Whistling Ghost 25/05/13

Vintage tour to minehead if any body knows of a spare standard ticket please pm me thanks

 

Provisional times for this train are now at www.uksteam.info/tours/t13/t0525a.htm

I understand that the Vintage GUV water carrier will be used on this service to reduce the number of water stops to one each way.
6960 Raveningham Hall is likely to be the engine used on the WSR, with the engine change at Norton Fitzwarren in the down direction, and at Bishops Lydeard on the return.
Detailed timings on the WSR are not yet available.

It is likely to be a busy day at Norton, as there are two Network Rail engineering trains expected, one to discharge spent ballast from the mainline (in the morning), and the other to turn on the triangle (after 5043 has turned).

David

 

Thanks David, I was curious what would do the WSR legs.

 

Also a busy day on the WSR as a whole with gold/yellow timetable in operation according to the 2013 guide. The charter doesn't seem to fit in well.

What is the max load for a modified Hall over the WSR? Don't have my sectional appendix with me at the moment.....

 

The WSR service timetable will no doubt be amended. Maximum load for a Hall on the WSR is 9 coaches (although I think 10 would be OK).

David

 

VT normally run 9+support coach, IIRC, so yon Hall will have a full load, but not be overloaded. Should make a good sound on the climbs!

 

I'd be surprised if the train was in excess of load 9 once the water carrier and support are detached with 5043 at Norton Fitzwarren, if the weight was on the heavy side for the Hall, I suppose there's 3850 if something beefier is required.

 

Is a support coach required as well as the water carrier ? I would have thought they'd fit out the GUV to perform both roles.

 

It was there on the Cheltenham flyer, I think the support coach has more than just crew accomodation, I'm sure there's an arsenal of tools and various other essentials in the brake end, even if the GUV was capable of taking the weight as well as two fully laden water tanks, I doubt there's enough space.

 

The GUV is not a passenger vehicle, although we could throw a few garden chairs in there to accommodate the naughty passengers! (or journalists?)

At present we are planning on taking the same set as the Cheltenham Flyer, so that's 8 on the WSR behind the Hall. GUV and Support will stay with 5043.

 

2 tanks? You are 12 short! There is a fair bit of space in the center of the coach for a pump, hoses, etc.

 

Oh bugger. Do you think they will be able to fit us in? Anyone know who I can ask?

SERIOUSLY? My first call when planning this tour was to find out what dates worked for the WSR!

Why do some people on here seem to love to second-guess everything we do? We do have a pretty good idea of what we do.......

 

Cheers Ben. Sometime when you've nothing better to do (!!!), there's a magazine article to be written about what goes into the VT support coach and the GUV, and what goes on in them before, during and after a railtour.

 

Believe me you don't want to know what goes on in the VT support coach at anytime. I'll leave it up to your own sordid minds to build a mental picture.

 

Once again Ben you seem so keen to jump down someone's throat for stating a couple of facts. Why do you seem to think every other user of this forum is criticising Vintage Trains?

Is Gold timtable advertised in the brochure: Yes

Is there a suitable path for the charter in this timetable: No

Can I politely ask what exactly then was your issue with my post?

 

Oh and thank you to the two Davids for the info of course.

 

Can your GUV be made available for internal viewing at your open weekend in June. I think many people would find it interesting to have a look inside it.

 

Obviously there IS a suitable path as the good folks at the WSR have us booked it!

My issue with your post is the ridiculous conjecture that we at VT and they at WSR have scheduled something that doesn’t fit into the timetable. When I was planning this tour, one of the first things I did was contact the WSR to see what dates and times worked for them!

Maybe I am still gloating a bit from last Saturday at all the nay-sayers that said we couldn’t run through Reading, couldn’t do it non-stop, the timings wouldn’t work, etc.

 

Well I don't know where you got any ideas of a "ridiculous conjecture" from because it certainly wasn't from me...............

I simply stated facts. When did I accuse VT of not planning the tour to fit in with the timetable, being incompetent, not knowing what you are doing or anything else you seem to enjoy accusing me of?