Steam Dreams 2015

IIRC 70000 was deputising for 70013. Maybe 70000 is not available on that date after all?

Or am I getting confused? 70000 is depping for Ollie on the 2 dining trains on Fri 8th May, isn't she? You are talking about the Sunday trip to Southampton and Bristol, aren't you? Was that also originally rostered for Ollie?

 

When we booked it was loco TBA, and then became Britannia if I recall. We booked a long time ago - was actually a trip I could take mum for the day on instead of Dad. However the letter does blame engineering works and Oliver Cromwells overhaul (maintenance maybe?), but the mention of Cromwell relating to a Britannia trip has confuddled me.

 

This is bizarre. Last week in the local paper there was an article promoting the May trips with Britannia. So I had a look at the SD website again (I had previously looked the week before for seat availability when all classes had space) at the weekend only to find that you cannot book on any of the May trips with 70000. I wonder what the problem is with the 8th May trips? I know London will be busy with VE Day events from 8-10th May so perhaps there is an access problem in the London termini due to extra services being laid on?
Very strange to send out a promo article to the local paper for trips that are postponed though.

 

Perhaps the fall-out from the General Election on the previous day ?

 

Several tours cancelled after the problems with WCRC. Now it seems 60007 is out of gauge on the Whitby branch and won't be leaving any time soon! Not good news for anyone.

 

Seems for one reason or another, 60007 is destined to do barely any mainline mileage on it's current ticket.

 

We were tempted to do the Minehead trip at the end of this month before the WCRC situation arose. It is still listed on the SD site but the three trips before this one have now been "postponed" according to the timings page.
The news about 60007 is another blow for ML steam as one of the icons now seems to be stuck at the NYMR.

 

From the latest SR " On May 13th Steam Dreams' Marcus Robertson told us " Our belief , as of this moment, is that after the 28th we will run most if not quite all, our our trains, but by early June should be close to having the programme up until the end of of the summer ( i.e. end of September) pretty much nailed down"

 

Shall a way be found to get 60007 out of nymr?

 

On Steam Dreams site ....

This trip is scheduled to be hauled by a vintage diesel locomotive, most likely to be a British Rail Class 47, 37 or 33.

 

Re the SD 9th July train.

The SD web site still shows what was once the dream "09.55" departure ex Waterloo but then a stop at Woking and I presume also Brookwood as a time for that is now shown, (not just a connecting service?). No mention of via Yeovil, (which I perhaps wrongly thought was going to be the route, ie via Salisbury), and a diesel from Weymouth to Southampton, so presumably back via Laverstock etc on the return. Plus to me at least considerable doubts as to there being a Bulleid available for the train, bearing in mind the RTC trip the same day which seems to have 34067 at least: I've not seen any mention of 34046 or 35018 getting on or back to the main line for quite a while now. And what may be the risk of a diesel on the train all day, at least that is how I read the situation.

Is my reading of all this correct, or am I wrong in some or all of it?

Non stop down the main from Woking to Salisbury if going via Yeovil could be very good, but the times including one for Brookwood and the overall time to Weymouth, plus the diesel Weymouth to Southampton just don't seem to fit that.

So sad after all that Graeme Bunker, (and others of course), used to achieve re route and timings for the July 9th train.

Yes, yes, I know, before you all say it.

So I'll say it myself as I often have. OK Yeti, repeat after me:-

"..Nothing stays the same forever.

19th Century technology is still able to run on the main line in the 21st century..."

 

The SR Anniversary has been a little disappointing after the last great run of 2012 when we had that superb trip with 35028:


Lets hope something special can be organised for 2017 when hopefully there should be enough Bulleids for ML duty..................

 

Lovely video. Made by the camera being kept on afterwards with all the chat which was wonderful!

76 mph through Woking but it somehow looked faster.

Strangely enough I was looking at my fastest ever up ACE run the other day, 35003 and the Saunders/Young combination. 72 minutes net on the 80 minute schedule. September 1962. Just a little under a 90mph average from Brookwood to Byfleet. Must have looked truly wonderful going through Woking, as did 35028 in that clip. Big brother Don and I watched the Up Wessex rocking and rolling through Woking at 90 plus once. Oh boy, once those Merchant Navys get wound up they look and sound superb.

Not sure there was ever a recorded 100 mph through Woking with an MN. Rabbetts on his retirement attempt at a ton would have done it. 94 mph through Brookwood but had to ease back to 76 mph because the smoke laid down by a Waterloo Bournemouth train heading West obscured the signals and of course safety came first. I wasn't on that run, studying hard at school!

Won't see anything like that ever again. Or as Big Al hints, maybe anything even like that superb run with 35028 and Don Clarke and crew on July 9th 2012 when he stuck rigidly to the 75 mph limit, but over a very long stretch without any checks.

Aah well, just have to learn the road for becoming an armchair gricer now!

 

Hey Green Five. You've dug out my video of 35028 on the SR Anniversary in 2012. Thanks for that. I will claim the royalties later. Ha ha. Cheers. Nick

 

2/6 Chester - appears to be cancelled - Refer to booking office on the tour page.

4/6 Bath and 7/7/ Worcester now 61306 instead on 60007

From the 60007 website "SNGLT is very sorry that our planned 2015 tour programme featuring 60007 has been seriously impacted by the aftermath of the temporary suspension of train operating company West Coast Railways. We are currently studying whether 60007 can still take some part in the tour to Edinburgh 5-7 July and will update this page when further information is available."

 

Not seeing, Mayflower, trip to, Chester, cancelled anywhere ?

 

WCR has obviously become the universal symbol of evil, edging out the mother in law in that top spot. I thought I read elsewhere that SNG has become out of gauge to get away from the NYMR, and was awaiting attention for some defect?