The Tin Bath Part 4 15/2/15

Well less than three weeks to go. Is it going to be fourth time lucky? Will the ducks be in a row?

 

Technically I believe it will be the 6th attempt as RTC originally advertised it for sometime in March last year (when Holme Tunnel was still being done) then April 6th before the May 11th attempt. But hopefully this time it will actually happen. Because of engineering work North of Preston on Saturday afternoon & Sunday they will probably have to either bring the ECS to Preston on Saturday Morning or take it via Hellifield & Blackburn.

 

I notice that Manchester Victoria is now back on the RTC website as a departure point. If I recall, the postponed trip was due to use Piccadilly so with a bit of luck Platting Bank might be back on again.

 

The RTC website is a great work of faction. Currently the blurb says Vic, the stations below the blurb say Vic, the times below the blurb are for when it was Picc and the booking form says Picc. UK Steam says Picc. So its currently 3-2.

 

I'd say there's a pretty good chance of it running based on current info, with the timings are now noted as final and via ManVic on the website- however, there's no RTT log as yet. However, there's always room for last-minute hiccups. As this trip seems remarkably difficult to run, I'm planning on managing expectations for a nice surprise on the day.

 

Twelve days until the 'Tin Bath', but I'd say no news is good news at the moment. However, what's the bet that NR will sit on the final timings until the middle of next week? Once again, I hope to be proved wrong...

 

A bit sooner would be useful - I head south next Thursday & it would be handy to know at which Manchester station to turn up to at the very least!

 

Usual form has been the Thursday before the week of the trip, which would be this Thursday. However, there have been plenty of instances where NR have excelled themselves in causing anxiety- but I suppose they do have a 'normal' railway to run, too!

 

The RTC website says 'Actual Timings Shown' so I guess that they are in possession of the correct info.
they are saying Manchester Victoria.

 

Well when it was Victoria last May it was Sheffield 1325 Victoria 1825 which seems reasonable to me. When it was transferred to Piccadilly that added an hour which also seemed reasonable if it included reversing at Longsight. Maybe the Sheffield departure time is later but six hours back to Victoria seems a heck of a long time. We shall see.

Mods--- you might want to join up the last few with the Tin Bath thread. I can see all the WCMEs being on one thread but not all the RTCs!

 

The Railtour is to call at Man Victoria.

 

Good stuff. Need to do the lower part of Miles Platting, and have yet to do Guide Bridge so about 70-75 per cent new trackage in prospect. Now for the tickets...

 

Times are now in the system!
http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/sea...5/0600-2000?stp=WVS&show=all&order=wtt&toc=WR

 

Tickets just arrived from RTC confirming timings on RTT link.

 

'Tin Bath 2' 1/11/15 (hopefully)

http://www.railwaytouring.net/uk-day-trips/tin-bath-2

 

Yep, got an eticket. Looking forward to it, as it breaks my winter steam drought. Also need a bit of a break- the last three weeks have been a bit repetetive with my work.

 

Thats a bit of a palaver and more costly than overnight at Carnforth one would have thought. Is there some eng works on the wcml north of Preston?