Steam Dreams 2013 & 2014 Archive

There are just a small number of trains organised by Steam Dreams that are due to run in the coming weeks. Using the 'uksteam' guide the last steam hauled charter was on 7th July from KX to York with Tornado. Two days later a diesel replaced steam for a charter to Swanage.
The next train is from Guildford to Lincoln with 60019 on 5th September . <BJ>

 

Unsure the objective of the post.
Steam Dreams however provided work for Tornado on more than 30 occasions in 2013.

 

I'd be interested to hear what happened to SD's plan to assemble their own rake of dedicated coaches, especially since news broke that their 31/08 tour has been cancelled owing to lack of available rolling stock ?

 

They have just one of their own at present a kitchen car, first used on the Explorer.

 

Thanks for that, I thought they'd gone a little quiet on that subject.

 

In the same period last year ie. from 7th July to 5th September, the company organised seven trains. As has been mentioned
above, Steam Dreams may simply be awaiting delivery of their own coaching stock before arranging more charters. <BJ>

 

Maybe just a bit bothered about a steam hauled train becoming diesel, and what could have been the best steam trip on the old SR now being cancelled? And a trip to York etc yesterday with 60163 cancelled.

So maybe trying to get a thread going about it and the reasons behind those issues?

This is a discussion forum after all Pete. And not everything here follows a well ordered easily identified pathway. In fact, does anything? LOL!

 

Not a great year for SD this year. Problems with loco availability/failures have caused severe disruption to their program and now it appears they have problems with coaching stock availability.
We have had a few trips booked with them this year but have only been on one so far. We are booked on the Lincoln trip in September with 4464 Bittern. This was originally booked for April but was rescheduled due to 4464 being unavailable (fettling for High speed runs) and her standby loco 70000 Britannia also being unavailable due to the incident at the North Norfolk. Our next trip was the Exeter SR Anniversary run which ended up being Diesel hauled due to the unfortunate FTR failure with 35028. Our next booked trips are the Lincoln run on 4th September and the Bluebell run on the 10th September. However, I am a little worried about the Bluebell run as NR has said 60163 is out of gauge on the line to East Grinstead. I wonder what will happen with this trip. Can another loco haul it instead of 60163? RTC are using 70013 on a run to the Bluebell which suggests sister loco 70000 would fit. But when will 70000 be ready for ML use again?

 

I've heard two different things on Tornado to East Grinstead. The first was that it was left a bit too late so she couldn't be gauged by NR for the Wheeldrop visit and the other was that there was a gauging issue which prevented it. So not sure which is correct but 60163 is still listed for the 10th September trip as of now and hope she does make it.

 

Let's hope this trip does run. Looking forward to it as it's been a while since I have last visited the Bluebell and haven't had run a behind 60163 for a while.

 

They have been using the SRPS set for some time, perhaps it has been recalled, hence the lack of stock. Or being overhauled even.

 

Re gauging, wasn't there mention here on Nat Pres a while ago of a problem dip under a bridge heading down on the NR line in that direction?

 

They were OK until they changed TOC's. Previously they had almost exclusive use of the "Green Train" ex MHR Daylight Railtours stock.
I travelled on it many times without any problems with both MHR & SD.

 

Yes. Where it passes under the Redhill - Tonbridge Line.
When the diesel trip went down their were ( according to someone on Bluebell Yahoo group) 6 speed restrictions. Including this bridge and the 3 Viaducts ( Riddlesdown, Oxted and Cooks Pond).

It is believed this is the bridge that was the gauging issue, which stopped Tangmere travelling to East Grinstead in 2007.

We will have to wait for Network Rail to check if 60163 fits. If it does not, the only locos that might fit will be Black Fives.

 

From the Bluebell website on the 18/7

" You may have read in some of the railway press that Tornado was to visit the Bluebell Railway this weekend. No official announcement had been made as negotiations with the locomotive's owners had not been concluded. Unfortunately, owing to a gauging issue on Network Rail, it is not currently possible for Tornado to reach the Bluebell Railway. We hope that these issues can be resolved in the future and that Tornado will be able to visit the line."

 

Photo here (not mine)

http://www.derekhayward.co.uk/Oxted...37544_8qrQjv#!i=1608729517&k=N93jq2h&lb=1&s=A

Tom

 

Which wouldn't bode well for RTC's trip on November 9th when 34067 and either a Black 5 or a B1 on the back.

Given Tornado is one of the more gauge friendly locos, it doesn't give a lot of hope for tours down that line if it isn't in gauge. Also was it explained why 45407 never made it to East Grinstead a few years ago? If that was gauging as well then the charter TOC's will be stuck.

I suppose whatever steam gets booked down the East Grinstead could be compared to a Class 66 but the main gauging issue is I think the Bridge that carries the Redhill-Tonbridge line as the 3 viaducts or more in the way of weight limits being set on them causing speed restrictions (steel girders encased in brick I think).

 

The 45407 RTC trip 27/10/07 was not due to go to East Grinstead. 45407 was standing in for 34067 which was not available. So 45407 would not have been gauged for Hurst Green - East Grinstead. The trip that was proposed to visit East Grinstead and Uckfield was by Past Time 8/9/07, which was cancelled because 34067 was required on the Torbay Express.