Royal Duchy 2015

Taunton to Whiteball 13m 12s, 53.5 into tunnel

 

8 early into Dainton according to RTT seems to be going quite nicely to say the least...

 

Pete Roberts on the regulator from Plymouth


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

How does that compare to the run with 5043 on 1Z48 in May of last year? Can't find my timing notes made on the day at the moment...

 

That may be a Merchant Navy Pacific for you, but the record books show that there are some notable 8P performances that really do put Canadian Pacific's start-stop time into the shade. So in the interests of a balanced historical perspective, and without a trace of any partisan bias (I promise!!), I would give you the Blue Peter run from July 2000, which, with a virtually identical load (9 for 360 tons gross) achieved a time of 60 minutes 51 seconds start to stop, including a checked run into EXD. Or for a real piece de resistance, how about 6024's time of 58 minutes 6 seconds in August 2002, again with load 9/ 350 tons gross.

Clearly these are all brilliant performances, just as, in relative terms, that of Britannia was today. It's just that some are more brilliant than others, and its only right and proper that I should illustrate and re-confirm the inevitable supremacy that you would expect to encounter from a Great Western locomotive on its most traditional of stamping grounds.

But it does raise the interesting question - does anyone know what the Blue Riband time with steam is over this section (assuming roughly comparable load or power:weight ratio)?

 

Not quite sure what happened yesterday as until Newton Abbot I thought we would have been right up there with the quickest. But then we didn't top 58 mph all the way from Newton Abbot to Exeter.

 

How good it is to study the notes of uksteam on a Monday and read ''70000: Bristol-Par-Bristol''.
Normally it's had a footnote next to it adding 'xxxxx failed at xxxxxxx, replaced by a diesel''.

Well done to Britannia and the West Coast crews.

May I also add congratulations to '1020 Shireman'. 3rd time lucky. <BJ>

 

70000 Britannia Hauling The Royal Dutchy Stoneycombe 6/9/15 by Thomas Guppy, on Flickr

 

Looking forward to seeing those Billy. Hope they served as a good consolation "prize" for you.

Got my fingers crossed that when you do get a steam trip in it will be quite soon and run well for you.

 

Booked on the Captial Christmas Markets - Hoping for an SR engine in good nick!

Will post up the RD pictures later...damn day job getting in the way of the important things in life!

 

The 6024 run is the fastest in preservation - Mike Notley considered it the up there with the best runs he ever timed and it was reprinted as a tribute to him in SR after his passing. I suspect that time will take some beating unless the Dawlish avoiding line is ever built!

 

City of Truro did hold the westbound record (although with a slightly lighter load!), does anyone know if it still holds it?

 

Don't forget icons of steam.

 

Heres my video of a fantastic day.. as has been said some very lively running and I think my video shows some of that..

 

Solid performance over the Banks with the epic soundtrack up Hemerdon being the main highlight !

 

Stunning performance from Britannia over the Devon and Cornish banks and in superb weather as well. Enjoy.

 

I thought that my thanks has already been given as I said ''Well done to Britannia and the West Coast crews''.
But hey ho ''Thanks to Icons of Steam''.

The loco won't go far without the owner and support members. Many thanks to them. <BJ>