British Pullman 2024

The extra weight of the diesel does give it something to do on Hildenborough Bank. It would have been a really unique run had it actually gone via Aylesbury!!

 

Woops! That should've been Aylesham. Have corrected.
Sounded on top form on the climb at Hildenborough as always.

 

It was on top form but the load was about 80 tons more than normal

 

British Pullman, 35028 Clan Line, 7th November 2024.

 

Correct! Whomever used to own the old station building used to have several old railway signs on the walls facing the track. Sadly these have now gone.

 

RTT shows a run via the Surrey Hills tomorrow, but it doesn't appear anywhere on tour sites (or BP's) that I can find. Is it a test/private run? Two minutes at Chertsey indicates it's diesel-hauled. I'm only assuming it's a BP run, of course.
https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:U32063/2024-11-12/detailed

 

It’s a DB working is possibly a private charter with Belmond. It’s not steam hauled

 

Thanks - yes, no water stops were the clue to it being diesel. I may pop out to see it from my new house above Gomshall - my first local photo outing from there! Bit of an oddity at Guildford - it uses p2 and waits 11 minutes to let a GWR run ahead of it, despite the charter being non-stop to Victoria. They clearly aren't in a hurry.

 

They have probably got the usual five course lunch to get down the necks of their clientele before they get back. The steam hauled train spent over an hour of its 4 hours out standing still.

 

@Big Al Not only what you say, but a Bulleid pacific hauling a Pullman train where one did so (shared with Brits at times during my train spotting days) up to June 1961. Victoria to the Brixton area, and then Shortlands Junction to Bickley Junction on the down route. And then from Archcliffe Junction (Dover) to Victoria on the way back. OK, in my train spotting days the 'Arrow' was a mix of Pullman and non-Pullmans, and although the current consist is the same to some extent, all the non-Pullman cars are in a similar paint scheme to the Pullmans these days.

Bryan

 

The shutting down bit (fire drop) is easy - it's the re-starting bit that isn't! Yes, much though it pains me to admit it, as a Surrey hills resident, the Kent route is a better operational bet. My mistake, BTW, as it seemingly does not wait at Guildford for a NDL train, but a Portsmouth one to overtake.

 

Just for completeness - today's run at Little London, Shere. Nice colours for the passengers.

 

We are all set and ready to go with tomorrow's British Pullman tour around Kent:

 

All set for its last run on the Pullmans this year

 

The final run of the year, seen at Wandsworth Road and Hildenborough bank:

 

I had two locations in mind today to choose from. One needed full cloud and the other full sunshine! Leaving home in partly cloudy conditions I was undecided for some time driving down the M20, until approaching Folkestone full sunshine looked to be winning in the direction of Dover - so that is where I went.

A number of photters gathered on the footbridge just the Dover side of Shakespeare Tunnel, and amazingly the sun was still shining as Clan Line apeared a couple of minutes late, having had to wait for a late running Javelin to depart in front.

What I first thought was a steam leak (not seen in the second sequence of @TheModster excellent video), was maybe a drain cock still open sometime after leaving Dover Priory?

Anyway I was very happy to see the superbly clean MN make a determined exit from the dock area, and even managed to get a sort of shot of the pacific heading into Shakespeare Tunnel (against the light) where the rails of the up line can just be seen glinting outside at the far end.

I think that's the last of Clan Line's Belmond runs this year - I really hope they have worked well for Belmond and the MNLPS and will be repeated in something like the same form next year.

Bryan

 

It's been brilliant for me to see Clan line in East Kent regularly this summer after the dearth of steam on Martin Mill bank in recent years.

You also see a steam engine working with 35028, not a show pony as so often elsewhere.

Long may it continue!