CathEx to Yeovil Jn 8/03/18 + 22/03/18

45212 and 9 vehicles, no diesel, past Slough Railcam at 1049.

 

9 vehicles (including support coach I assume) - not a big load for the Cathedrals Express so I guess the tour wasn't that well subscribed (maybe not surprising as it gets back after midnight). However that's a sensible load for a Black 5 and if it means it can run diesel-free I'm all for it!

 

So miracles do happen then!
Unfortunately all I saw of it was the steam as it passed under Tilehurst Road just past Reading West station whilst driving towards town. There were one or two people stood on the bridge viewing it.
Probably would of been a nice sight if it was held at Oxford Road junction as per schedule & pulling away.

 

Poor woman at the end

 

I didn't say a word, her husband grabbed her and hauled her out the way! I told her she would get 15 minutes of fame on Youtube.

 

My video from todays Cathedrals Express. nice to see it not dragging anything behind for a change!

 

So that's what the hoods are for!

 

Just realised it was International Womans Day. Not sure her old man was quite on board with that.

 

Oh joy , a black 5 without a diesel at the back !
Oh b*****r !

 

No headboard either!

 

I wonder why no DL and what about 22nd. No DL on that either?

 

Having read your comments in the latest HR mag, I agree it would be of immense benefit if the criteria for DL inclusion were more widely understood and communicated.

 

You pay your money , You take your chance on if there's a diesel
Certain railways like to use the operational reasons excuse, don't see why Steam Dreams can't either.

Staggering really most of you complain about the diesel when it's there and complain when it isn't.

Sure you aren't diesel cranks, But you're so far in the wardrobe you've found Narnia ?

 

Apologies if I misinterpret what you say, but I think you overlook the points being made. Nobody can have a rational objection to a DL where operational demands dictate. The lack of clarity is at what stage the operational demands come into play. Often this will be to deal with an unavoidable emergency but there are other cases where the planned itinerary will always need a DL to be accomplished - as @gricerdon writes this month, the absence of a statement to this effect in the advertising is "a deception". As such, questioning whether the next train will emulate this one is a valid point because there is nothing else to go off.

 

The load was 8 plus support coach and as the visual evidence showed, 5212 was well on top of the job so no need for a diesel.

I guess the 22nd will depend on the loadings again and how full the train is or isn't? I'd imagine that if the load is once again a sensible figure as Thursday was, then a diesel won't go but I'm not on that trip so can't be certain.

 

I had heard lower than expected sales caused the train to be shortened in length, so it depends how many put their hands in their pockets for the next trip I guess. This may of course be helped, as has been said before, if SD did not persist in such stupidly late return times, especially on mid week trips.

 

Well I see the next one to Sherborne gets back at half past midnight and looking on the SD web-site there is availability in every class so I guess it may be a light load again. Seriously though, who wants to get back after midnight - and that's when there's no delays! Not only is it inconvenient for those with work the next day but I suspect it isn't too popular with the older generation who make up at lot of SD's customers.

 

I'm not sure that SD are over pleased with such late returns either. If that is the best pathing that they can get it is probably a case of take it or leave it. I suspect that the only alternative is not to run at all, so lets be grateful that they stick with it.

Peter

 

The LE moves from back from Willesden back to Southall in the morning and from Southall to Hanwell in the evening are in RTT, http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/U52232/2018/03/22/advanced and http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/U52234/2018/03/22/advanced so looks like current plan is to go without a diesel on the 22nd . Why SD can't just say this (with a caveat that it could change in the day) I just don't understand. Who knows they might just get a fair few bookings from people on this forum?!