Steam Dreams 2023

Back in the days before LSL became their own TOC they started becoming more selective of trips they offered their locos for if it involved longer sections being dragged backwards on the end of a train. That's why they stopped doing SDs Southend starters. IIRC Weymouth involves 60ish miles of rear engine 'action'. I could be wrong but that could have been the reason it was originally planned and bid for that route, despite the irony of lots of DL shovage due to fire risk, by the sound of it. What it does show is that going via Yeovil on a weekday is pretty much untenable from London now, sadly, unless possibly going the traditional GW route via B&H with a change at Pen Mill.

 

Can anybody advise if Braunton will be the chosen loco on Tuesdays Garden of Kent run ?

 

Seems the most likely but nothing is certain until the day.

 

Still no confirmation - perhaps no-one from here is interested today (or it's 'Mayflower'!).

 

It is Mayflower, with 47805 on the rear.

 

Better than nothing, I suppose!

 

Like previous years I'm in the process of compiling all the runs I capture from the season into one compilation, as it does get quite repetitive uploading one shot on its own each Tuesday night rather than leaving them all for one big compilation at the end of it all. Anyway, I decided at the last minute to go out for Mayflower this evening despite the unpromising weather (which I shouldn't really complain about, given it'll dampen the fire risk!)

A video still from it passing through Gomshall this evening. Luckily the rain was rather light compared to the downpours I'd driven in to get here, and the shelter in the shot proved useful until she was nearby!

 

Panning has given a sharp front! I just popped up the road to Buckland and because it was only 13C (very cool for July) there was at least some exhaust in the gloom.

 

Yes 63.5 miles form Weymouth to Southampton, and from chatting to some of the crews is often not the most pleasant experience being at the back.
Ironically your comment about via Yeovil was doubly enforced by the issue with the returning Saltburn tour on Monday.

 

What happened?

 

I'm doing the same regarding compiling the SSEs into a single video!

 

Obstruction on the line, (possibly fallen tree due to high winds) tour passed back through Bournemouth over 3 hours after it departed.
Re routed via Reading West and I assume Banbury.
Down times to Weymouth replaced by up times that you have to read in the opposite direction to normal.
Scroll down the RTT link and the times are picked up again around Birmingham and then another hour was lost South of York. A day to forget for many I suspect.
Good work by WCRC and NR to come up with the reroute though.
https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:U54545/2023-07-03/detailed

 

34046 now down for next Tuesdays Garden of England / Sunset trips. After that all trips are advertised to be 70000 Britannia.

 

Good news - thanks for the update. It'll be nice to get a 'Brit' barking over the Surrey hills!

 

Does any kind person know what is on the steam legs of Saturday's; Settle & Carlisle (Steam Dreams) LSL Colchester to Carlisle?

Many thanks in advance

 

Royal Scot

 

The SSE is 44 down already. Another filming opportunity scuppered... Edit, on RTT it seems to have missed out the Olympia reversal (to regain time?) so perhaps steam is not involved this evening. If not I wonder what will take the stock out of Victoria. Edit 2 - steam leading so must have been shunted around at London before departure and missing out Olympia. Very strange.

 

It reversed at Wandsworth Road vice Olympia to make up time. Unfortuantely it was still 12 minutes late after the fact so stuck behind the Chertsey stopper.

 

Originally I intended to film from Shalford East LC but, having discovered upon arrival that it now has those alarms that are constantly blaring when a train is coming, I moved further up the line to Chilworth, on the bridge overlooking the station. Pity, said crossing was always a good place to get it climbing up the grade but as far as video goes its useless now. Anyway, ended up with a grainy screengrab in the low light, so jazzed it up a bit...

 

Well I guess It delivered, Sunset & Steam.