If you register, you can do a lot more. And become an active part of our growing community. You'll have access to hidden forums, and enjoy the ability of replying and starting conversations.

The Mayflower 11 September

Discussion in 'What's Going On' started by claud hamilton, Jul 9, 2010.

  1. david1984

    david1984 Resident of Nat Pres

    Joined:
    Sep 13, 2005
    Messages:
    12,910
    Likes Received:
    1,387
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Birmingham
    Just had a belting text from my Cousin on a XC service presumably on the plat at Plymouth, on seeing, a Castle, A4 + double tender and 11 Mk1's, cooly asked him: is this the train to Gunnislake....
     
  2. free2grice

    free2grice Part of the furniture Friend

    Joined:
    Sep 19, 2005
    Messages:
    5,283
    Likes Received:
    2,650
    Gender:
    Male
    Occupation:
    Retired Rolls-Royce engineer
    Location:
    Bath Green Park / Mangotsfield
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    Not quite sure of that but it was still 10 mins early passing Clink Road Jnc., Frome. <BJ>
     
  3. nigel1952

    nigel1952 New Member

    Joined:
    Sep 24, 2007
    Messages:
    33
    Likes Received:
    0
    Gender:
    Male
    thanks for that. we were tempted to go on to Westbury station after seeing it at Heywood Rd, but didn't think it would still be there when we got there. I guess it wouldn't have been.
     
  4. RayMason

    RayMason Member

    Joined:
    Sep 25, 2009
    Messages:
    357
    Likes Received:
    236
    Gender:
    Male
    Occupation:
    Company secretary. Finance director
    Location:
    Dawlish Warren
    Exceptional run Ply-Ex. I suspect we would have achieved 57-58m but for prolonged sigs at St Thomas. Good outward run on this sell-out run.

    A very memorable run over the banks.
     
  5. RalphW

    RalphW Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Administrator Friend

    Joined:
    Sep 11, 2005
    Messages:
    35,447
    Likes Received:
    9,145
    Gender:
    Male
    Occupation:
    Retired-ish, Part time rail tour steward.
    Location:
    Northwich
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    Exactly the same thing at Stockport yesterday evening on the returning Scarborough Flyer, 12 Mk1's and the Duchess on the front, I'm at the door with passenegers alighting, guy comes up to me asking if it's the 9.23 Virgin service calling at Macclesfield :frusty:
     
  6. hatherton hall

    hatherton hall Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    May 27, 2007
    Messages:
    1,057
    Likes Received:
    351
    Any updates on the progress of the up train. I am hoping to see the A4 at Reading or passing Twyford?
     
  7. DUKE71000

    DUKE71000 Member

    Joined:
    Jan 28, 2009
    Messages:
    305
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    England
    2 down at Cogload Junction, will post when through Kintbury.
     
  8. DUKE71000

    DUKE71000 Member

    Joined:
    Jan 28, 2009
    Messages:
    305
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    England
    Through kintbury at 20.33
     
  9. buseng

    buseng Part of the furniture

    Joined:
    Sep 9, 2005
    Messages:
    4,799
    Likes Received:
    349
    Gender:
    Male
    Occupation:
    Retired
    Location:
    Tilehurst, Reading, Berks.
    I feel I must let off steam a here a bit (no pun intended!). To me the text message service seems a waste of time. This is NOT a reflection of the forum, the service itself or the way it works. In theory it is a great idea. The problem is that people just can't be bothered to use it & pass information especially as most mobile providers allow lots of free texts in their contracts. I subscribed to this tour online at around 6pm tonight with the intention of going to Theale to see it where it would be due around 8.35-8.40pm. I arrived at Theale around 8pm to allow plenty of time, up to this point I had not received any texts. At the due time there was no sign of 60019 & what I presume was a following HST went through at around 8.50pm. At 9.00pm with still no sign I sent a text out asking if anyone had any info-no response. Around 9.05pm 60019 came storming through Theale like a bat out of hell around 20-25 minutes down. After it passed I sent a text giving this information. I am still subscribed but no more updates have come through. People, please use the service. Updates on here seem very thin on the ground as well. Looking at Duke71000's posts it seems to have lost quite a bit time after Cogload Junction.
     
  10. RalphW

    RalphW Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Administrator Friend

    Joined:
    Sep 11, 2005
    Messages:
    35,447
    Likes Received:
    9,145
    Gender:
    Male
    Occupation:
    Retired-ish, Part time rail tour steward.
    Location:
    Northwich
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    Isn't this symptomatic of a lot of people today, quite ready to accept information, but cannot be bothered to send a few text messages to help unseen and unknown people just waiting for an update.
    It was said in the beginning that there were worries of being inundated with updates, seems the opposite happens on some tours, whilst there are those where one or two on board do take the time and trouble to post useful info.
     
