Brief Encounter Special - 14th Feb (Evening)

Its nice to hear that the tour sold well, always a good sign!

Its a shame that diesel's are a common sight on steam tours nowadays. I can understand that network rail has to ensure that the line dosen't get blocked buy a stranded steam loco that requires rescuing, but surerly the loco's are powerful enough to pull a train along the national network without any assitance. They did so in the past without huge numbers of failiers and without a diesel ramming them up the rear didn't they. Why if that is the case are diesel's needed to be attached to the back of the train giving assistance, couldn't they just follow a mile or so behind and just come to the recue if the steam loco came across a problem?

Anyway, fogetting all of that I can't help but love the sight of a black 5 rushing though the night at speed!!

Regards
Jake

 

Super video Ashley, thank you. Love the audio! I was on the daytime train.

 

Thats my Dads video, I will pass on your praise! You can see me on the other platfrom. Will upload my video overnight. Some photos.

Brighton (including a shot from the footplate as I joined the queue to be allowed on and be nosy, lovely and warm up there!)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/alts1985/5448374835/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/alts1985/5448372331/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/alts1985/5448977674/

Preston Park on the turning move...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/alts1985/5448977674/

My video will include Hassocks and Preston Park on the tour, I got the first service train down to Brighton after she had been through Hassocks. A few more photos here too... http://ashleysmith355.fotopic.net/c1933550_11.html

 

He was very lucky! I went over the other side as the unit was due 22.25 and 44932 due to leave Brighton at 22.22. I thought it was abit risky but it worked out!

 

Very true, which is why they are rarely used to assist mid-journey.. but with a Black 5 instead of Tangmere and the busy weekday evening BML its not surprising they were being cautious - any delays would have had major knock-on effects.

Ultimately diesels on the back, while not compulsory, are often unavoidable - there are no station pilots anymore, signalling can prevent loco attachments at certain locations, turn-round times at terminals are often very limited, light engine paths can be hard to come by and running seperately is not always possible or practical. Personally though i think its a very small price to pay.

Chris

 

My video from Hassocks, Preston Park light engine and then on the tour is on Youtube. Skip to 0:58 as 35028 starts the video...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ykNhJFjlV-g

 

Jake, don't forget the 37 had to take the stock out of Brighton to allow the 5 to turn. Having it tagged on the back is pure common sense rather than creating a seperate path for it down to Brighton.

Plus on the other hand, it's all ready in positon for taking the stock back to Southall after arriving back at Victoria.

 

Just remembered one of the last times (don't know when the exact last Brighton trip was) a trip went to Brighton was a Brighton Breezy trip back in 2002. And that also just happened to be a Black 5. That time however it was 45407 (when it was disguised as 45157) but it failed later that day. Me and my Grandad went to see at Haywards Heath and once it stopped in the day but when we returned in the evening it was being diesel hauled.