Clan Line in 2020

35028 has passed its FTR for tomorrow. Good luck to anyone who’s going to chase it in the face of Storm Dennis. It’s a decent run going back to Victoria the long way round via Redhill

 

Just becomes another Belmond-route (with Belmond stock) run after Guildford.

 

Maybe another time UKRT could reverse the route by going Redhill - Guildford - Reading -Oxford - Ruislip etc.
Could be quite a challege up Pinks Hill bank with the Pullmans.
Mike M. (70c)

 

is that steeper/longer than Gomshall east-bound?

 

Storming up Saunderton Bank in the rain!

 

A couple of hours later at Earley - still raining!

 

I'm dubious whether they'd allow unassisted steam up the new curve at Bicester. Anyone know what the gradient is?

 

Drifting through Denham Golf Club...



https://www.flickr.com/photos/alts1985/49538687748/in/dateposted-public/

 

Sanders on Saunderton!

 

I wouldn’t be surprised, 13 on, mostly heavy Pullmans, that’s around 550 tons on a very wet rail.

 

I was commenting on the photo, which shows what I assume to be the sanders operating, rather than speculating.

 

Two trips from Pathfinder with Clan Line

https://www.pathfindertours.co.uk/events/the-pembroke-coast-express-2020/
https://www.pathfindertours.co.uk/events/the-shakespeare-limited/

 

A Merchant going to my home county on 12 July? Bloody hell, I'm doing it...

 

2 absolutely superb tours by the look of it. I've booked on the one to Pembroke Dock on 12th but the one to Stratford on 18th clashes with The Caledonian. Shame, as that apparently goes through my hometown of Worcester on the return, and I've never ever seen a MN there.

 

Another question is has/when has a Bulleid run west of Bridgend in steam? I think it's safe to say it's a bit of a historic trip.

 

A third tour with Clan Line announced:

https://www.pathfindertours.co.uk/events/the-exe-parrett/

Another cracker - a circular route between Bristol and Exeter, including Honiton, Whiteball and Brewham

 

I could be completely wrong but I thought I read that it's about 1:132 which is not too bad even with the sharp curve. Can't find where I read that though so maybe I'm imagining it. But we may be about to find out! According to the Railway Herald site the 31st of May Scotsman trip up the Chiltern to Oxford MAY return the same way rather than via Reading as previous trips have done.

 

Thankfully in that order or else there would be a fourth and somewhat steeper incline to take into consideration!

 

Looking at the blurb for the Shakespeare trip, Pathfinder need to take railway history lessons if they think 35028 was built in 1938.