6024 on VSOE to Bristol, 14 July

Happened to be at BTM today on way to Paignton. Saw 6024 arrive with Pullmans, as I boarded a 5 car virgin toilet which was completely overcrowded, stifling and smelt of poo. As we pulled out I glanced over to the Stock for the Torbay, and the VSOE stock beside with 6024 gleaming at the front and thought what has happened to our railways?! I wondered if it was much better in days gone - as I stood all the way to Exeter.......

 

Yep, confirmed by support crew as having run main line all the way from Didcot. Platform 1 at Paddington too, rather than tucked away under the building site like most steam charters these days. My photos will be up tomorrow morning, small matter of a nine hour night shift to get out of the way first. Seeing 6024 storm through Goring this evening more than compensates for only getting 2 hours sleep today.

 

Could have popped in for a cup of tea as I live on Bear Flat! I have tried to keep the bushes down but they are getting too far from the fence now. Last year the council had a good cutting back session so hopefully it won't be long before they have another go. It is one of the most famous views of the city so they have a good reason to do it.

 

Some shots of 6024 and the VSOE Pullman at Temple Meads. I included one shot of the rain falling on to the engine.

http://michael527.fotopic.net/c1871957.html

 

Very sad to hear someone died retrieving a dog- tragic

I saw KE1 arrive at BTM. Surprised the train ran at all- there was more support crew on it than passengers- no joke. 10 pullman cars; nine were empty- totally empty.

 

How many punters would stay on until Bristol when you can leave the train at Bath.

 

Hello

I do not wish to seem to be carping, but what is the point of these messages?........

NatPres has recently started a text alerts system to help inform people who are out at the lineside what is going on. It's a really good system. It sends an almost instant SMS to your mobile when someone posts a message like the ones above.

Tonight I was stood in a field at Waltham St Lawrence getting absolutely soaked in a torrential downpour, where KE1 was due to appear at 19.00 hours. I had subscribed to the tour code via NatPres, yet I had absolutely zero information about whether she had even left Bristol, or been diverted via Edinburgh, or been magicked away en route by the Klingons, or anything at all. Yet I get home and find you've all been posting messages on here telling each other about her progress and how nice she looked and whether it was rainy or sunny. :Cry:

If you are one of the many people who have a phone contract with inclusive texts, please could I ask you to support the text alerts system for this instead of posting here, or as well as. All it takes is a text saying "NATPRES t0714a Dauntsey Bank 30 mins late" (for instance, using today's tour code). Not only is it actually useful for people waiting to see the train, it helps make (a small amount of) money for NatPres when you do it, and (tonight) it would have meant I could have taken shelter from the storm knowing she was running late and not ended up like a very cold drowned rat.

End Of Plea :frusty:

 

Past Purley on Thames about 25 minutes late, but at least we had some sunshine.

 

Thank you, very nice photo. As for the punctuality info, please see above post......

 

What was the problem on the outward leg near Uffington? 6024 pulled away from the loops in fine style, then somewhere near Baulking shut off and crawled past Uffington, Shrivenham and on towards Swindon.

Quess this is why it was late at Bristol because it was about right time away from the water stop.

 

Looking at the Railtour Live page Steve, it seems as though there were no text updates between 11.20am and 7.20pm for this tour.

Dave b

 

Dave, that was exactly my point. I had no info at the lineside. However, there were plenty of "update" posts on this thread, which seems to me to be pointless when they could have been on RailTour Live where they would have been a lot more useful.

 

Anyway, I didn't mean to hijack this thread for another text alerts discussion, it just fitted here in my bad mood (cold wet bad mood) - mods, please feel free to move my comments to the text alerts thread if you see fit.

 

PS Here's the video of the train, both down and up trains between Reading and Maidenhead, please tell me it was worth getting wet for

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ixXGqsr49aU

 

Grosvenor Bridge


Taplow


Goring & Streatley


Goring & Streatley

 

Nice photos, Nigel.