"The Atlantic Coast Express" Sunday 7th.April 2013.

They did a couple of years ago for Steam Dreams round Kent doubleheaded with the black 5 so it is unlikely but not unknown.

 

Re: RTC daytrips 2013

I was on that one and the Black 5 was 44932.I agree that it is unlikely.

 

Update on UkSteam website reports 777 'Sir Lamiel' now unavailable due to gauging issues. Shame, as I'm sure I was not the only one looking forward to seeing a Southern liveried locomotive being banked up into Exeter Central from Exeter St Davids. Would have been even better if 34046 'BRAUTON' had been available. TnT Pacifics, would have been special.

 

Re: RTC daytrips 2013

Maybe ian Riley's black fives could help out again?The obvious preferred choice being 35028 but apart from that there doesn't seem much choice.

 

So I wonder whats going to do the return?? It might be Tangmere if it goes back via Taunton and Westbury but if it cant go down the GW main line will it run round and turn at Westbury to get to Salisbury??? No times for this yet either...

 

Some basic times on the RTC website but they only give 2 hours to turn and service the engine. That'll be close to the knuckle, so I'll guess it'll return via Taunton.

 

There are 3 options I am aware of that are sometimes used(assuming Tangmere is able to do return) 1/ Run back via Taunton,Bath,Trowbridge,Westbury and Salisbury(no reversal needed at Westbury) 2/Run Exeter/Castle Cary with diesel on back,reverse at Castle Cary & run diesel hauled to Yeovil Junction,reverse again and run steam hauled to Waterloo.3/On arrival at Exeter run Tangmere light to Yeovil Junction for servicing,run train diesel-hauled later to YJ where Tangmere takes over from diesel and returns to Waterloo. 2 & 3 have both been used on several occasions by Steam Dreams. Unfortunately there is a high probability of having the diesel on the back all day.

I'm not on this one but good luck for an excellent day.

 

We were disappointed about not being able to go on this run as we found out that there are engineering works between us and Woking this weekend and no train services. Not so disappointed now.
A frustrating turn of events for the tour company and the 5305 folks. I did have a feeling 777 was going to be a no-show which is why I asked about her availability in the RTC tours thread. I fear this gauging problem will stop her returning to the ML in the South before her ticket expires. I wonder where the actual gauging problem is? On the section from the WSR to Exeter or on the Former SR itself? I hope it's not on the latter as 777 is pencilled in for a number of trips later in the year: RTC Dorset Coast Express workings to Weymouth and the SR Anniversary Run in July which is the same routing as the ACE on Sunday.

 

Still no times on Realtimes Trains which probably means not yet confirmed by NR. Will this run?

777 has worked the Dorset Coast Xpresses before so should be OK there.

Don

 

The odd thing is that 777 has worked down the WoE main line before, back in 2007(?) when it had problems on Honiton bank. I thought the entire WoE ML is bi-directional, so I wonder why it can't work wrong line through the two-track stations? Surely if it can work down through single line stations, it can work up?

I suppose, if it were that easy, then NR would allow it...

James at SVN

 

Could we see Tangers down to Exeter, diesel back to Yeovil Junction the 777 back to London? I phoned RTC this afternoon and they were still saying 777 back from Exeter. Are the HSTs running from Waterloo this weekend, they are shown on realtimetrain trains.

 

Frustrating now that we're so close to the wire, but I for one would be happy with any amount of steam on the return run. Back to the case in hand, there could be a few 'pinch points' that have sprung up since 2007. Am I right in thinking that one of the platforms at either Axminster or Templecombe was widened at some point in the last few years, or that the track was slewed to the same effect?

 

As we've seen before, the fact that a loco was in gauge for a route in the past does not mean it will still be in gauge after Network Rail have "improved" their infrastructure.

 

Templecombe has platforms both sides of the train but only southern most one used.. might be that ...

 

Fair point.

James at SVN

 

Looking at a recent photo of Templecombe on Wikipedia, I think we may have found our problem where N15s are concerned... The down platform has been reinstated and widened over the track formation for ease of access to the car park. Doesn't look like there's much room to swing a cat, let alone No. 777!

 

Yes they are, Sunday only.

 

Re: RTC daytrips 2013

Now that we have a dedicated thread for Sunday's Atlantic Coast Express, shall we move the related posts from here to there? How about it, Mods?

 

I concur it's probably somewhere on the LSWR where the gauging issue is, Halls have recently run between Taunton & Exeter with no trouble and are due to do so again in 2013.

It's surprising how gauge unfriendly Arthurs are considering all the places they went on the Southern, bit of which were the most gauge restricted region in the country.