The Cotswold Venturer - 22/02/20

Just to illustrate the fact that the trains are fine, this is a drone picture of the floods that I have taken from the "Worcester in Pictures" Facebook page. It is not mine, and I take no credit for it. It's a stunning picture of the floods with a class 800 IET going across the viaduct.

 

Good news. The rear gunner has been left behind at Paddington. <BJ>
https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/U52071/2020-02-22/detailed

 

Can anyone on the ground advise which end Standard Class is please?
Got two people with mobility impairments boarding at Reading so will be helpful if we can pre-position on the platform.

 

Should be a steward there to ask

 

Any idea why she is stopped near Swindon?

 

Looks like the water stop at Swindon loop over-ran by half an hour.

 

Just to let you know the river has gone down a lot in the last 48 hours. All roads are now open though some of the riverside paths remain either submerged or very muddy.

 

At Swindon

 

Going well with minimal exhaust thru Bredon.

 

Arriving into Worcester Shrub Hill

 

Sounds like there was some confusion about where the tanker was expecting the train to stop vs where the train actually stopped.
We skipped the leg stretch stop at Kemble and pathing stop at Standish Jn so still got to Worcester pretty much on time.

 

Just a precaution but I am on my way to the Swindon game and our train was paused at kemble for an hour n a half from 1.50 to 3.20. A damaged railhead after kemble we were told. Currently crawling pace before minety area

 

Leaving Worcester and the semaphores this evening

 

Tearing past Homesdown Crossing near Ashchurch.

 

A great blast away from Kemble as N09 can be seen hitting the start of the climb to Sapperton Tunnel. The return was also good with the A4 accelerating along the race track towards Ashchurch ! Thanks to the fireman for the whistle.

 

Near Ashchurch on the way to Cheltenham.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/16582147@N07/albums/72157713214115867

 

...at Coates crossing and Sapperton.

 

Don't let any snowflakes see that!

 

The A4 on what looked to have been a spectacular run over the Golden Valley and into the Cotswolds - seen captured here at Goring, Purton, Ashchurch, Eckington, Stonehouse and Cholsey. Sites such as last night at Cholsey, with the regulator wide open, Sparks flying on the chimney, the drain cock blowing and the bellow of the chime whistle are scenes that I am personally definitely going to miss once the locomotive finally retires - pure magic.

 

Fabulous! Trespassers about though. Pity there weren't more sbout to enjoy the scene at Cholsey, but thanks for sharing it for posterity