Great Britain VI

Could these be the times for the first leg to Exeter St Davids? The train starts from Victoria at 07.45 which is earlier than the RTC websites say they hope to but they look like they might be..

Realtime Trains

 

I spoke to the organisers of GBVI a couple of days ago who could not confirm the actual timings, and suggested calling about a week before the event. I am wanting to photograph the various locomotives at Exeter. Aka 'Braunton', 'Tangmere' and 'Britannia' - they say it remains to be seen which locomotives are rostered in the event, but in fact 'Braunton' is only waiting for the new mobile communications system to be fitted and she would, I believe, be allowed to run coupled to 'Tangmere' which already has all the works. At Par, the locomotives are to be stabled overnight at DB Schenker's St Blazey Depot, being turned on the turntable there, and backed up to Newquay in the morning to link up with the GBVI train, which will go ahead hauled by a diesel - that's the gist of it, anyway.

 

Looks like it - this website seems to be reliable and accurate.

 

Yes Robbo, its a great site.. probably the best thing to happen for us enthusiasts in a long time.. Real Time train info..No more wondering where the train is or relying on gen groups(although still useful). I used it for the mayflower and Cathedrals on 23 March and it proved invaluble..I shall be using it while out and about from now on..

 

Agreed Nick, it is really useful if you are out to see a tour, or just following progress from home!
Rob

 

I just looked at Railway Herald and some locomotive changes have been made. 777 Shall be replacing 34046 on the first two days of the tour. 60019 shall be at the helm of the train day 1 from London. 46115 shall be subbing for 6233 and 70013(surprised about that one)

 

I gather 46115 is in charge Edinburgh - Inverness, but the 2 Black Fives will work the return trip.

If the locos are changed at Bristol on Day 2, as planned, then RH says 4464 will take over. It still seems a little odd to do that just for the short section to Cardiff, but what do I know...?

There must still be questions about 777 and 46115. In theory, a King Arthur can go where a Hall can go, and we've had Halls between Bristol and Plymouth several times in recent years. What about Plymouth-Par-Newquay though?

As for 46115 - she's had a few reliability worries lately, and AFAIK her recent test-run wasn't particularly successful. I hope I'm being unnecessarily gloomy on this score. When she's on form, Scots Guardsman is a thrilling loco. Still, Mr Riley's Black 5 twins will be running light down to Edinburgh around the same time, and then on to Inverness, so I suppose one or both could assist over Beattock or Slocht if required.

My biggest worry at the moment is the state of the linesides. We could do with a week or two of warm, wet weather to get the greenery growing. Neither passengers nor line-siders will want a repeat of what happened to 5043's trip to Scotland last May.

 

Overall width of a King Arthur is very slightly greater than a Hall. Halls are now barred west of Plymouth, so the prospects for 777 can't be good.

 

I might be wrong but isn't there some engineering works through the Severn Tunnel on the second day of the tour, so it would have to go via Gloucester.

 

Interesting the number of scheduled changes to the GB VI journey into Cornwall 20th April. Now it is to be 60019 instead of 70000 from Victoria to Exeter (via Salisbury) and (30)777 & 34067 from Exeter-Par. Newquay has now been cancelled. Maybe the clearance for 777 is ok as far as Par, or perhaps 34067 will have to go it alone from Plymouth to Par. Not sure on that one.

 

In fairness, 34067 took the Royal Duchy to Par without many incidents last summer - admittedly the load was just 9 coaches, not 11 or 12. They need a diesel anyway to take the stock down to Newquay on the Sunday morning, so if there are any problems, I guess it could be summoned without too many problems...

James at SVN

 

I think Tangers could manage 11 coaches Plymouth-Par and Newquay-Plymouth unassisted if required. IIRC, the steepest climb on the Newquay branch is in the down direction, from Par to Luxullian.

 

1 in 40 see gradient profile Zenfolio | Paul Simpson | Newquay Branch Gradient Profile | Photo 1

 

*Could* be the operative word. If it was your train, would you risk sending Tangmere solo through Cornwall on load 11/12?

 

Red signal,rain and the climb from st Germans....or a standing start on doublebois,be surprised if it could start on there,would need a diesel I think.

 

Depends on the driver and the load, doesn't it? 10 should be OK, 12 I reckon is too many - but what do I know? For comparisson, Tangmere took 9 to Weymouth (1-in-50 climbs in both directions) without fuss and 8 over Dainton, Rattery and Hemerdon, in poor weather conditions, several times the last two summers. St German's isn't as severe as Hemerdon.

 

I thought we were assuming it was double headed from and to Plymouth?

 

Yes, I think it would have to be double-headed Exeter-Plymouth on Saturday and Plymouth-Bristol on Sunday. My point, though, was that since Tangmere was trusted solo with 8 over Hemerdon and 9 over Bincombe, 10 or even 11 on the easier gradients between Plymouth and Par ought to be within her capacity - given the right driver. Mind you, since a DL is needed for the Newquay branch, I wouldn't be at all surprised if it was attached at the rear from and to Plymouth, and therefore would have to assist on the longer climbs. Then again, RTC have tried to avoid that sort of thing with the GB in the past.

 

The second lot of timings are now on RTT: Realtime Trains

James at SVN