Sherborne Carols 15th December

We have got our tickets for this so just hope that Tangmere is ready in time. Once again all times are on OTT but nothing on RTT. Last year Tangmere did well Basingstoke to Salisbury with 12 for 470 tons and no DL. Lets hope for the same this year.

 

Yes Tangmere is moving from Bristol to Southall on Sunday.

 

Question is can Tangmere be trusted ?

 

Tangmere was in steam this morning at the St. Philips Marsh HST depot. <BJ>

 

Excellent

 

0Z33 http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/O51670/2015/12/13/advanced
5Z67 http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/U63977/2015/12/13/advanced

 

Doesn't, by any means, indicate it will pass its FTR on the day. TPWS/OTMR issues seem to spring from nowhere.

 

And even if it does, will they take the risk and trust it on its own? Answers on a postcard ....

 

To be fair you could say that about any locomotive on the national network ..... Mayflower for instance? <BJ>

 

It did very well by itself on the same train last year with 12 on.

 

It would seem not,there are no LE moves shown in RTT which would indicate otherwise. Lets face it,a WCRC steam train south of the Thames without "assistance" seems to be almost unheard of now. Very sad.

The main trip timings are here:

http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/U63973/2015/12/15/advanced

and

http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/U63974/2015/12/15/advanced

 

Agreed.

 

I have heard that Tangmere is now out of gauge for the route ( the bridge beyond Templecombe) and the train is to be DL hauled. If true better if it were to be cancelled really. RTC have time to do that.

 

My guess is that it will run as planned, but DL-only. RTC will have to pay Sherborne Abbey for the carol concert regardless of whether their passengers turn up, and a significant proportion of the passengers will view it as a good day out anyway. I'd hope that RTC would offer passengers the option of switching to a different tour or a small refund.

 

Tangmere to Salisbury and DL from there? That would be a sensible option as there will be a DL on the back anyway and Tangmere can be serviced and turned at Salisbury

 

I know I have said this before but you could really not make any of this up
If someone had a written a script for this year's Main Line Steam operations as a TV series in the same style as Ricky Gervais' Office series the TV executives would have told the writers to f off as no one would believe it.
It's a good job 35018 wasn't available as that definitely wouldn't fit along that route. I thought the gauging problems were already known about as 35028 was declared too big for the route when rostered for another trip? Or am I imagining it?

 

Lets hope that Tornado is in gauge for its trip in April or will NR rule it out with two days to go having had 4 months notice