End of Southern Steam: 9/07/24

That old schedule could be kept easily without exceeding 75 mph indeed I once had an even time run Basingstoke to Woking with a maximum speed of 70 mph with Gordon Hooper driving

 

Don as I am sure you remember re the Gordon Hooper even time Bas-Woking with a 70 mph max. He set out to get that start to stop even time without exceeding 70 mph, and did it! I imagine Brian Smith would have been on the footplate with him that day.

Bryan aka Wedgie

 

Here's my footage of Clan Line thundering through the rain on home territory on the outward leg to Yeovil and Weymouth. I filmed Clan Line at Grateley and Milborne Wick. I hope you enjoy it.

 

I decided to abandon my proposed trip for this. It looks as if I made a wise decision!

 

Nice - dismal weather, but you wouldn't get a plume of visible exhaust like that on a hot July day! I must say it's a shame to see the Mk2 A/Cs on this, but at least this time the passengers won't have been cooked in them!

 

35028 on the turntable at Yeovil Junction.https://www.flickr.com/photos/79185888@N04/53845155802/in/dateposted-public/

 

Good to hear, but you say "of course no help" - was this agreed or has the diesel been left behind? Something odd seems to have happened with the timings at Southampton according to RTT.

 

I’m sure the MNLPS crew would have requested no help. They did last time

 

I've seen that before at Southampton with RTT. Southampton station gets shown before and after the Up Goods Loop where water was taken. And with the actual time passing the station (once!) being given to both Southamptons, the first one always shows rather late. I imagine someone here who understands RTT much better than I do can explain it! Maybe it's partly because some of the specials reverse here having been dragged here from Weymouth by a diesel, allowing the steam loco to head the train back via Andover?

Bryan B

 

20 mph seems a bit high with 480 tons. Was the DL just taking its own weight and keeping up with the train without pushing?

 

Southampton UGL is a bit of an anomoly like some of the loops around Bristol. Where RTT adds locations which are not Network Rail timing points except for stopping services like Millbrook, it splices the information together as best as it can. (Then , of course there may be a timing link missing from the Network Rail planning system. ) The splicing together of information is why some of the allowances look a bit odd when non mandatory timing points are added to a schedule. The programmers of RTT will have a more erudite description of what happens in the electronic ether.....

Cheers, Neil

 

35028 doesn't appear to be getting any assistance in this video:


Sent from my XQ-BT52 using Tapatalk

 

The Diesel was not powering looking at that video!

 

A satisfying scene at London Waterloo, 57 years on the Southern is still steaming

 

What can I say? Absolutely fantastic chasing this fine machine along it's home ground. Never short of speed or power! Without a doubt a day to remember, even if the weather couldn't match. Captured at Farnborough, Grateley, Tisbury, Yeovil, Upwey Bank, Beaulieu Road, Southampton, Winchester and Winchfield:

 

News from 'Clan Line's official Facebook' page. <BJ>

''100,000 up....
Today passing Milepost 80, Clan Line has completed her 100,000th mile in preservation. Well done to all past and present who have made what was impossible in 1967 possible''.

 

A Wonderful performance from 35028 on the End Of Southern Steam Trip, Locations are Clapham Jn, West Byfleet, Andover, Sherborne, Beaulieu Road, Southampton Central, Winchester

 

20mph ; ( if a sustained speed ) this represents c. 1630 EDHP, assuming gross load 640tons
( work done against gravity , 1/50 gradient) 1530HP, overcoming rail and air resistance 100HP )
If 20 mph was not a sustained speed i.e it was still falling then a lower figure. ( Probably
difficult to judge from the train as I surmise the crew may have eased back on the Regulator
and/or the Reverser to avoid slipping in the tunnel ).

However 1630 EDHP ( c. 1710 IHP ) at 20mph. Is 20mph sustained feasible?

BTC Bulletin No.20 , rebuilt Merchant Navy: Graph 2 indicates 1720 EDHP at 20mph ( curve
peaks at 2010 at 45 mph )

Since essentially the same boiler as unrebuilt MN other than reduced BP (. 280 to 250 )
thought worthwhile to compare with BTC ( Jan 1954 ). graph 35 indicates at 34,000lb/hr
evaporation an IHP of 1800 at 20 degrees C.

So yes I think 20 mph sustained on 1/50 possible, whether it happened depends, was the
Type 4 really doing nothing? I am afraid that my interest in current main line steam,
other than a pleasant day out, has diminished with the presence of rear end diesel insurance.

Michael Rowe.