CME 2023

Email from RTC re WCME Sat 21st Jan (boards Manchester, Bolton and Preston). A discount of £30pp on new bookings before 9am Friday 13th Jan - use code WCES.

You know you want to! Why not take a hamper with you and eat up the last of the turkey!

 

Because it’ll have Salmonella by then!

 

Steam now from Manchester, and through to Preston on return, with £25 discount on new bookings quote code MCD

 

Times for 21 January CME suggest steam on at Carnforth and off at Preston:
https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/se...1/0000-2359?stp=WVS&show=all&order=wtt&toc=WR

 

Looks like it has been replanned just now on RTT--outward via S and C return via WCML as in RTC letter. Now boarding Blackburn for those with turkey sandwiches.

 

My apologies for post #59.
I should have realised that RTT had not 'caught up' with the revised itinerary from RTC.

 

Same route as last year then. What's the motive power?

 

Same as always for the first WCME. Fingers crossed for the Scot.

 

Can't get up for the 21st but we're on the 28th. Hope we get the Scot then.

 

booked on this one from ManVic
Hope TPEXPRESS play ball for me getting to Manchester

 

[Oswald in his best Captain Mainwairing voice] "Wondered who'd be the first to spot that one."

For those of you concerned with food safety, may I suggest this recipe taken from Donald Trump's "How to Cook (the) Book(s)". "Turkey a la Trump" - After it's cooked let it cool off someplace then toss it in a bucket of bleach and leave it under a bright light. It's like a grudge - "the vote was rigged" - it'll keep forever and like revenge it's best served cold (to a democrat).

Back to business, unless I'm looking in the wrong place on RTT it seems like the diesel is on the back all day (this is normal practice for this first run of the season).

RTC lists 5 potential locos. Here's my take:
46115 - possible/likely,
35018 - possible/maybe less likely,
45690 - had issues with superheater element, last I heard consideration was being given to bringing forward boiler inspection/overhaul . Anyone know latest position?
34067 - possible/unlikely,
44932 - possible and would be a very welcome sight.

 

I believe there is going to be a lot of pressure at Carlisle at weekends between the beginning of March and mid-April because of the engineering works at Carstairs and trains terminating/starting at Carlisle. That suggests to me that the best chance for steam only for the WCME will be 28/1 and 11/2.

I wonder whether 44932 will be out on some legs of the GB tour (thinking E Anglia).

 

Should be possible run steam only to on the ones that have a break at Appleby. You can propel the train on to the siding.

 

Sorry I missed that for the 18 March run.

 

Looks like a DL involved if RTT is correct about the Carlisle ecs moves

 

Or is that the LE move?

 

The CMEs usually have a thread of their own and as much of the RTC 2023 thread is already devoted to the CMEs (and is likely to become even more so as this year's program starts in less than 2 weeks - YES!), here it is. Perhaps a Mod might want to move some of the existing posts?

Some good news, I understand that the repairs to 45690 are complete and the loco is available to run.

 

Shown on RTT as ECS. Also if it was a light engine schedule it should have shown a shunt to the north of Carlisle ( CE335 ?) before heading south to Upperby.
Sorry, it looks as if there will be a DL attached all day.

Cheers, Neil