No. 46233 'Duchess of Sutherland'. Rugby to Bristol. 3rd Sept.,2015

Negative. I believe the last time she ran that route was around August 2008. Next Thursday can't come soon enough!

 

46233 Mystery Tour reported 2 mins late (07:18) departing from Rugby.

If there is to be a loco change it will be at Willesden according to RTT.

Newbury (water stop?) still quoted as 11:06 - 11:24 ......I live in hope!! <BJ>

 

RTT shows a stop at Southall from 09:43 - 10:03. Unfortunately, it also shows a 5Z66 10:10 Southall to Southall WCR

Edit - actually Freightlocate shows the stop, RTT shows a pass at Southall. Both however, show 5Z66

 

Just gone through Kings Langley, loco confirmed coming off at Southall. A shame really. Have done 75mph through Long Buckby so far, nice acceleration, doing well, driver is John Daniel.

 

Yep, just seen it through Kings Langley, 47760 on the rear. Coasting effortlessly.

 

"Network Rail has come up with 71 issues on the Great Western Mainline itself and 17 prohibits (where the loco theoretically could not pass the structure in question)"
Amazing that a project to 'improve' the railway network can introduce more clearance restrictions that those that exist already.

 

Up the rear of a late running Southern service.

 

Damn! I was standing on the down platform at Long Buckby. Unfortunately, so was a late running 8 car unit.

 

Stood outside Southall now, waiting for a path into the loop.

 

Confirm the change took place at southall down goods loop, steam and 47 both came off 56? Up front now

 

As Network Rail have cocked up big time, it's a shame that an alternate path couldn't have been found for the Duchess to continue to Bristol (ie. via Swindon and Bristol Parkway). For passengers intending to visit Bath a service train could have been used for the 10-12 minute journey from Bristol. <BJ>

 

47760 now up front, leaving soon, 46233 is back in Southall shed. Surprisingly, everyone on the trip are happy...

 

I think the original wink may have been heavy sarcasm.........

 

I was on the platform there and saw nothing else in the 10 -15 mins before so I guess the Southern speeded up.

 

A shot at Apsley of this sadly altered service. Was going to do a pay on the day but.....

 

Given that the work in the Bath area only finished last weekend, it may have been rather optimistic to expect that a steam special could have run along the Avon Valley to Bath and Bristol, and back via Bath and Chippenham.

I don't know how long it would take NR to assess if the steam engine was within limits, or when an assessment would be done, but I am surprised that this trip was so soon after all the recent work on the track.

 

I cannot imagine there was no alternative via Chipping Sodbury and Filton to avoid Bath. From memory, it is not the busiest of lines that couldn't fit a 75mph locomotive in to.

 

Changeover time

 

Kings Langley, Hanwell, and locking the big fat duchess away for the duration.