  11. DUKE71000

    DUKE71000 Member

    Joined:
    Jan 28, 2009
    Messages:
    305
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    England
    There are definitely certain aspects of the system that hamper the quality of Railtour live. The point that you raised is completely true, if people use and do not add to the information being sent members on that service will lose out. I personally don’t use the system but do text in when on tours to help those at the lineside. Tonight it completely skipped my mind and instead posted what info I knew directly onto the forum. Apologies for that Buseng as would have certainly helped keep you up to date. Suspect the time was lost around Westbury due to pathing problems as can’t really see any other obvious reason, although im sure that the members on the forum will confirm what happened.
     
  12. kelal

    kelal New Member

    Joined:
    Oct 26, 2005
    Messages:
    60
    Likes Received:
    0
    Sorry to hear that you received no texts. I was on the train and sent around five texts during the day. I will try to find out what is going on. Great day today; a memorable tour.
     
  13. Dan Hill

    Dan Hill Part of the furniture

    Joined:
    Aug 1, 2008
    Messages:
    2,576
    Likes Received:
    545
    Gender:
    Male
    Occupation:
    Brick Machine Operator
    Location:
    Haywards Heath
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    A great trip, hats off to RTC and both loco crews. Got back home about 45 minutes ago. First the bad news. 15 minutes late (having been more than 25 late) in to Paddington (and my photos didn't come out great there but never mind). Rumours in Coach J where we were was that photographers trespassed on the track at either Hemerdon or Daignton (can't remember which but think it was the former) on the return from Plymouth and was not the only case (I saw at least 3 or 4). We had a very bad path after Taunton on th return so we kept coming to stand stills

    The good news was that Bittern performed magnificently from Euston to Taunton and we had to stop at Westbury and even then we were early leaving and arriving into Taunton. Then a brilliant climb up Daignton and Rattery with 5029. And on the return we came to a stop outside Exeter St Davids for a while but managed to do about 50 miles in under 60 minutes and when we got into Exeter 60019's headboard was cover in soot. Also caught a Prairie on the way down to Taunton at Totnes and a Pannier on the way to London. Also we went past the sorry state that is 35022 at Southall.

    But the niggles were nothing to do with the locos that performed brilliantly and some people had their suspitions that we may have exceeded 75 mph on some sections.

    Also RTC made a mistake with Coach J which was meant to be a standard but one from Carnforth wasn't available so we spent the whole trip in a first class coach (though all indidcation was removed) but it had shorter numbers so the team on board had to sort it out
     
  14. spindizzy

    spindizzy Member

    Joined:
    May 21, 2009
    Messages:
    899
    Likes Received:
    44
    Stopped on Whiteball at a red due to what Ray Churchill described as "two men in boiler suits" although they didn't see them.

    The run down the other side of Whiteball according to my GPS is best described as "very brisk!"
     
  15. buseng

    buseng Part of the furniture

    Joined:
    Sep 9, 2005
    Messages:
    4,799
    Likes Received:
    349
    Gender:
    Male
    Occupation:
    Retired
    Location:
    Tilehurst, Reading, Berks.
    I wasn't getting at you personally, just speaking generally. As it was only a few minutes down when you saw it it wouldn't of mattered anyway.
     
  16. KEYHAMTRAIN

    KEYHAMTRAIN Member

    Joined:
    Oct 6, 2005
    Messages:
    225
    Likes Received:
    2
  17. buseng

    buseng Part of the furniture

    Joined:
    Sep 9, 2005
    Messages:
    4,799
    Likes Received:
    349
    Gender:
    Male
    Occupation:
    Retired
    Location:
    Tilehurst, Reading, Berks.
    Cheers for your concern, what time did you send the texts? I did not subscribe until 6.00pm.
     
  18. admin

    admin Founder Administrator

    Joined:
    Mar 16, 2005
    Messages:
    13,028
    Likes Received:
    266
    Gender:
    Male
    Occupation:
    Founder National Preservation
    Location:
    dover
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    I agree totally, I am in talks now with a major main line tour company with regards to using this system.
    I somehow need to find a way of making it exciting for members to use.

    I am going to be launching a competition shortly, Watch this space.
     
  19. admin

    admin Founder Administrator

    Joined:
    Mar 16, 2005
    Messages:
    13,028
    Likes Received:
    266
    Gender:
    Male
    Occupation:
    Founder National Preservation
    Location:
    dover
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    We only received 5 text updates, by 4 different people? Can you contact me so I can make sure you are using the system properly.
     
  20. Dan Hill

    Dan Hill Part of the furniture

    Joined:
    Aug 1, 2008
    Messages:
    2,576
    Likes Received:
    545
    Gender:
    Male
    Occupation:
    Brick Machine Operator
    Location:
    Haywards Heath
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    That was it on Whiteball. Kept hearing a lot about various people using GPS to see what the speed was. I only saw one person on Whiteball and they were behind a fence so they were alright. At one of the points we stopped waiting a path we were oppsote a gate and a person was wrong side of the gate. Some others were of the down the ramp and even one off the end of the ramp as we whizzed through one station on the way down.
     

Share This Page