44932 to BRISTOL, 5th August.

Black '5' 44932 will be visiting Bath and Bristol tomorrow 5th August. The train is booked to have a total of 12 coaches including the support coach.
For photographers in the Avon Valley, the train has a 15 mph speed restriction at Dundas Viaduct in each direction. <BJ>

 

UKsteam.info shows this as a platform 19 departure and arrival back at Waterloo. Which on my understanding would be correct for a 12 car train.

But no box shown. Have Steam Dreams found a way of getting the use of platform 19 with the box only turning up at night to take the ecs away?

All reports on what actually happens tomorrow gratefully received!

12 cars is quite a load for a class 5. But to many of us those Black fives ran almost like a class 6 back in steam days. Good, strong locos.

 

I'm at work tomorrow during the day but can get down to Salisbury for the run back. Via Surbiton too, so none of this faffing around going via Staines.

 

Booked for platform 19 in the morning and evening.

Class 47 07:45 5Z94 Southall to Waterloo (t 'n t with 44932)
44932 Black '5' 10:09 1Z94 Waterloo to Bristol
Class 47 10:12 0Z94 Waterloo to Clapham Jn.
44932 Black '5' 17:40 1Z95 Bristol to Waterloo
Class 47 21:15 0Z95 Clapham Jn. to Waterloo
Class 47 21:40 5Z95 Waterloo to Southall (t 'n t with 44932).

Hope this helps Bryan. Thanks to Roger Smith for the gen. <BJ>

 

Many thanks indeed for that.

 

44932 passed Barnes few minutes down earlier this morning. Made me wonder why I bother photting charters coming out of London at that time in the morning as the light is pretty much always head on.

 

Running a little late through Feltham,being held up by signal...should see us all SCATTER for a better view,as Platform 1 (up) was about to be blocked.Like rabbits down a warren.
I took the alternative,crossed the platform bridge,and stood next to it(44932) gliding through where you have the feel of the power up close and personal.
...reminisce the the opening of Brief Encounter.Nothing like the smell of a steam engine.Took me back to childhood & grown up days travelling by steam in the war years and post war Britain.

 

Lovely, emotive post. Thank you.

 

Reported leaving Bath 10 late ...... ''Normals take so long to get off engines these days !''.

Thanks to Liam Hutchison, the 'person' who reported this to SWRG. <BJ>

 

Shown as just 44932 at present on uksteam.info. And it is a Steam Dreams trip on Wednesday and that, IMHO, gives the best chance of a non box trip for a Black 5 on 12.

Have to see how she goes tonight. If our intrepid Nat Pres photters have survived the angry farmer in the field on the climb out of Westbury we will get a good idea as to how a Black 5 plus 12 copes with 1/70. Then there is the less steep 1/145 of the top part of Porton Bank later tonight.

Can't join you on Wednesday Alan as I'm due up in the Derbyshire peaks for few days walking. Otherwise might have been tempted. Black 5 with that load over Redhill-Guildford. I've seen Schools Class 4-4-0s go over that line with 14 cars on a summer Saturday in the early 1960s. You may have done as well!

I took this shot on 25th April 1962, so it was an Easter period through train to/from the Midlands. I've blown it right up and it looks like a 13 car train. Quick scan from a 1960s enprint! Between Reigate and Betchworth.

 

44932 caused a very nasty fire just before Saltford tunnel this evening. It was not helped by the fire brigade taking 25 mins to arrive at
the scene. No trains were stopped but were allowed through on caution as the westerly wind was blowing the flames away from the track.
We were quite concerned about the farmers crop at the top of the cutting but by the time I left the fire brigade had the fire under control.

44932 was reported as passing Upton Scudamore at 18:47 and so at that point the train was still being allowed to continue. <BJ>

 

Bad news. I thought the further West you go the more rain has fallen recently. We've had very little for weeks here in Mid Kent. Missed most of the deluge that fell in some parts yesterday.

 

22mph over Upton Scudamore reportedly. I think Porton was taken at about 37mph. 36mph at Worting Junc, 60mph thru Basingstoke. Very good for a Black 5 on this load.

 

44932 was in fine form this morning leaving Winchfield. I went to Potbridge to see how she would get out of the station with the load that she had. I must say it was an impressive departure. No fuss or trouble, just the distinctive beat of a Black Five enjoying it's work. Another "new" Black Five copped for me this year, the other one being 44871. Did consider going to see the return run tonight but I was put off by 60019's rather lacklustre run through Winchfield last night stuck behind a stopper enroute to the waterstop at Brookwood (might happen again tonight) and the frustrating road works on the way (there were even roadworks on the alternative route I took home!). Still there is always next week.

 

Checked by a stopper approaching Farnborough but fine running other than that. 15 mins down at Farborough, 22 late leaving Salisbury.

 

Was at work in Trowbridge, hoped to hear her but didnt...any pictures?

 

Left Woking 16 late on the fast. Booked 35 mins to Waterloo. This could be interesting...

 

Could go well to Clapham Junction if unchecked. But if it's the normal route into Platform 19 from there you could need all of that 35 minutes. And more.

 

Through Walton on Thames about 15 down. Sounded good running at speed with a fair old load behind.