Cathedrals Express/Steam Dreams to Poole 21/07/18

OK so I know there will be diesel involvement (there would be even without the fire risk due to the route across the New Forest and where the loco/train can be turned) however, The Steam Dreams website indicates that:

This trip will be steam hauled between West London and Poole on the outward journey, and between Southampton and West London on the return journey.
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BUT if I have found the correct paths on RTT it looks like the outward journey goes via Romsey to Redbridge, then reverses, at Southampton Central, back out through Redbridge to go across the New Forest (so at least diesel on rear to be on front for this bit).
The return journey then seems to go straight through Southampton and up the mainline to Basingstoke. There are ECS moves at Poole but no LE/ECS at Southampton, implying 60009 remains with the train and for a change would be facing towards London across the New Forest (this of course does assume that the train is not going to end up being top-n-tailed by diesel.)

The RTT paths that appear to relate are:

http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/U55136/2018/07/21/advanced
http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/U55139/2018/07/21/advanced
http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/U55141/2018/07/21/advanced
http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/U55137/2018/07/21/advanced

Any thoughts/ confirmation on what is going to happen?

 

UKsteam.info (run by @gwr4090 of this parish) appears to agree with you:

 

19min stop at Worting Jn, where there is no loop? Seems a bit odd. I presume the 10min at Andover is for water.

 

Thanks Al. That must be it.

 

Do we assume this has a diesel behind the A4 and one on the rear as well? Which I guess will also occur for the DCE next week.

 

From what I've seen, WCRC are happy to propel using the DL at the rear of the train.
DB Cargo prefer the assisting DL to be coupled immediately behind the train loco irrespective if there is a DL on the rear of the train for reversal movements.

Cheers, Neil

 

Perhaps the distinction is that whereas a diesel on the rear can assist only when necesary, the present situation is the diesel providing the traction as a matter of course so has to be ahead of the train not propelling?

 

Diesel on both ends of the carriages, with number 9 on the front of that. Looking lovely in the sun when I passed her on the Great Western mainline a few minutes back.

 

That's an expensive operation if the second diesel remains on the rear of the train.

 

I think it was always the plan to have a diesel on the rear as the train has to reverse at Southampton. I'm sure the two diesels will manage the train very well between them. It really does show that No, 9 is there for decoration only. Can't see the point of this "show pony" stuff at all but others seem sure that's what the majority of the punters want rather than a diesel only train.

 

I don't believe that is actually the case. From what I've seen both companies do whatever they think most appropriate for each individual train in agreement with Network Rail. At the moment the rule seems to be diesel behind the steam loco, not at the rear of the train since it is the primary source of motive power and not just assisting occasionally. There may be some special cases like York-Scarborough where I believe the diesel is at the back but that will not doubt have been agreed with NR following a local risk assessment

 

We've debated "show ponies" and the subject of "why not cancel?" ad infinitum on this forum - and with widely ranging opinions. On one subject, however, I expect most of us would agree and this is how sad it would be if Number Nine's final appearances in the South of England were all "show pony" jobs. Unless we get some serious rain, I do wonder whether the next occasion it hauls a train unaided may be at the Bluebell Railway in October. I guess that plans are being drawn up for a suitable main line finale next year, with my money being on a Kings Cross-Edinburgh working as the very last train it hauls, but it would be good for those of us who don't wish to book on a diesel-assisted train if there could be one main line run in the south in the spring which would be pure steam - i.e., before the fire risk season. I'd happily settle for Waterloo-Salisbury and back or Waterloo-Bourenmouth, Swanage or Weymouth with 31806 taking the train back to Southampton. Any other takers?

 

I would like to travel behind nr 9 out of Kingscross to Lincoln or Norwich 3.5 to 4 hours each way, since I only managed in on a return to KX .

 

With its mainline ticket expiring in April (as I understand it) next year, I would imagine that one of No. 9's very last ECML forays will be with RTC's Edinburgh Flyer on 23rd March. York-Edinburgh-York, equating to about 410 pure steam miles (we remember those, don't we??) Great value for those of us who would travel in steerage at 109 pounds.

Might need a few practise runs at the proposed 6.00am start from York given my South Midlands base and the fact that there is normally only one six o'clock in my day. I guess that Saturday will be the last day of GMT before the clocks change, but with an indicative 3.30pm start back from Edinburgh, enough daylight hours to savour at least the first 124 miles back as far as Newcastle in the light.

Lincoln or Norwich for a southern ECML finale? Yes please, either will do. Perhaps marginally the latter, even if that would miss Stoke. One last chance to study No.9 in the environs of Norwich Thorpe station, close the eyes, and perhaps imagine the silhouette of 2859 arriving on the down East Anglian.

And for closure, one last spine-tingling blast of the chime whistle as it arrives back into Kings Cross (previewed at its RAF100 arrival). Dreams are made of this. Memories will be too!!

 

Has anybody looked at the proposed timings for this trip?

Station Outward Return
York 06:00 21:30
Durham 07:15 20:15
Newcastle 07:30 19:00
Edinburgh 12:00 15:30

4.5 hours from Newcastle to Edinburgh?! A very leisurely water stop, or waiting for a path?

 

If the rather smart outbound Durham to Newcastle time is to be believed--doubtful-- then two water stops at Heaton and Berwick will be needed. Add a couple of pathing stops and two and a half hours running time and two hours sitting time is probably in the ballpark. That's where Tornado has such an advantage.

 

Getting back on topic, the train will be late on the return. There is congestion in Poole so the train has had to return to Southampton loop to be serviced. It is there now (16:40) having arrived a little over 15 minutes ago.

With departure time planned for 17:15, it'll be at least 30 minutes late one would have thought, even if they leave Southampton right now.

James

 

Wondered where it had disappeared to as I went passed on the 16:40 to Waterloo. A crew member has also boarded the train presumably to join it en route somewhere?