RTC 2023

A fine mellow shot.

 

It has been patchy, but there were severe thunderstorms over quite wide areas in the south Midlands and central southern England a few days back. It's unlucky timing as Sunday is set to have widespread rain and thunderstorms. I expect 60103 will be a figurehead.

 

You're right, they were very localised. We've had no rain in weeks, yet 15 miles away the thunderstorms were so bad the Luton and Dunstable hospital was shut for a time due to flooding. I'm fully expecting 60103 to be little more than a giant headboard when it goes to Great Yarmouth next Friday.

 

Great scene - what a shame it wasn't winter, for a long stream of steam!

 

As I mentioned, from Sunday the weather looks to be much less settled and widespread rain may ease the situation.

 

This extract from the RTC's blurb for tomorrow's Portsmouth trip amused me (middle paragraph) - "a fast run"...from Byfleet to Woking, not to mention the last part about Portsmouth having a "navel" feel about it!!

 

Thats unfair, normally far quicker than following a stopper around the Hounslow Loop

 

I also note the 10 minute water stop at Winchfield again. I wonder how that will go. Perhaps if 60103 does no work it will be achievable!

 

I would place money on the fact FS will be pushed from the rear even if there isn't a fire risk status in place. You have a sold out train running on a 12 car route. You need a DL on the back to reverse and drag the stock back out of Pompey to Fratton. Neither WCR or RTC will want two diesels in the consist: it will be more drivers and more cost to the tour at the expense of cancelling a coach load of people off the tour to tuck the second DL inside the loco and POB. I'm pretty certain even the longest platform @ Pompey Harbour is 12 vehicles between the buffers and signals. I know that if I were planning a FS trip that I knew would sell out, it wouldn't be my destination of choice!!

 

But if powering from the loco is now banned, you have to place confidence on the diesel not throwing a wobbly.

 

IS steam effort banned? No-one has confirmed anything regarding this trip yet, but even if so, I imagine that if the diesel fails the steam would have to assume the traction role.

 

Scotsman has done some work. Powered lightly up into Byfleet, but diesel on full wack for obvious reasons.

 

Thanks. I had thought of going to film it but decided against on the basis that there would probably be little worth filming (plus the crowds everywhere!).

 

It is going to be packed along most of the route going by the extensive press coverage on the internet for this run. I thought about going out for this but will give it a miss.

Sent from my XQ-BT52 using Tapatalk

 

Sounded good through Basingstoke with no sound from the diesel. Got held to time outside the station as it was early! Vid to follow

 

Interesting - I note from RTT that it gained 12 minutes between Woking and Fleet - quite some assistance I guess, including fast line from Woking to Brookwood and back to slow line, with the 40mph restriction on the crossover, again! As an aside, I note that RH also has it returning via "Farnham". Fareham viewers will be disappointed!

 

I saw Scotsmen at Farnborough doing an estimated 60 /65 with no obvious noise from 47

 

Scotsman was applying power at Botley pulling away from the 40mph PSR onto the single line with some diesel assistance, not full power propelling.

Nothing in the Daily Echo or BBC local web site and Hampshire Chronicle didn't give any details apart from the route. The on line item for the Hampshire Chronicle was mainly a warning from BTP about not trespassing. Even so there were 20+ people (mostly locals) on the bridge east of Botley station where the single line starts.

Cheers, Neil

 

60103 doing what she could through Clapham Junction, Byfleet, and Basingstoke: