End of Southern Steam 09/07/23

Back to Waterloo so if all goes to plan a Merchant Navy at the buffer stops in Waterloo sadly a rare sight nowadays!

 

Are you sure? RTCs blurb mentions both a return to Victoria and a generic "London" hope it is Waterloo as that is much less boring to travel.

Timings expected "next week"

Andrew

 

Timings are out now
Outward: https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:U55001/2023-07-09/detailed
Return: https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:U55005/2023-07-09/detailed

 

Return similar to last year, takes a minute longer.
Outbound marginally quicker but only as it is going via Richmond as the Hounslow Loop appears to be closed that day.
No LE move yet I notice.

 

Yes my concern Bahamas, again??

 

BIL is in service is it not? Down to do a one way White Rose trip to York the following weekend, I assume as a way of getting it back up North.

 

Twelve minutes for water at Winchfield might just be enough given the shorter route down, but it'll be tight.

 

Unlikely to be an issue for any SWR Winchfield passengers as ages until the next service train.
Could cause issues further west if any overrun not made up at the Salisbury stop.

 

Of course, it's not a weekday with the usual following stopper. There are a few engineering workings from Hampton Court Junction to Eastleigh I notice, too.

 

With next weekend likely to hot and little or no rain forecast long way to send a 'showpony' still as you point out there is the White Rose

 

Yes - scattered showers on a few days before then but almost certainly not enough to make a difference. The perils of summer steam! What an irony as steam was used instead of the booked diesel for the last up steam run in 1967!

 

And on the last 830 am down. A fabulous run too

 

That’s because the DL will be staying with the train

 

As it did last year, but it was more an answer to the comment about the length of the SD trip this week mentioned by @TheModster

 

Presumed loco & PO brake Carnforth - Southall Depot
https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:U55008/2023-07-06/detailed

Answering the comment from Deepgreen - 35028 used to do Victoria - Salisbury with the Belmond Pullmans and arrive with the regulation contingency 1000 gallons in the tank.
OK, 35018 has to be dragged round from Southall, but that is probably balanced by the lighter load of 470t versus 580+t for the Pullmans.

Cheers, Neil

 

I hope any of you on this on Sunday have better luck than the Saltburn tour that was supposed to go via Maiden Newton around lunchtime. Due to an obstruction on the line (tree? as very windy down here today) they spent 205 minutes going from Bournemouth to well Bournemouth.
I had to go out but understand it probably went via Reading West, it was at Sway when I had to leave.
Despite getting back to only 30 late it now seems to have hit an issue around Milford Loop.
One of those day to forget maybe for those on board.
https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:U54545/2023-07-03/detailed

Does show the benefit of T & T trains.

 

I thought that as well, but recent water stops at Winchfield have over-run (although not necessarily with a MN), but this is a Sunday so less presuure on service trains anyway.

 

The over runs at Winchfield ( or anywhere else) are down to two basic reasons.
Not enough time allowed (pathing constraints or poor estimation of the volume of water needed.)
Not enough pumping capacity provided. Blues and Two Tones, whatever their other probles understood the need to pump at a high delivery rate.

So the key to planning is how much water is needed and how long will it take to pump with the available pumps. That should indicate how much time is needed.

The alternative is don't worry and the diesel on the rear can push a bit more!

Cheers, Neil

 

All true, but if, as has happened several times, the water stop over-runs on a weekday, there is a service train behind which is delayed. Unless instructions are issued to crews (of locos and tankers) about the need for flexibility of the water stop I fear that the powers that be may twitch a little. The diesel can take the load but if it's already leaving late that doesn't help with following delays. Is the 1,000 gal contingency firm or can it reduce if the diesel takes more load?