'Torbay Express' 2013

Hopefully 34046 will be in charge (with diesel?). 5029 is booked to haul the Weymouth Seaside Express. 34046 is currently at Southall I believe.

 

The last Tiorbay Express newsletter said that 5029 would be on the TBE on the 4th August with 34046 expected later in the month.

 

34046? Don't be silly. I think Flying Scotsman will be back on mainline duty before we see Braunton. The whole Braunton "return" has turned into a debacle with a long string of false dawns!

 

You what? It's already moved to Southall.

 

...having passed its mainline test run without any problems a few days ago.

Steven

 

Now show me Flying Scotsman.....no, I didn't think so

 

UKsteam now showing 5029 for 4th Aug....

 

And it looks like its not moving from there as planned. Whats going on?

 

Some additional work to be done on the engine at Southall. All being well it will probably move to Bristol in a week or two.

 

But now, very sadly,

The sad saga continues.

For the sake of everyone, especially those who must have put an enormous amount of time, money and effort into 34046, I do hope we will see her on the main line sometime this summer, hauling regular specials. Especially in the South!

 

Did 34046 run Engine and Coach to Southall or was it towed by a diesel?

The reason I ask is that I wonder if the "extra work" is completing and commissioning the new radio system - not, I believe, yet mandatory in Lancashire but required on all routes in the south?

Steven

 

It was towed by a diesel.

James at SVN

 

Thanks James - as would be the case if the radio equipment required to be operational for the later part of the route wasn't - just a suggestion, but a factor which I know has been mentioned during the work at Bury.

Steven

 

According to Ian Riley "All testing complete, loco signed-off, just waiting for a move down south now for the owners mainline work schedule to commence...." from http://intheworks.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=12&t=2089&start=120

 

Could be something to do with the fact West Coast did the testing and moved it to Southall. The Torbay Express is a DBS operation as no doubt the Southall - Bristol positioning move will be. It could be a similar situation to why 60007 Sir Nigel Gresley did not partake in the Cathedrals Express to Scotland viz. DBS do not have the appropriate paperwork and / or want to undertake some tests themselves before they take it out onto the big railway.

 

The GSMR suggestion makes most sense to me. Or it could be that there are still some smaller jobs to be done, not mandatory for VAB approval and not covered by Ian Riley's contract, that Loco Services or the support crew will do themselves. And because it's peak holiday season, it might be a challenge to get all the right people on site at the same time.

 

I gather (from a reliable source, as they say) that GSMR was fitted and signed off whilst at Ian Riley's. The current work is to remedy a coupling rod that ran slightly warm during the move from Carnforth last Tuesday.

 

This appeared on the TBEL Website last night:

On Sunday 4 August The Torbay Express witll be hauled by steam locomotive No. 5029 Nunney Castle and we have just been advised that unless there is another prolonged hot/dry spell we will be running without a diesel for the remainder of the season - GREAT NEWS!

For the first time ever steam locomotive No. 34046 Braunton will feature with The Torbay Express on Sunday, 18 August and we are very excited at the prospect.

 

Good news all round then, Castle power is all too rare in the West Country.

 

A cloud has been lifted (probably the wrong expression!) <BJ>