The Swanage Belle - Sat 3/7/10

Thanks for what has been posted guys. Obviously not many out photting yesterday.

 

Nearly did this trip but went to the Goodwood Festival of Speed. I suspect other posters did as well, as most of us I suspect like all forms of transport. First time I had been and highly recommend.

 

FARCE! That is the only word I can use for yesterdays run. It takes a lot to make me get a bit "Victor Meldrew" about a railtour but yesterday managed to bring him out of me! After an excellent run in May this one was a joke. When we boarded at Woking we found our seats had been given to other people. Luckily there were some empty seats in the carriage and we took these. We later heard of the same problem in other carriages with passengers turning up with tickets for the same seats.

Like Thursdays run with 5029 this was not a steam run. On the outward run with the Class 37 in behind 30777 it was pretty clear what was doing 95% of the work as the acceleration in places was very quick and even though we were at the rear we could hear the 37 more than 30777. For the return run with the 37 at the front it was obvious it was struggling in places as we lost time on this section. But the worst part was the section with 30777 "in charge" and the 37 at the rear. We were in the last carriage next to the 37 and it practically pushed throughout the whole of this section back to Woking even on downhill stretches. Unless we get persistent heavy rain before Friday we were told to expect the same on the two trips on Friday. We heard some other passengers (not enthusiasts) complaining about the diesel pushing. They had the impression that there was something wrong with 30777 because the diesel kept pushing. Luckily someone told them the reason.
Sorry for a rant but the diesel use was way over the top yesterday. Fair enough there is the fire risk but pushing downgrade.................. er?
Only good points about the day were that I finally managed to get one of Steamage Pictures excellent NRM in the South DVD's as they had been sold out on the last couple of trips. Watched it at lunchtime today. Superb stuff Mark!
And the lovely RTC girls brightened many a passengers (mainly the men!) day.

P.S. Anyone know a good raindance?

 

Weather forecast said;Hotter still this week 'down south'...back to the train set in the garden.

 

That makes very sad reading. Very unlikely I'll turn up on Friday for a run behind a 37 class box now.

Green/partly black five: (I know it must be hard after a dreadful day out yesterday at quite an expense, but you gotta try and hang on to your humour here old boy!), I know a very good rain dance.

It's called Test match cricket.

PS. Anymore news on 73096 please? If I can't time the main line steam locos I'm intersted in, I'd like to time a few runs over "The Alps" with her.

 

This is an example of what GF is ranting about. 45 mins late at this point and the steam is doing nothing! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lPX7yICLCCE

Sorry for poor quality video.........gremlins in the works this morning!

 

Bryan, it's alright I've calmed down now after yesterday. I like the comment about the rain dance! Haven't heard anymore about 73096. A steward on the train on Saturday who works down at the MHR said she was due out yesterday for test runs but don't know if she went out or not. Didn't get time to go down there yesterday.

B1, thanks for posting the clip. We thought 30777 was at least doing a little bit of work at this point but that was ridiculous.

 

I know you'll post about 73096 when you can. And you were entitled to your rant, IMHO. Especially after seeing that video B1 posted for us.

 

Deleted. Posted in wrong thread.

 

I know. You thought you were in a thread discussing a steam hauled railtour didn't you! LOL

 

I used a link from this thread for the "other" thread & forgot to change threads!

 

Thanks for the endorsement, and glad you liked it. The Friends are asking for a new one in the autumn, in time for the Christmas tours. However, that depends on getting enough good new footage of 777 this summer, for which we need a bit of rain. Meanwhile, GB3 is nearly ready - 2 volumes, nearly 90 minutes each, with a discount if you buy both parts at once. Contains lots of good stuff (though I say so myself) and one or two simply stunning sequences - once-in-a-lifetime shots!!

 

Bloomin' hell, that green teapot sounds just like a 37 working hard! Dreadful.......

 

With some editing to sound and vision that could be turned into a decent April 1st video!

You know the sort....

"NRM's response to the fire risk season King Arthur is still awaited as 30777 heads along, with it's newly installed xx cylinder Maybach engine working hard."

You'll have to accept my name for the box engine: that was mentioned recently here on Nat Pres, so for the moment I'll assume that is what all box engines are called! And no, please guys. I don't want to start learning what the right names of such things are. LOL!

 

Bryan

37706 is an example of a class of locomotive known as; Snouts. Because they have shiny snub noses and sad eyes so they look like puppies. Which is why so many children like them.

 

Guess what I saw in the fading light out of a train window at clapham Junction yesterday evening?!

http://ronfisher.fotopic.net/p65762306.html

 

What's it doing there? I would have thought it would be at Southall in between runs....

 

Lovely photo of a lovely steam locomotive.

 

That's a strange place to leave her and out in the open too. It's a wonder she hasn't been tagged by a graffiti artist!

 

Given the apparent absence of any graffiti on the wall behind 30777, it's probably less likely to be a target for graffiti "artists" there than at Southall!