RTC Dartmouth Express - April 19th

SNG safely up to Churston. 25 on the rear this time

 

6 late away from Kingswear, waiting for service train to arrive. Looked lovely in the sunshine dropping down light engine

 

National Rail shows delays, now cleared, due to a lineside fire this morning between Newton Abbot and Torre - incident created just minutes after this was due through.....

Steven

 

Here is a shot from earlier at Broadsands. .

 

RTT showing at platform at Taunton, 14 & a half minutes late arrival.

 

Anyone who went out to see the train does anyone know what the diesel locomotive that they sent down was, to rescue the train if it was needed

 

first visit to Whiteball

 

Looking at RTT for 1Z33 it looks as though there was not enough time for any loco changes until Westbury where 60007 was due to come off.
RTT shows 1Z33 arriving 3 minutes late and leaving about the same late with plenty of time for loco change.
RTT also shows 5Z34 - presumably 60007 and support coach away from Westbury to Southall at 2131 16 minutes late
Report on local Gen group earlier showed the 2 x WCRC diesels stabled at Westbury having run back from Taunton.
DH

 

Why the thought that SNG came off at Exeter? Anyway, I saw her up through Tiverton Parkway and going well. Video to follow tomorrow.

 

No. 7 sounded very good passing Britannia Crossing this afternoon, and the 25 didn't seem to be doing a lot of work. However, near Tiverton and crossing Langport viaduct, she didn't sound good at all. There was a strange sort of whoomping noise that drowned out the exhaust. Hopefully nothing serious, but it didn't sound healthy.

 

Duff gen, sorry

 

My footage of 60007 'Sir Nigel Gresley' on the 'Dartmouth Express'. Seen at Whiteball, Bishopsteignton, Noss Marina, Torre Station and Woodrow Barton.

 

Blimey, what a return run yesterday! We were right at the front (behind the support coach) in coach J and the soundtrack was magnificent. I won't forget the vigorous climb out of Kingswear in a hurry. Never heard an A4 working that hard before. I won't post the speed 60007 got up to on the first part of the climb but I think the class 25 was hanging on for dear life at the rear! However, it was clear that there was a timing problem with 60007 as she was a little off beat (one exhaust beat being much louder than the rest) which became more evident later in the run. I didn't think the soundtrack could get any louder but the ascent of Torre bank was even better. Following the stop at Exeter the news filtered through that we had nearly lost 60007 at Exeter due to reports of lineside fires. The climb of Whiteball was restrained in places with a family pacing us in their car along the Motorway for some distance. The Mother's repeated requests for blows on the whistle resulted in an enthusiastic response from the crew. Towards the top of the climb the crew made use of 60007's awesome power once again. After Taunton 60007 was really let loose with an excellent show put on by 60007 and her crew, a highlight being tearing through Castle Cary at 70mph! Wonderful stuff.

 

It was SNG's second visit to Whiteball. The first visit was on the 10th April. <BJ>

 

As you say Al, 'SNG' was really motoring at Whiteball ..... but the twelfth coach must have been slipped at Norton Fitzwarren for the Minehead branch. <BJ>

 

Who would of thought we would be talking about fire risk & it's associated affects on steam tours on here now a couple of months ago? It was even joked about at the time.
It's been mentioned on the GB thread as well.

 

Here’s my video, taken at Tiverton Parkway and Teignmouth on the down run and at Newton Abbot and Tiverton Parkway on the return.



All the videos were taken at stations as I was traveling by train. I usually avoid stations (a bit unpredictable with too many people around) but with the Easter holiday traffic and a Devon Day Ranger ticket for less than £7 (with a railcard) it seemed the better option.

There’s also a couple of photos at

http://www.railwayscenes.com/photos---2014---steam.html

 

Sorry I meant to say it was my first visit to Whiteball, yeah the 2nd time for SNG.