The Great Britain XI - 2018

Umm, 35018 to Weymouth, picks up 31806 at Wareham, top and tail Weymouth to Yeovil,then Exeter double headed tender to tender, to t&t to Barnstable, returns Exeter then onward to Taunton and onto minehead for first night,

 

That needs to happen. Steam needs to return to Barnstaple

 

35018 ?...........down South?? nah, it belongs oop 'ere, if you lot down there get your hands on it we'll never see it again.

 

only for one weekend , come on, you can spare it for one day, as i would envisage it, if its gauged working Taunton to Crewe next day its working its path back see my thread plan your own GB for more ideas

 

tender to tender coupling would involve a severe speed limit? - that aint gonna happen on B&H main line as far as Taunton or EXD is it

 

Wasn't there a whole day off in the lakes, where coincidentally in proper lakes fashion it hooned it down all day!

 

Blimey Martin do you not mean into Minehead for breakfast?
It is a great route but in one day I would venture impossible. I suspect you would end up with the DCE timings of 0844 ex Victoria getting to Weymouth at 1340. Bags go on the train on the first and last day so people would not wanting to be having to start too early I would suggest. The U would have to come on at Weymouth rather than Wareham but that would be no big deal. Need to water the MN again (probably at Weymouth) and then 90 minutes to Yeovil Junction depending on pathing constraints say arrival at 1600 Probably more water there as you are putting them tender to tender, or somewhere west as it is 48 miles to Exeter from Yeovil arrival at 1815. More water and run round (probably in the yard) for T&T for 30 mile each way to Barnstable and back at 2100? More water at Exeter lerave at 2130 and then 30 mile to Taunton reverse and run to BL for more water Leave at 2300 arrival at Minehead 0015, load bags on the road coaches arrival hotel by 0100. Would not appeal to me, plus hell of a lot in the dark, and would need WSR staff available and happy to comply with very unsocial hours. as well.

Nothing to stop Barnstable & or Minehead being done on a different day of course.

 

Could do only to Exeter , overnight in Exeter, Barnstable and WSR next day, can Minehead to crewe be done in a day?

 

as far as i know its still 60 mph what ever way the leading loco will be still smokebox first

 

a most wonderful friendly welcome at the yeovil Junction railway museum and cafe - thank you !
I have some Black 5 turntable photos and will put them on asap -
loved the bacon rolls and fresh donuts in the cafe

I joined the tour here for the run down to WEY and then Wareham to Swanage, having seen the U Boat LE at wishing well halt at 09.15 going up to YVJ

I travelled in a Met Camm Mk1 Pullman which was rather nice (the Maroon one) and had a sumptuous filling and very tasty high tea, drinks and coffee + biscuits served at my seat

passengers all seemed very happy however, that I noted that at Swanage folk were not accommodated in hotels there but rather in Poole/Sandbanks and Boscombe which meant a lengthy coach trip after the day's run from CDF and then back at 0630 the next morning

such a shame as Swanage is a delightful seaside town - Hotel rooms there are not in the masses but the Grand Hotel is quite large. The Knoll House is up the road at Studland.

 

i think i saw a placard on one of the locos last thursday saying 45 mph max speed tender first, I'll ask.....

 

the logistics of running a GB down to Swanage and/or WEY first from London then onto EXT and/or to include Barney and Minehead (all steam) are fraught with having loco's getting in the correct position for being the 'right way' round especially with so many reversals - unless you have unlimited ML steam locos at your disposal -

this itinerary would give any tour planner and operator many late nights with lots of coffee and a big planner board with a marker pen, crayons and erasers!
lol coupled with stacks of paracetamol

 

Dream of South and West Devon far more of interest there that the wilds of North Devon and West Somerset.

 

My time following the GB... you’re going to need popcorn and some spare time for this

 

And the Pines and Purbeck House Hotels! All decent size, close to the sea front and town for an evening stroll and only 2 mins by coach from the station. Almost unbelievable that folks were bussed 45mins to an hour away out of Swanage.


Sent from my SM-A300FU using Tapatalk

 

North Devon nowadays would mean Barnstaple. Do railtours ever go there?

 

Cracking footage af GBXI . You must’ve been car sharing as I’ve seen a lot of shots at the same locations from different folk

 

WIBN but....
The Barnstaple branch has a hourly service on weekdays and that is achieved by missing out many of the smaller intermediate stations which has caused a degree of local upset. Most trains run through to Exmouth at the other end of the service with short turn rounds at both terminals. Sundays are a two hourly service terminating at Exeter St Davids. Between May and September the trial service to Okehampton operates using the Barnstaple line between Cowley Bridge Jn and Crediton.
So with an hourly Exmouth - Barnstaple and return service operated over single lines on weekdays there is very little room for flexing, even if GWR were agreeable.
(To save anyone looking, the sections are: Exmouth - Topsham, Topsham - Exmouth Jn, double track Exmouth Jn - Exeter St Davids - Cowley Bridge Jn, Cowley Bridge Jn - Crediton, Crediton - Eggesford and Eggesford - Barnstaple.)

Steam to Okehampton stands a better chance no weekday traffic on that branch. ( Subject to DCR or whoever own the Okehampton line being ameniable.) The last working to run steam via Crediton was Friday 10th May 2013.
Cathedrals Explorer marketed by Steam Dreams and operated by DB Schenker.
Train hauled by 35028 to Okehampton and diesel hauled back to Exeter St Davids before proceeding to Bristol and eventually Shrewsbury.

Not certain about diesel tours as some groups seem to be prepared to odd lines in the middle of the night!

Cheers, Neil