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The Great Britain VII

Discussion in 'What's Going On' started by steam_mad, Jul 29, 2013.

  1. gwr4090

    gwr4090 Part of the furniture

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    Without in any way wishing to kill off the fun !, I understand that if 70000 is unavailable, then 34046 with run from Exeter to Norton Fitzwarren to turn on Day 1 then continue with 5029 from Exeter as far as Plymouth, with diesel to Truro. Then 34046+5029 will do Falmouth-Bristol on Day 2, and 46233 will do Bristol-Grange over Sands (or maybe Carnforth) on Day 3. But watch for any announcements from RTC regarding final arrangements.

    David
     
  2. Steamage

    Steamage Part of the furniture

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    That's not killing off the fun at all, but adding to it! (I always forget how close Norton Fitzwarren triangle is to Exeter.) Braunton and Nunney together would be very good. Although, going by the chat at Ropley at the weekend, Britannia may be back in action by then but not Nunney , depending on whether LSL manage to sort out her firebox stays.
     
  3. Big Al

    Big Al Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Moderator

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    And from the point of view of turning locos at Exeter and Weymouth, the NF triangle is a relative piece of cake compared with the trek to Yeovil. I presume that in September on the SD ACE there will be the need to use NF with whatever does the eastern legs of this trip. Back on GBVII , methinks that Braunton may become the stalwart of steam action in the south this year. I'll drink to that.
     
  4. RalphW

    RalphW Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Administrator Friend

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    Email from RTC has these trips,

    The Cornishman - this is a new tour running over two days starting from London going to Falmouth and then Bristol. Accommodation is not included in the tour and nor is the return travel to London, so you will need to make your own arrangements for these parts. Further details can be found by clicking on the link below, space is very limited so please do book early to avoid disappointment.
    http://www.railwaytouring.net/uk-day-trips/cornishman

    The Bristol Scot - this is a new tour running over two days starting from Bristol going to Grange over Sands and then Edinburgh. Accommodation is not included in the tour and nor is the return travel from Edinburgh, so you will need to make your own arrangements for these parts. Further details can be found by clicking on the link below, space is very limited so please do book early to avoid disappointment.
    http://www.railwaytouring.net/uk-day-trips/bristol-scot

    Obviously taking up any slack in GBv11. I wonder if there would be chances of even single day tickets, Bristol to Grange with 46233 or Grange to Edinburgh with 46115 would both be interesting runs.
     
  5. GBoreham

    GBoreham Member

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    It says that when 46233 gets to Carnforth they are swapping it with another loco for the last 9 1/2 miles to Grange, which I would guess would be 46115?
     
  6. Steamage

    Steamage Part of the furniture

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    More likely a diesel
     
  7. GBoreham

    GBoreham Member

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    It does specifically say another steam loco. And if they put 46115 on the front then they could just leave it there without uncoupling overnight.
     
  8. RalphW

    RalphW Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Administrator Friend

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    No doubt the stock will return to Carforth for servicing overnight, so it actually would seem a bit pointless putting SG on the front just for that short journey and then having a diesel to haul it back. Much quicker to top and tail with 47s then put SG on fresh in the morning.
     
  9. 34098

    34098 Member Account Suspended

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    Heard that NR have requested a possession through Dawlish weekend of 26/27th to fully repair signalling.

    Sent from my RM-914_eu_euro1_327 using Tapatalk
     
  10. J Shuttleworth

    J Shuttleworth Member

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    Correct - it is to re-instate/repair the signalling (the line is currently being worked under 'absolute block' conditions); however, arrangements have already been made to allow GB7 to pass.
     
    Big Al, maureen, MarkinDurham and 2 others like this.
  11. maureen

    maureen Member

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    Thanks for the update James.
     
  12. campainr

    campainr Well-Known Member

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    Looking on national rail enquiries website I cannot see this listed as affecting services that weekend. Has this work now been rescheduled? I am hoping to chase the GB by rail. Thanks.
     
  13. Big Al

    Big Al Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Moderator

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    No doubt there will be a few further tweaks before this tour runs. But it is just worth recognising that whatever the final arrangements, the plan is to use up to about eight different locomotives. That has to be quite a bonus for travellers and photographers alike. Compared to the SD trip where you may only get four (and two for most of the time), this really feels like the enthusiast's tour.
     
  14. Steamage

    Steamage Part of the furniture

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    Bumped into a chap on Saturday who knows some of the LSL team. He said that the current maintenance on Nunney is making good progress, so she ought to be ready in time for GB7 and May 9th. Britannia, on the other hand, will take rather longer. I'm not sure of the details, but it seems the problems with the leading driving wheel-set is more serious than first thought.
     
  15. Steamage

    Steamage Part of the furniture

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    Here's a slightly off-the-wall idea: When Braunton arrives at Exeter St Davids, rather than sending her to Taunton to turn, why not leave her facing London on the London end of the train, add Nunney facing the right way to the Penzance end, and send them to Truro, and back from Falmouth, like that? It might look a bit odd, but it would save a lot of extra light-engine paths, and remove the need for diesel haulage. There are precedents for that kind of top-and-tail operation (e.g. Leander and 48151 on the Chiltern line a few years ago).
     
  16. steamvideosnet

    steamvideosnet Well-Known Member

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    An unusual idea... but I rather like the sound of it! When was the last time we had steam banking over the Devon Banks?

    Did the trips with 45407 and 76079 back in 2007 run in TnT over Dainton and Rattery?

    James
     
  17. James111983

    James111983 New Member

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    Nice idea but isn't steam limited when running in reverse, 45mph?
     
  18. Jamessquared

    Jamessquared Nat Pres stalwart

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    The trip to the Bluebell last year had Braunton one end and a Black 5 the other (facing the opposite way) so that at all times the engine on the front was running forwards and that on the back backwards; I'm not aware that there were any specific speed restrictions beyond those normal on the section of track in question.

    I might be wrong, but I think the 45mph restriction is when there is just one engine on the front of a train, but it is running backwards.

    Tom
     
  19. James111983

    James111983 New Member

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    You may be right. I'm not 100% clued up on the exacts, just interpretating an NR standard and the only closest references which partly relate, (but aren't fully relevant when reading the small print). Show that,

    Tender first running at the leading end is to be confied to essential movements, and in the shortest practicable distance. Braunton wouldn't be leading at that point so that throws that out, but it does explain how other trips are run.

    The other note, is "when a locomotive is dead within the consist", where it's the Railway Undertaking's disgression on determining the maximum safe speed. One for WCr and NR train planners to advise on.
     
  20. Steamage

    Steamage Part of the furniture

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    That's my understanding too, Tom. The problem, IIRC, is that tender wheel-sets are rather poor at leading the loco into curves and through turn-outs, especially since the tender is being pushed through the loco draw-bar. (We've discussed this before, not long ago. Even an SR bogie tender doesn't have the right springing, compensation or whatever to do the job reliably.) When the TF loco is on the rear, even when it's providing assistance, there are other vehicles with better bogies, pony-trucks or whatever leading the way, so the problems are not so severe.

    All the T&T trains I've seen in recent years have run at well over 45 mph. Indeed, when 5690 and 48151 worked the Marylebone shuttles together, it looked like 48151's 50mph limit was being ignored as well. She really looked like she was running to keep up with the Jubilee!

    I hasten to add that this is all just "creative thinking" on my part, following a line-side chat at the weekend.
     

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