Cathedrals Express, 44871, Alresford to Yeovil Jct, 17/12/18.

Timings for this trip now on RTT:

Outward: http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/U10541/2018/12/17/advanced
Return: http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/U10542/2018/12/17/advanced

A long day for the passengers again. They get back to Alton at 00:04!

 

And no doubt with a DL on the back

 

If you're lucky. More likely behind the loco like today!

 

IIRC, the Salisbury - Alton section was always planned to be DL-hauled, with the steam loco returning direct to Southall

 

Which means it will take the DL with it all day

 

Here are the times for the steamer back to Southall: http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/U10543/2018/12/17/advanced

 

Just had a look on Steam Dreams website, and it seems that the tours on the 9th, 12th, 14th, 17th and 21st are advertised as being hauled by a black 5, with Mayflower not doing anything this year by the looks of things.

 

Ian Riley has also confirmed on "the works" that 44871 has been confirmed as "the Steam Dreams loco" up until New Year.

 

Good ol' Ian Riley's black 5!

 

But is that with it's new maroon second tender in use as well?

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Dam it we may have to wait til march to get our cameras out and snap a L.N.E.R. Black/green 5 running on our national rail network. (or may just be lucky to see 61306 late dec touch wood).

 

Looks like it even of it isn't needed. RTC have told me that their trip on 11th should be DL free but I will believe it when I see it, literally.

 

The exact words used when I asked them were, "As far as we are aware there will not be any diesel assistance.". As I was unconvinced that this means no diesel, I asked whether a diesel was to accompany the train and what the expected load was. I learnt nothing more. The RTC representative put me on hold twice but then came back with "I don't know".

 

Just had a look at the timings on the SD website. Passengers from Alresford get back at 00.40 on Tuesday morning!

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I saw that and thought it must be a misprint! My daughter's bedroom faces the railway, I hope she doesn't get woken up by the train

 

Hopefully it will just be a Class 47 on the trip and not a noisy Class 37 You definitely don't want one of them shunting or ticking over at the end of your garden at that time of day!

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The ECS for this excursion arrived on the MHR last night behind a WCRC Class 47. It passed the Christmas Countryman dining train at Medstead. I wondered what was going on when it passed us.

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Stock just moved into the platform at Alresford ready for tomorrow

 

Inconceivable that a 5 on the Portsmouth route won't require assistance (at least in NR's view). BTW, UKS still has 61306 shown for this run, even though 44871 has already gone down to the MHR and was planned to do so many days ago.

 

47746 "Chris Fudge" is still on the back of the stock as spent last night and today in the headshunt at Alresford