Cath Ex Ashford-Oxford 17-Dec

Forecast is good for tomorrow morning - crisp and bright. The big question is whether I can drag myself out of bed to see the departure from Ashford.

It must be well over 10 years since we last had a steam departure from Ashford. I wonder where the engine and stock are being stabled over night? The Hitachi depot or Chart leacon?

 

34067 departed from Ashford with The Spitfire from Brighton to Faversham in September 2007 and I think several of the last trains to Folkestone Harbour also called/reversed at Ashford.

 

I gather the ECS comes down from Southall early morning. Something like 0500 from Southall?

Times are now on the Steam Dreams web site.

Normally reliable sources tell me the loco will be turned on the Didcot triangle, dep Oxford 1420 and back 1500.

 

I was thinking more in terms of tours originating from Ashford

 

Times are now on uksteam.info with times to Didcot for turning.
http://www.uksteam.info/tours/t10/t1217a.htm

 

Is it taking water at Ascot? 10 minutes seems like a bit of a splash and dash!

 

27 (twenty seven) minutes Earley to Reading !!!!!!!!!!!! gotta laugh, its 4 mins on the electrics, don't understand. AND 24 mins back !!! Clearly I'm missing something ??? I don't think there's water in between

 

Could this perhaps be recovery time?

 

Well the detail from the Steam Dreams website shows this - times shown as "departure" times:


Ascot 11:50A 12:00D
Wokingham 12:14
Earley 12:20
Reading Spur Jn 12:41
Reading New Jn 12:46
Reading 12:47

So I think it's a case of getting the path to Reading then getting out of the way of the SR service trains by parking up on Spur Jcn until its path becomes clear on the GWR

Plus, if it should miss its path in front of the following SW Trains service through Ascot, that's into Reading by 12.40 so the time in hand at Spur Jcn means it could still just about regain its schedule.

 

Well possibly seeing as she will already have been out and about for 4 hours from Ashford. If she's on time through Earley though, I'm sure the Reading box will be happy to park her up somewhere for 20 mins. NOT.! Don't think I've seen that sort of allowance before but who knows. Fair idea cheers

 

Posted same time Steve. On the spur....ok.....No doubt you're out for it ? !

 

I will definitely be out for it, I think I will give Ascot a go, the forecast is for cold clear and sunny, the departure from Ascot is fairly scenic and should be a challenge for a 5 with a big train, I hope it doesn't need a shove!

If I then hop on the 12.13 from Ascot to Reading and it runs on time, I would see it again through Reading. Though 5 minutes late, or 44932 released 5 minutes early, and I wouldn't!!

What to do! :decision:

 

What a challenge eh ??!!! No doubt we shall see one of your excellent vids on here. I tried Palmer Park for SNG couple weeks ago, but camera preferred to focus on the ruxxx trees I think ! Still, I tried. And failed !!

 

Steam engine heard, but not seen at 8:50 in Ashford. Seems fair to assume that this tour is running late. As usual following a flake of snow, South Eastern services are disrupted and causing chaos.

Weather looks perfect for any photters braving the cold

 

Well that does indicate 20-30 mins late ?? Perhaps they will need the recovery time in Reading. NO SNOW IN BERKSHIRE !

 

Cold and grey in Oxford at the moment, though I think it's sunny a little further south. Any confirmed sighting/timing yet? TIA

 

Passed Hildenborough at 9.40, lots of slipping though!

Was quite good having the station announcer call it up an the entire station fell silent!

 

I'm going to be out of the house the rest of this morning. If anyone should pick up any info about how late the train is running, please could you put it on the text alerts system? Ta!!!!

 

Can somebody confirm the tour code please? UKsteam has it as t1213a, I would of thought it would be t1217a.

 

UKSteam shows t1217a on my PC and that is the right code, one update so far.