Dartmouth Express 19th October

Brits are very sure footed but we will see

Don

 

If DSR open the regulator and get the locos to do more than just chuff chuff chuff along the line it'd help.

 

If you just open the reg and the loco passes it's limit of adhesion then it will slip. They are full time drivers, they know what they are doing! The 25 has just gone up LE so unless there is a diesel on the back of the train, it will go unassisted up Goodrington.

 

However they are not used to 'pacifics'.

 

No assistance, good climb to Churston couple of slips well recovered

 

I was told this by an ex BR steam driver "if you ever have to drive a spamcan use full gear and control them with with the regulator, that way they are not so prone to slipping ". I suppose this could well be true as they are known to be unpredictable at other cut offs.

Cheers Dave

 

70000 on the return run at Broadsands

 

Doesn't the crossover at the the southern end of Goodrington limit how much speed you can take onto the bank too ?.

 

It must do. I do wonder, with the up line through the station restored, whether running wrong line towards Kingswear would help? The only issue I guess is whether the rear of the train has cleared the short-radius turnout off the single line beyond Tanners bridge towards Paignton, allowing driver to speed up. Not sure if it is signalled for bidirectional working either?

 

My shots from yesterday of Brittania. Starcross, Just up from Torre and Bruton.

 

70000 performed well all day, especially on the Taunton to Paignton section with Ray Churchill in charge. Very noisy climb to Whiteball and his usual robust driving. Good on return as well though we kept catching the HST in front as far.
as Taunton. Plenty of steam as good coal.

altogether an excellent day

Don

 

In my experience on the Torbay Expresses it is quite possible to start the climb out of Goodrington on the down line at a full 25mph. This is really essential to get a good climb with a pacific on a wet day !

 

Here's my video, taken at Cogload Junction, Beambridge and by the River Teign on the outward run and at Dawlish on the return. Britannia looked in good form on this trip, although there didn't seem to be that many out watching.

 

A very pleasant day out following the Brit through Somerset, Devon and back. Actually managed to film in the sunshine on the outward leg. An awesome and very noisy return leg through Torre and only a small slip on the climb up through Bruton station. Video is available via my website. www.steam-locomotives.co.uk

 

Yes, I think the limit through Goodrington must have been raised bacause the bank has been attacked with much more vigour on the runs I've been on this year. 34046 did particularly well on 1/9/13 with 25 mph maintained pretty much all the way up with load 10.

Sorry I missed the trip yesterday, was booked for next weekend

 

As I posted earlier the Brit did well all day with a very full 11 for 425 tons. If we hadn't got sigs outside Taunton from the 730 Paddington to Plymouth HST then Dave Hewson would have got an even time run from Westbury. Not sure who was driving on the return but the we just sailed up the 1 in 56/73 past Torre and when we finally got a clear road on the way back speed only fell from 67 to 57 over the last few miles to Whiteball. A Brit at it's best. As one of the support crew said to me 'that should be an 8 on the side not a 7'

Well done RTC for a good simple itinerary which worked


Don

 

My video shows how 70000 flattened Torre...what a noise!!!!!

 

Nice one Nick !

 

Looks like the bushes are beginning to encroach at Whieball.

 

Yes, unfortunately. It will probably be worse next year. It's such a classic location that I would willingly go and cut them all down, if only I was allowed to!