Stanier 8F to Plymouth July 2nd

My apologies, clearly a faulty memory.

 

Steam Dreams are now listing this with 4492 (Bittern) and 48151.

 

That would be awesome if true. My first trip behind an A4 on the mainline since no9 on the Harrogate loop a good few years ago.

 

Just booked on this one - I've never been over the South Devon banks by steam (or anything else for that matter) so it should be interesting. I'm just wondering about the logistics of this one though.....

According to Steam Dreams' latest brochure 4492 will come off at Taunton where it will proceed to the West Somerset. Apparently the train will proceed to Minehead behind one of their resident steam locos while 4492 is serviced and turned. Does this mean that the Norton Fitzwarren triangle is now in service? It seems that 4492 is not going to proceed to Minehead but in any case as I recall it is too long for the turntable there. The other alternative is that it goes back tender first to Westbury for turning on the triangle. That would presumably rule out use of the second tender. Hopefully someone has thought about all this!

 

Bittern turned on the Hatton triangle last week which involved lots of tender first running so I guess she is allowed to.

 

You are correct - Minehead turntable should be able to turn anything other than LNER and LMS pacifics. These would fit the turntable, but cannot be properly balanced, and/or are too heavy. The "outer" triangle trackwork at Norton is now complete but has yet to be fully ballasted, tamped, inspected and commissioned.

I suspect that the WSR will have difficulty in accommodating this train in the middle of a "Thomas" special event weekend.

David

 

This does seem like rather bad planning on someone's part. I thought that the WSR had started a policy of not receiving charter trains during gala weekends due to the disruption to the timetable that has occurred in previous years when they arrive late. Not sure that "Thomas" counts as a gala weekend though! Not that I really care - I've booked to Plymouth.

 

Surely this train has already been accepted by WSR, it should not be being advertised if it hasn't. I to though wonder how the A4 is going to be turned and serviced in the time allowed given the Norton Fitzwarren triangle is unlikely to be ready.

 

I wouldn't be so sure, some companies (NOT referring to the one in question here) don't necessarily ensure that before they advertise tours...

 

Is there time to move Bittern to another triangle to turn it i.e Bristol?

Regards,

Dan

 

Yes I estimate 5 hours to turn and service loco based on outline times. I think Westbury would be more likely than Bristol.

 

That sound like a sensible policy. Not just because of the disruption caused if the charter is late, but the sudden influx of a couple of hundred passengers trying to find seats on already busy trains, the loss of a much needed path, the need to ensure that the charter returns to the main line on time, etc, can all out-weigh the benefits to the railway, and there is rarely sufficient time for the charter passengers to fully enjoy what the gala has to offer.

 

I have a bit more information about this from Steam Dreams - apparently most of the train (10 coaches) is going to Plymouth leaving only about 3 going to Minehead which will be standard class only. So any diners for Minehead had better finish their grub before Taunton as they will be told to move!

 

If there are just three coaches then they could be attached to the back of a Thomas service on the WSR without the need for a separate path?

 

It's a shame Rev Awdry's not around;
Would have been a good sequel to the series,
"Thomas meets Bittern"

Thomas was so excited because the Fat Controller told him a new engine called Tornado was coming to the railway.
He had been told that he could go to the end of the line and fetch Tornado's coaches and bring them to the station.
On the morning of the special trip, Thoms was standing in the shed, wating for his driver and fireman
when he saw the Fat Controller coming towards him looking sad.
"I've got some bad news", he said, "Tornado has been a naughty engine and won't be coming to the railway today.
But they're sending a different engine instead, he's called Bittern".

Later that morning the driver took Thomas to the end of the line.
As he arrived there, Thomas saw a very strange looking engine waiting on the other line.
It's face looked all squashed, and disappeared up towards the chimney.
It's wheels were covered by funny shapes.
As Thomas came to a stop, the other engine blew it's whistle,
but it sounded strange, not like proper engine whistle.
"Ooh you look strange" said Thomas.
"I'm an express engine, built to pull heavy trains very fast".
"Well" said Thomas, "this is a branch line, we don't need fast engines here,
and anyway you've only got 3 coaches; I pull more than that most days".
After a lot of moving around, Bittern was moved out of the way,
and Thomas was coupled to the coaches.
"I'll take your coaches to the station; you stay here and have a nice rest Bittern".
Thomas chuffed off up the line, tryng not to let Bittern see that he was really finding the coaches quite heavy.

Later in the afternoon, Thomas brought the coaches back to the station to find Bittern facing the other way.
"Huh", he thought, "He didn't like what I said about his face, so now he doesn't want to look at me.
While he was waiting to be uncoupled from the coaches, he asked Bittern where the rest of his coaches were.
"Oh", said Bittern, "I left them at Taunton, and another engine has taken them to Plymouth".
"I've heard about the line to Plymouth", said Thomas. "There are some very steep hills on the way there.
Only the best engines can pull their coaches up those hills. Is that why you had to come here instead?".
This made Bittern really angry and steam went shooting from his safety valves.

Thomas was glad that just then his driver moved him away from Bittern.
Bittern was still angry when his driver brought him back to couple up the coaches, and he banged them hard.
Soon it was time for Bittern to leave. "Are you sure you can mange", shouted Thomas.
"Would you like me to give you a push as far as Taunton".
Bittern snorted steam from his draincocks, and moved off quickly.
But he started so fast his wheels slipped. "Ha, ha", shouted Thomas, "slipping with only 3 coaches".

Bittern tried again and this time moved off without slipping. He couldn't wait to get away fro Thomas.
Thomas set off back to the station with his own coaches.
"Express engines, they're rubbish. We tank engines ar the ones who do the really hard work".

 

Thank you, IKB. That's excellent!

 

10 coaches (+support?) would be a very heavy load for one loco over the South Devon banks. Of the numerous runs I have made over this route with steam I think the only loco which was allowed 10 was Sutherland. All the rest were max 9 or less.

 

Yes there's definitely going to be some help needed there. Perhaps a diesel will be coupled inside the 8F and the train at Taunton? Hopefully they'll use a proper diesel that doesn't needed to "reboot" 200 yards short of the tunnel!

 

Great story IKB - one of my favourite Nat Pres posts ever!