Dorset Coast Expresses - 2013 season

I and just love denial. What did I say that was not true?

 

if only NR operational standards on hot weather working were publically available we would then have a conclusion..........

 

I wonder if we are missing the point about yesterday's return run. Consider what we know:
- a different path was activated with NR during the late afternoon, and picked up by RTT;
- sources who are usually reliable heard that Ollie had failed;
- in the event, Ollie returned to London on the train as planned, but took it very gently, leaving the DL to do the work.
Could it be that Ollie was indeed suffering a problem but on investigation, not one that prevented her running safely as described? Getting back to base at Southall has to be preferable to going to Yeovil where repairs might be more difficult to perform. Without hearing from an "insider", either at WCRC, 5305LA or NR, we won't know for sure...

On the fire-risk question, the Southern region does have a useful test of the lineside conditions: how many problems have been caused by 3rd rail sparks recently? I don't suppose the EMUs are emmitting significantly fewer sparks than normal.

 

Just correcting slightly. The grade to Waterloo through Weybridge is uphill at 1/330. The uphill bit starts just after Byfleet at 1/547, steepens to over a mile at 1/330 then eases to 1/460 approaching the site of Oatlands Box. The total uphill stretch through Weybridge is around 1.5 miles. I think that is the location I once recorded an unrebuilt light pacific at close to or possibly a bit more than 2,000 edbhp on quite a heavy load. Will take ages to find it again, but that will annoy me now until I do!

It was up that grade that featured in another remarkable SR steam 100 mph I wasn't on it, but those who recorded 101 mph with a Light Pacific on, yes, a light 6 car load, did know what they were doing. Top flight recorders and they still are. A light load, but from a start at Woking! 101mph reached at or just after Hersham from memory. Including the 1.5 miles uphill. It might have been 34013. Behind which, on the same train, (first up Salisbury semi-fast), but different crew, I once recorded a requested 90mph at Hersham from the Woking start. Perhaps big brother Don and I should have suggested 100mph that day!

Back to more normal running. In the opposite direction on the down ACE especially, the dip though Weybridge to Byfleet was often where the first 80mph of the run was recorded.

 

Grass and crops are bone dry on the farm where I live near Goring , the recent rain made no lasting impact.

 

Oh dear, there was so much rain in the last three days, it appears the Oatlands box has slipped all the way down the grade to Woking!

 

If ollie did have a problem, it existed on the way down as well. Can we really be hopeful the 14/8 run will be steam hauled properly? We have no idea what NR is thinking, and one of the promised loco's is Braunton. There is a two risk bet I wouldn't lay money on.

 

No, We are discussing the Woking to Waterloo direction. And that is what most of my response covers. Before I started rambling on about the down ACE....

ie. "....The grade TO Waterloo through Weybridge. is uphill at 1/330....

....The uphill bit, (the very next sentence and obviously still in the context of the comment about Ollie being pushed by the diesel last night), starts at Byfleet....steepens to 1/330, (the bit through Weybridge, Waterloo bound I had already mentioned),

....then eases to 1/460 approaching the site of Oatlands box....

The total uphill stretch through Weybridge is around 1.5 miles............."

There is no 1/330 stretch in the other direction heading away from Weybridge to Woking and beyond. Neither any 1/547 or 1/460.

You being Mr Knowetc I would have thought you would known that?

From just after Byfleet in the Woking and beyond direction the uphill grade is 1/387 through West Byfleet, then 1/326 though Woking, then 1/314 through Brookwood , 1/298 past Pirbight Junction and finally 1/304 to the summit at MP 31.

I don't have the software or I could do a lengthy GOOGLE earth map or similar showing all these locations and where the grades start and end on video if you needed that.

And adding just a bit extra, the grade past the site of Oatlands Box in the Waterloo direction is downhill at 1/1334. Which I believe makes it 1/1334 uphill in the direction towards Woking?

 

I can only agree,I think we have debated this one to death for the moment.... as you say,fingers crossed for 14 Aug

 

So the box has slipped down the grade to Surbiton? Its gone somewhere.

Oh and I do have the appropriate google earth software to do a grade profile. Its pretty useless to be honest, often looking nothing like the real thing when you turn up.

 

The big clue to it's location is that Oatlands Box gets mentioned so soon after the 1/330 up grade through Weybridge is mentioned, ie, 1/33o then eases to 1/460 approaching the site of Oatlands Box. The next clue as to it's location is that the 1/460 approaching Oatlands Box is clearly included within the total uphill section of 1.5 miles. Which does rather narrow down where the box would have been.

But, no more on this from me.

I have ignored an old Internet motto, "Don't feed the Trolls".

And you've had enough food from me for today.

 

Thats the trouble with you old 'uns. No stamina.

 

Set me thinking. Here is the grade profile Byfleet & New Haw > Weybridge.

 

When I saw DCE pass fleet it was far from full so the current uncertainty is having an effect on bookings which is a shame I am taking a punt on the august21st trip but have no idea what locos will be used or how much coal or oil will be burnt that day just keeping the old fingers crossed!!

 

But Google Earth's heights are very rough.. And shouldn't be used too much, hills seem to have moved sideways or disappeared when looking at them...

 

It should be 34046 and 34067 according to an email RTC sent .

 

Thats the view at work, you should be able to look straight down and anchor the gradient profile to earth. However the main problem is the heights you get are not the railway line, with its cuttings, embankments, viaducts, bridges and tunnels, but that of the surrounding terrain.

 

hence the crossed fingers!!

 

34046 + 34067 were confirmed by Nigel in a conversation this evening!

Fingers crossed!!!