Cathedrals Express to Cardiff 1/03/18. New date: 14/06/18

Can't see a thread for this so...

Timing on Realtime:
http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/U52214/2018/03/01/advanced

http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/U52215/2018/03/01/advanced

http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/U52217/2018/03/01/advanced

http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/U52217/2018/03/01/advanced

Anyone know if this train will be turned complete rather than the loco changing ends?

 

Has to be a diesel on the rear as on the outward the train is being turned on Maindee Triangle just east of Newport. It turns off the GWML at Maindee East Jn; travels north up to Maindee North; then the diesel on the rear heads the train with 70013 on the back down the west curve through Maindee West Jn into Newport station and then on to Cardiff. Unfortunately we've got a table for 4 booked on this one. Hopefully the diesel will be quiet but that will depend on the load and the driver on the diesel.

 

The diesel factor has put me off this trip.
I am very grateful to have been on the superb St Davids Day trip of 2009 to Newport when 70013 was on magnificent form and IIRC Ray Churchill got the best out of the Brit on the outward run. Can't remember who was driving on the return run though:







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I was on that trip. A cracking run. The departure from Reading on the return was magnificent.

 

Same here, I was on the 2009 one (my last steam mainline trip). Crossed platforms at Reading after alighting & watched the departure - magnificent!
Some issue prevented the tour going to Cardiff but coaches were laid on at Newport for those who wanted to visit Cardiff. Not sure where the train was turned but certainly box free, so it can be done!
Apart from financial constraints my reason for being on a main line steam tour since is pretty obvious.
Also it was a "proper" train, vac braked & steam heated. The ex MHR green train if I recall.

 

Full Tilt 2 by Stephen Dance, on Flickr

 

Interesting to see how easily Cromwell handled 13 that day. We were on it and as you say it was an excellent train. Been told the load for the 1st is going to be 10+POB+Class 47. Probably a coach and a half more in weight. We need a passive diesel driver.

 

A class 47 is 117t and a mark 1 coach is about 32t tare, maybe 35t gross, so a class 47 is equal to at least 3 mark 1's.
All in all a heavy load.
On a different view of the thread, does anyone know of decent photo spots between Cardiff and Barry Town for the ECS?

Cheers, Neil

 

The departure from Reading was the best I had ever experienced. I was standing near 70013 as she departed and you could feel the raw power through the platform as it shook with every blast from the exhaust. Wonderful finish to a great day. I did a number of trips with 70013 around this time and they were all quite brilliant. The CE trip to Exeter was another highlight of this period of Main Line steam.

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Forgive me if im over thinking but if the train is to be turned on the Maindee triangle, why does 70013 need to be turned as surely it'll be facing London or arrival in Cardiff ?

 

If the train goes to Cardiff, then 70013 can be turned on the triangle at Cardiff around Canton Depot.

Cheers,
Julian

 

It doesn't. The whole train, 70013 on the front, Class 47 on the rear, turns on the triangle. the Class 47 is then at the head of the train facing Cardiff, Cromwell facing London for the return. Locos haven't been able to be turned on the 'Canton Triangle' for many years. They always have to run the 11 miles back through Newport to Maindee Triangle to turn there. Some issue with an under bridge.

 

So a 50% chance of being stuck at the back for the steam hauled sections.

 

The more you look at the timings the more bizarre they become.

We did Tornado from Pad-Cdf and Rtn on Wednesday 1st March last year. Rather than going by the direct route, we left Pad at 0930 and went via Swindon-Bath-Bristol East-Filton Bank-Severn Tunnel, timed to arrive at Cardiff at 1353. We didn't get there until 1408 due to the operational issues on the day at Swindon. The retimed return left Cardiff at 1700, and going via Gloucester and Sapperton got back to Pad at 2130.

This year, leaving at 0922 and taking the shortest direct route via Badminton, because of the farcical train turn at Maindee on the outward, we aren't due to get to Cardiff until 1433 if everything goes to plan on the day.
The return leaves at 1641, again via the short route via Badminton, but due to pathing issues between Swindon and Didcot East, including over an hour at Milton Jn, the train isn't due to get back to Pad until 2138.

So wish we hadn't booked it. We're trying to get a refund for our table for 4 in Standard. Referring to Spamcan81 above, knowing our luck we'll have the '47 directly behind our coach all day. 50/50 not good odds.

Not happy about the '47 being there at all. WCR have form of shoving trains on the GWML. Look back at the Christmas Cheshireman last year and the amount of shovage out of the big hole in both directions. Same load on the 1st March. Looks like it's gonna be a sad day out and not the classic Brit to Cardiff and return we expected and paid for.

 

View from private land, now obliterated by posts.

 

Not to diminish the main thrust of the point being made here, but in fairness to Tornado's performance on March 1st last year, the actual departure of the outward leg from Paddington was 10.24 - some 54 minutes late. Including the station pick-ups at Slough and Reading, but excluding the extended 34 minute stop at Swindon and the brief water stop at Bristol East, overall running times for the 155 mile itinerary via Bath worked out at around 182 minutes.

This just reinforces even more sharply 1020 Shireman's assessment of the timings for this years CathEx.

 

That's what i initially thought, but a WCRC path to Barry, has also appeared http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/U52215/2018/03/01/advanced

I think Mayflower 3/4 years ago was the last to use the triangle, where it turned on the triangle by Cogan/Barry

 

And this path returning to Cardiff C -
http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/U52216/2018/03/01/advanced

It appears to be a movement to keep the stock out of Cardiff station and Canton.
Looking at RTT for Barry I suspect there are more platform working changes to come...

Cheers, Neil

 

This was on the Steam Dreams Email sent out yesterday:

Cromwell will take its bow on the Cathedrals Express with a St David’s Day special to Cardiff - the first ever Steam Dreams St David's Day special with the engine!
It promises to be an exciting way for the engine to show her paces for the last time for a while on a Steam Dreams trip.

We all must have dreamt the Sunday March 1st 2009 CathEx to Cardiff (steam to Newport due to engineering work).

And as for the 'exciting way for the engine to show her paces' ...