RTC 2025

So unfortunate! Horrible when this stuff happens, especially worse on a locos first ever mainline trip. Hopefully the loco can be repaired quickly. Heart goes out to RTC and especially SLL who worked so hard to make this a reality only for this to happen.

 

Let's hope that that is the case on this tour also as if not then I really do feel for the passengers.

 

Passengers were transferred onto a service train back to Victoria / Waterloo. Engineers couldn't investigate too much because they wanted to look at the right hand side which proved impossible because of the live rail. A wait of around 60 minutes at Basingstoke before the whole train was reversed out of the station. Engine remained in full steam .

 

Fortunately, SWR's trains after 20:00 are generally not full. So, I would hope that only a couple of scheduled trains at the most might be needed.
Passengers for Staines and Victoria might have a more lengthy journey.
The latter will need to alight at Clapham Junction, and change platforms to get on CJ's Victoria side, as London Underground and passengers are currently experiencing industrial action.

 

It's good that they got transferred onto a service train.

That's good to hear, slighlty unfortunate about the London Strikes but at least they will be able to get home even if it is a big long winded.

 

My efforts from today. Despite the unpromising weather forecast, it turned out to be a good outing to see Eddystone on the mainline again. Just a pity she suffered issues at Basingstoke and couldn't continue. Shots at Egham, Totters Ln, Ashurst, Sway, Test Lane & Andover:

 

Seems Eddystone left Basingstoke at 00:49 last night on 5Z12, back to Southall.

 

Steam or diesel hauled with the stock, or was it just the coaches going back?

 

I will find out how it went from one of the stewards, but last time I was involved in a failure (which was at Weymouth) they were happy to help out but only on the basis of splitting across 3 trains. Basingstoke seems badly served at that time of night for such a large town and junction I always feel. Not sure when the decision was made to terminate as apparently the original plan was to run the diesel round but it was taking time to set it up. The text I got from on the train saying failure was around 21:00. Two of the next 3 up trains were 159's one only 3 coaches, so it may not have been a comfortable journey back. Add to that on my train at Weymouth we had some dining passengers demanding that they should be in First on SWR as well, which all added to "the fun"

All in all quite a few delay minutes each way on the tour in the end, and "interesting delay" for all concerned. Mind you there seemed to be a fair few delay minutes (and I think a cancellation) on the SR caused by the tours presence as well.

 

The West Somerset Steam Express has been updated on RTC website to show it as Diesel Hauled throughout.

 

An ignominious end to what should’ve been a triumph for the SLL and RTC, but still credit is due where it’s deserved for both parties in having Eddystone avaliable for charter work, plenty more to come for sure!
Yesterdays outing filmed at Egham, Totters Lane, Ashurst, Sway, Test Lane and Andover

 

I clearly spoke too soon! Cancelled for, unsurprisingly given the circumstances, a lack of steam locomotive.

 

Some lovely footage there, many thanks.

Andover Forest station looks like trains will soon need to slow to follow, not a man with a red flag, but persons wielding chainsaws.

Bryan - as a dinosaur I could stand on my hind legs and chomp the taller Andover Forest vegetation - B

 

There was ticket acceptance for charter passengers from SWR at 2041.

 

Possibly a silly question but given the various stresses and pressure points on some of the moving parts must be slightly dissimilar when running in reverse does the test running include a prolonged period of running backwards? The Swanage and Weymouth tour itineraries both include backwards either to or from Southampton and the steam locos have recently failed after doing that lengthy backwards run.

 

You have got me wondering the potential differences between different types and directions of movement, would running tender first under power better or worse than being dragged, similarly could being hauled (say on a LE move) rather than moving under the locos own power actually cause issues. Presumably there are 4 basic different states (assuming a simplification to just running on straight and level track) bearings can experience which may translate in to different locations receiving more or less load on certain points. Moving forwards under power which I guess puts more pressure on the front of the bearings as the wheels effectively push a against them (a simplification), also that forward push is experienced under a forwards rotation of the axle. Second moving backwards under power, force experience on the back of the bearings with backwards rotation. Being pushed (or pulled) forwards, force (much lighter) experienced on the back of the bearings but with forwards rotation and finally being dragged (or pushed) backwards light force experienced on front of bearings but with backwards rotation.

I can see how any microscopic imperfections in the mating surfaces could react differently depending on the pressure and direction of movement and the differences in wear could eventually impact other areas, probably over thinking things and it would turn out that it makes no or little difference.