worth it.

 

There's some confusion here. I was talking about Royal Scot and the Torbay Express (10th July).

I didn't realise that the Midday Scot had a diesel shadowing the train.

Thanks for the reply. <BJ>

 

Sorry, I was mixing up my Scots. I didn't realise the Royal Scot had a shadow. Yes. I was on The Midday Scot. 46233 had a problem with coal that day (crawled over Shap) and we had a long hold at Carlisle. They brought the diesel alongside at one point with the intention of taking over. However the crew were brilliant. Moved coal around in the tender and got the fire right to continue. Was my first experience of a diesel shadowing and appreciated it.

 

Thought it 'followed' to take the stock back as it was a one-way working.

 

Well you could think in an optimistic fashion.

Yes it was a one way steam tour. It was scheduled to be operated by WCRC but they were still banned at the time. On the day, to the credit of DBC for taking over, RTC for rapid negotiations, WCRC for co-operating with stock and NR for finding the paths, the tour proceeded.

DBC could just as easily hung the diesel on the back (which is probably what WCRC would have done). They didn't. They chose to allow the tour to run to Edinburgh on pure steam. It was a new and different way of doing it. The shadowing of the others seems to have become popular.

 

Auto correct on my phone, Was typing that as I was walking home.

 

We left CAR very late. The diesel came alongiside us. Posts on here about the tour eluded to the coal being useless hence the poor run over Shap. The delay was down to the crew improving the fire.

 

Has any further information come to light about the cause of 34046's 'flats'? Thanks.