The Royal Duchy 2012

Thanks for the inf on the driver, fireman and the good humour on here!

 

Ray Churchill deserves a gold medal for his superb enginemanship, skill and brilliance in getting us over Rattery in difficult circumstances,

 

Can't argue with that. Was a privilege to witness it all.

 

Has anyone seen any videos online of the stalling and restart? Sounds like something good to watch.

 

Got on train ones on my phone but no easy way of uploading/quality not great. There weren't many/if any photographers in the area where it happened.

 

I'm going down that way early in September so when I came across this I thought I'd see where Doublebois is. If it was westbound then I think you mean Liskeard to Doublebois.

 

Oops, compass bearings wrong. It was the eastbound climb from Lostwithiel to Doublebois, 10 miles of hard work against the grade.
In my defence I had partaken of Cornish cider.

 

The best climb westbound in this part of Cornwall if i'm not mistaken is the bit from St Germans up to Doublebois I believe? Haven't got a profile to hand so can't look,certainly the locations just up from St Germans are a good place to be. 1 in 60 rings a bell.

 

There's a bit of downhill on that section through Liskeard to the Moorswater viaduct. The ruling westbound gradient is a short section of 1 in 58 between Moorswater and Doublebois with other sections of 1 in 80 or steeper.

 

Hello All,

A few photographs of 70013 'OLIVER CROMWELL' hauling last Sundays, 12th.August 2012, "The Royal Duchy" down and back up through my local station, St Budeaux, Ferry Road, have now been added to my web site.

Link here;

70013 'OLIVER CROMWELL' hauling "The Royal Duchy" at St Budeaux, Ferry Road Station. Sunday 12th.August 2012. - Rail Traction Photos by Richard Smith

I hope you enjoy viewing them.

 

Any ideas as to the locos for the September trains yet? Will it just be Tangmere or will Olly come and do some?

 

If all goes to plan, and short notice changes are not required 34067 on 2nd, 9th & 23rd. 70013 on 16th. I should be out on 16th. A

 

34067 has been putting in some cracking performances lately. Does anyone recall when Tangmere was steaming this well? I'm looking forward to seeing the coverage of these upcoming runs.

 

It's a Bulleid and they'll steam on fresh air
Seriously tempted to make another run on the Royal Duchy before the season's end to see how 34067 compares with my run behind 70013.

 

Can someone remind, me, please? Has Tangmere run over the South Devon Banks unassisted before, and if so, when? How did she get on? I'm almost certain she hasn't been into Cornwall solo before.

 

27/8/05 THE CORNISHMAN [Times]
Birmingham-Penzance (WSXT) [wcrc]
34067: Exeter-Penzance

29/8/05

THE CORNISH RIVIERA [Times]
Ealing Broadway-Penzance (WSXT) [wcrc]
34067: Penzance-Exeter

 

I was on that, load 8 (as opposed to the current Duchy's 9), Ray Churchill on the regulator, line speed through Newton Abbot and in the region of 30MPH into Dainton Tunnel with no real issues, only concern for me possibly would be that 9th coach, with the exception of 5043 and 70013, all loads 9 + have been hauled by class 8 loco's.

 

Yes, Tangmere has been to Cornwall on her own before. On the 27th August 2005 working the Cornishman, the steam leg being Exeter to Penzance. The return was on the 29th August, working Penzance to Exeter with the steam leg of The Cornish Riviera. I took video at Dainton, Devonport and Hemerdon. The load was 8 each way and Tangmere didn't seem to have any problems when I saw her.

 

Shame that it's not Tangmere on the 16th, I was hoping that it'd be doing that one...

 

Thanks for the info, chaps.

I don't think there's much to chose in power between a Bulleid Light Pacific, a Britannia and a modified Castle. If Ollie can do it, Tangmere should be able to.

Where a Castle scores over the pacifics is traction. It's not just that the weight is carried on 3 out of 5 axles in a 4-6-0 verses 3 out of 6 in a pacific. When power is applied, weight tends to be transfered to the rear-most axle. In a pacific, that's a carrying axle, and the effective adhesion weight is reduced. In a 4-6-0, the reduction in weight on the leading axle is compensated for, to some extent at least, by the increase on the rear axle.

Light Pacifics appear to me to be a bit temperamental when it comes to restarting on a gradient. So long as Tangmere is not interrupted in her work, she should manage 9 coaches as well as Ollie or Britannia. However, if she has to restart on a tricky bit of track, the driver's skill and patience may be put to the test.