Victoria to Minehead, 21st June, 2012

Provisional timings. Cathedrals Express 1Z78 21/06/2012. <BJ>

London Victoria 0803
Reading 1035-1037
Hungerford 1103-1118
Castle Cary 1207-1212
Taunton 1254-1257
Bishops Lydeard 1314-1316 (loco change)
Minehead 1410

1Z81
Minehead 1630
Bishops Lydeard 1722-1724
Taunton 1737-1738
Castle Cary 1807-1810
Woodborough 1850-1902
Hungerford 1918-1923
Theale loop 1943-2008
Reading 2022-2025
London Victoria 2230

 

Thank you for the info.

 

Notice the WSR section is box (D1661) hauled because the stock is air brake only. Seems a good idea the SVR is retaining air brakes on 34027 for that very reason as mentioned in another thread.

 

Detailed timings are now on Steam Dreams website Steam Dreams - operators of The Cathedrals Express steam train trips

Pick up at Bracknell behind an A4 class, surely a first?!

 

I understand the WSR times are slightly different from those given on the above link.
NF 1301 (pass) BL arr 1315 dep 1345 (behind D1661)
MD arr 1448 dep 1605
BL arr 1709 dep 1724 NF 1733 (pass)
(all subject to the usual disclaimers)

Steve

 

Any advice on a good place to phot this near Victoria leaving in the morning appreciated. Thanks.

 

Bittern waiting at Victoria, some enthusiastic smoke and blowing off, 15 minutes to go.

 

Off on time

 

Thanks for the information and the images!

 

Passed Ashford Middlesex 0922, almost passed a 73 heading to the capital with riveria blood and custard set

 

yeah, don't see that often !!!! Can smell it from Reading....lovely !!! ??!!!

 

WSR's Norton Bridge damaged by car last night.
Car collides with railway bridge near Taunton (From Somerset County Gazette)
Line blocked. This morning's HOBC cancelled. Thankfuly, line now clear for incoming steam special. Pics of bridge to follow soon on WSR :: West Somerset Railway :: Pictures and News

Steve

 

A car did that? Looks more like a Sherman Tank looking at the size of the fallen masonary.
Anyway nice sight passing through Theale about 11am. One or two open mouths by the "normals" waiting for a service train, some looked like Ascot goers.
There seems to be a bad bit of track at the London end of the down platform, Bittern took a bad nose dive there. The cab/tender bounced well.

 

4464 reported through Westbury a little late at 12:03. <BJ>

 

Makes you wonder what the car now looks like !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Makes you wonder if it was a Police car that hit the bridge...............................

 

I think it is a generic picture they use, my local paper does the same if there is no actual photo of the event. If it's a fire they show a fire engine, an accident - a police car or ambulance.

An example.
http://www.getreading.co.uk/news/s/2115511_customers_evacuated_after_mcdonalds_fire

 

Well, this train made a little bit of Bracknell history today when it picked up here. Probably the first steam stopper since the 60's, probably the first ever direct Bracknell - Minehead express, and I would be pretty certain the first ever A4 departure from Bracknell!

So here's a video of our big day! Steam Train: 4464 Bittern, Cathedrals Express to Minehead, 21 Jun 2012, at Bracknell Station - YouTube