CATHEDRALS EXPRESS, ALRESFORD - ELY ON 7TH JUNE.

With three days until this rail tour. There still isn't any times avalible on UK steam info or Wessex rail gen. I wonder if there will be another time alteration for this tour.

 

Some of the timings have now been posted on the SD site in the latest news section. However, they have only posted the outward timings. The return timings are for 70000 returning from CARLISLE into EUSTON.......... WTF?

 

Seems they've corrected the error.

 

Yep, you just beat me to posting the same message!

 

Does anyone know what time the ecs and 70000 are going down to the MHR? I guess it will be either this evening or very early tommorrow morning?

 

Excellent, I have just noticed that it is going up to Ely on the Royston route and coming back through the Bishops Storford route and watering at Harlow. I will definitely be going to Harlow to have a look. The advantage of that route is that it will go through the Olympic park at Stratford in daylight which folks on board usually find quite interesting.

 

Very early tomorrow morning. Return trip appears to terminate at Alton. See t0607a.htm

David

 

Looking at the tour times on uk steam info. The tour only goes as far as Alton on the return trip? Looking on steam dreams web site the tour returns back to Alresford. If you can't completed the return trip then why is Steam Dreams still advertising Alresford has the finishing point for this tour? Also looking at the times who will continue to stay on this tour to the bitter end. Far better bailout at Aldershot and save yourself almost an hour. Waiting for service trains to clear the Alton to Aldershot section.

 

I heard some time ago that the Mid Hants is not supposed to run trains after midnight. I guess they don't want to incur the wrath of the neighbours!

 

Thanks David. Much appreciated. Might have to get up a bit earlier to go and see 70000 hauling the ECS. I thought they would have towed it and 70000 down with a diesel. She might wake up a few people on the move back from Alton at 00.14.

Looks like they are not going to have much time at Alresford to run 70000 round the train and shunt the stock tommorrow morning.

 

Now that really is a long day for the support crew!

 

Just looked, a solid 24 hours inc LE/Stock moves!

 

Correct I think. There has been later running, one in conjunction with the BBC the night we moved to Alresford in 1990, and a few delayed Watercress Belles, I remember my son was techbician on one that got back to Alresford at about 00:40 after 41312 stalled on Medstead bank coming out of Alton; Leaves on the line and all that!
I shall be up early tomorrow morning to watch the shunting.

 

The signallers at Ropley don't care how late it is, when you get back to Alton at 23xx after a 22 hour day. If a Belle has been out, they make the mainline train wait at Alton until the Belle has been shunted at Alresford AND the loco has got back to Ropley, been disposed and the crew have got home and made peace with their wives.

 

No sign of the ECS move this morning at Aldershot. Waited for 20 mins after the booked time and nothing showed up heading in the Alton direction.

 

Any sign of 70000? Am stood in a wet field near Ropley, debating whether to go home.

James at SVN

 

Crompton and 5 coach set at Alresford, looks like they will shuttle passengers to Alton

 

Has anyone actually seen 70000 and the charter stock yet?

 

Someone reported on a SE Gen an unidentified "steamer" on the rear of ecs at Wembley heading towards London as he passed below on the A406 at 06:47.
Could be read as Britannia on the rear of the ECS seen at Stonebridge park, and goinng all the way to Alton on the rear of the ECS I suppose.

 

I hear 67026 is being used on this tour.