Saphos 2025

Does anyone know what's doing the steam section of the Golden Arrow run tomorrow?

 

from the RTT timings looks like steam on at Hanwell Bridge Loop and off at Willesden SWS on the return

 

That is usual for one of their Kent trips is it not?
Never quite understand the Micheldever pick up. We had complaints from the booking office staff about filling up Poole Car Park with railtour passengers (on an RTC trip) at the expense of their "regulars". Car Park at Micheldever only holds about 40 I think anyway.

 

Ok but which loco is it? I think Mayflower was the last to operate a tour out of Southall

 

I think Mayflower is the only LSL loco currently at Southall isn't it? Happy to be corrected. I am on next week's one a week today and am expecting Mayflower. It's interesting how it's running on a Tuesday this week and a Monday next week.

 

Thanks David for the excellent footage that we've come to expect, being on the train it always adds to the day to see the trip from the outside. The rods were certainly moving in the side on shots. You captured the moment beyond Bodsbury when the regulator was closed, which added to the drama of the shot, but robbed those of us on board of the chance of 60mph at the summit - maybe next time.

 

Apologies for being extremely late, but a couple of pics from Last week's Edinburgh trip.



Carlisle station - 60007 heads north before backing on in preparation for the outbound run.



It was a morning of sunshine, showers and rainbows, this one was on the approach to Carstairs



Edinburgh Castle - cranes, tourists, rain and an ice cream van - no we didn't buy one!

 

Many thanks, David, much appreciated and I greatly enjoyed reading your on-board report. I was keeping an eye on the track diagrams via Open Train Times and note that the signals on that part of the WCML seem to revert to red in between trains, and then clear for impending trains. Not sure why the one just beyond Bodsbury 'stuck' at double amber - perhaps the signallers were considering looping it at the summit as it was only 7 minutes in front of a Pendolino.

 

Glad you enjoyed the report, thanks. We were running around 4L approaching Bodsbury but at a good speed (71mph), perhaps being put into the loop at the summit was a distinct possibility but (thankfully) we continued to Lockerbie where the Pendolino sped past less than 2 minutes after we had stopped.

 

Thankfully ice cream vans are available to buy singly, and down here in the south you can actually buy an ice cream from one and not the entire van.

Bryan

 

We can here - must be an Edinburgh thing to lure in the rich American tourists

 

A good show from the B1 today from the three shots I got of it. Firstly seen at Coulsdown, then powering away from Tonbridge, and finally climbing Hildenborough bank in the evening:

 

This morning's drive from Shropshire took me through several patches of mist of varying density. The forecast was for the weather to clear to fine day but would it?
By Acton Bridge the sky was almost 100% clear and at 09:02, a few minutes down on the schedule, 60532 headed north past all of three spectators with the White Rose tour. No idea of the speed but the sun was still low(ish) and the temperature 9 degrees.

It couldn't last, Chinley was reached in sun, but cloud quickly built up from the east. Chinley East Jct looks like the site of much imminent engineering activity, the orange team were there in force.

 

After the cloud rolled in at Chinley. This once photogenic area now has more than its fair share of lineside foliage.

 

21 down at Littleborough. F4 at a fortnight, 8000 ISO, yuk!

 

A trio of tours from the past couple of days.

 

2nd Oct Northampton to York

Outbound
https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:U64241/2025-10-02/detailed

Return
https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:U64246/2025-10-02/detailed

 

One that seems to have escaped the attention of Railway Herald!

 

Golden Arrow held at South Croydon. Fatality at Three Bridges. Train ahead getting moved out of the way so we can go a different way instead

 

What different way? All lines through Redhill blocked (I am here at the moment) by a backlog of trains here. Nothing moving and no info!