31806 and possible mainline use

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At least there’s a 70 foot turntable now to accommodate the ‘U’.

 

Complain to British Rail who singled Moreton - Dorchester South.
That 8 mile section with two SWR trains each way per hour doesn’t give an opportunity for 45mph tender first running.

 

As per Steve's post the work will be shared evenly. Weymouth-Yeovil is steam, Yeovil back to Weymouth is diesel (then steam to Wareham and diesel back to Swanage).

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Blimey, there’s even people moaning about the diesel doing all the work when there’s not even passengers on it...

 

That's because the idea is to give 31806 a main line loaded test

 

the main sticking point seems to be the problem of a 45mph path between Wareham and Weymouth if the engine needed to go tender first, hence why the 33 is needed to haul the test train to Weymouth the only other option as I can see it means a much longer run via Eastleigh, Salisbury to Yeovil. for a test run that might be beyond the water capability of the tender , so why is it so important to have the U facing London on its return? unless of course its going that route to reach Yeovil on the day of its GB duty.

 

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Exactly, which is why it seemed strange if the 33 was doing all the work from Weymouth to Yeovil and back again, as earlier posts implied.

It’s now been clarified that’s not the case, so makes more sense.

 

Most runs to Yeovil include the Junction for servicing and turning. If the loco isn't going to be turned there, it seems hardly worth the bother of a reversal to go up the bank, rather do whatever is needed at Pen Mill and/or Weymouth.

 

it will still need to go to Yeovil to be serviced , far easier to do it at Yeovil shed than at Pen Mill, and I suppose at least it will give the U boat a good test on the bank out of Weymouth , if the 33 is just dead weight , not powering up that's going to be equivalent to her hauling 8 on, when 31625 ran on the mainline she had I think 10 on and coped with Gomshall bank no problem , its going to be good just to see an Southern Mogul back on the mainline again,

 

The loco is required to be turned at Yeovil Junction. Information from Yeovil Railway Centre.

 

what's the speed restriction on the Dorchester South to Yeovil Pen Mill section? is there sufficient time to allow a 45 mph path if 31806 runs that way on the day of the GB tour light engine to Yeovil tender first that way she will be facing Weymouth on arrival then when the tour has to reverse at Pen mill, she will be leading with either 34046, or 60009 on the back facing the right way for the return leg to London the next day

 

That seems fair enough, but also seems to conflict with the earlier information about which legs it would be leading on.

 

Request was confirmed by Swanage on Wednesday 4th April if that’s any help.

 

What would be the point of wasting time turning 31806 at Yeovil when its already facing the right way to attack bincombe on the outward and is ment to be hauling the GB with Braunton or No9 Banking it Tender first so they can work the final day Smokebox first out of Swanage,

Way its facing atm should be
31806 Swanage to Wareham
33012 Wareham Weymouth
31806 Weymouth pen mill
33012 pen mill junction,


So if its being turned to lead the GB at junction
should be
33 junction - pen mill
31806 pen mill Weymouth
33 Weymouth Wareham
31806 Wareham Swanage.


Thats just using logic instead of the ill informed conjecture over the past 3 pages on here.
Doesn't help as well when a national magazine prints the tripe which this site seems to take as gospel.

 

I hate that bit. I work in Poole live in Dorch, so I regularly use SWR trains and if its running late we can be held up by the single section.

Best one was we were late due to a water spray running in front of us. The water spray train was in the single bit when we arrived at Moreton. So we had to wait for that the clear and then the train COMING THE OTHER WAY was let though first before we finally allowed to proceed...

 

Update from Yeovil Railway Centre re. Friday Test Trip . The loco will be on rear of the train on arrival at Yeovil Junction (tender first) and will leave in the same formation (unless we hear to the contrary). The loco will probably be detached and enter the site for watering, ashing and inspection. It is understood that the alteration from previous proposed workings is to do with the timings over the single line section (presumably between Dorchester and Moreton) so the loco can run at 60 mph. Hope this clarifies the situation. Timings are available now.

 

31806 is currently the wrong way for the GB. It's currently facing smoke box first out of Swanage (and therefore smoke box first out of Weymouth). It'll still be facing that way when it arrives back at Swanage on Friday night and will have had 2 runs smokebox first up Bincome.
Assuming it can find a 45mph L/E path on the single line section to Dorchester South later in the month, it's logical to assume it'll travel back to Yeovil facing the same way and be turned there and serviced ready to head the GB to Weymouth, either T&T with the Pacific (which will also need to be turned) or D/H with it tender to tender.

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it could always take the long way round to get to Yeovil on that date ,down to Eastleigh to Salisbury then on to Yeovil, be a bit of a trek and will need a couple of water stops but it will arrive at Yeovil facing the right way to go on the rear, and lead smokebox first out of Pen mill.
or on the other hand the Swanage railway could after the test run split it, turn it, it will need another FTR anyway but it would be easier to turn it a Yeovil so when it comes back, its facing Weymouth , I assume there's no problem with finding a 45 MPH path between Dorchester AND Pen Mill?