Belmond British Pullman 60163 8 April 2016

Tornado is out and about around the Surrey Hills today. Lots of posts anticipated on this one.

 

It was sunny at addlestone and it's raining in Betchworth

 

And it appears that Betchworth Station is now inhabited by the angry farmer who used to stalk ford farm crossing

 

First off Tornado is cruising through Addlestone to the pathing stop, giving some idea of the extensive tree clearance that has taken place between Addlestone and Chertsey. Next shot is Betchworth, some intervening rain has made the track greasy, causing Tornado to slip over the crossing.

 

The sun popped out just as the BBP came under the footbridge at Reigate

 

Out of interest where is Ford Farm Crossing, I'm running out of new locations on this route. Disappointing yesterday at Brockham, just coasting up the grade, presumably because of a TSR nearer Betchworth.

 

We had the distant against us, hence easing up until we saw the platform starter.

 

Thanks for the info, I'll go back there next time hopefully there will be a bit of exhaust

 

You mean like this - same trip, at Victoria. Probably the most impressive departure I've ever seen from there.

 

The man who uses the offices at Betchworth station building is very defensive about his car parking area, even though there is no proper signing that the whole forecourt is private. We residents are used to it and politely decline his angrier requests - if he wants to escalate things he is welcome to try without having made it abundantly clear that the forecourt is private. There is a yellow marked-off area, but even outside that he is chippy.

 

The weather changes quickly in the mountains.

 

It is a bit of a microclimate, the M25 south around Clacket way has a nasty turn of weather, stretching from thick fog to local snowstorms caused by its proximity to the North Downs.

 

I politely pointed out to him that a: he does not own the land b: I was parked outside the (faded) no parking zone, c: there are no other "no parking" signs, and that I had no intention of moving my car. He muttered a bit and then went off to berate someone else who had driven up.