VT - Summer at the Palace - Tyseley to Oxford & return - 27/08/16

Network Rail are having 'challenges' gauging 4965 so we will be using 5043 on this one.

Outbound via North Cotswold route. Return via Banbury with a r/r at Snow Hill to get back to Tyseley Warwick Road.

We still have tickets available.

Note: with 5043 out on Saturday, its a good bet that the Castle will be on the Shakespeare the following day.

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Didn't 4965 run this route last year ? Classic Network Rail on show ! They pull off a blinder with the Duchess and then revert to type.

 

Maybe the work at Banbury has something to do with it? Only a guess

 

Accordingly to an email from VT this train once planned for haulage by 4965 is now changed to 5043 due to gauging issues.

What actually caught my eye was the bit in the email which noted....

'Network Rail have informed us that our No: 4965 'Rood Ashton Hall' is out of gauge for the journey to Blenheim Palace and Oxford on 27th August; too much rich, fattening coal we presume!'

I must confess that made me titter, @Ben Vintage-Trains you have exceeded yourself there!

 

Times have appeared on real time trains, from these it looks like the return will stop in the terminus platforms at Moor Street and be dragged back Tyseley by a diesel.
http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/sea...16/08/27/0000-2359?stp=WVS&show=all&order=wtt

 

Only just got around to looking at the times, and I still can't understand why they need a 47 to come and pick them up at Snow Hill ? Bit of pointless wait for the Tyseley passengers imo. Hopefully a good run up Hatton Bank on the return for all concerned !

 

No run round facility in the terminus platforms at Moor St, also the length from the blocks to the signal means this train is likely to be around load 8 max as you won't fit much more in.

A loss of a tender first dawdle a couple of miles through Bordesley/Small Heath is hardly significant.

 

5043 approaching the stop at Long Hanborough. Typical - sunshine all week till today, then it looks like it will improve during the morning - until the moment I get onto the bridge !!

&#x27;Summer&#x27; At The Palace by Stephen Dance, on Flickr

 

From all concerned vt are having another good run with 5043 today.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

Filmed at Finstock, Oxfordshire:

 

A very dull River Avon at Evesham

 

Sounded good accelerating through Banbury. Went there hoping that the semaphores (or at least, just the posts) were still in place but alas, the 21st century has well and truly taken over - not a semaphore to be seen!

Could hear her some way off, over the top of the lifting safety valves and what appeared to be against the injector. Lots of whistles for Banbury North signal box too... photos to follow after seeing EoME at Moor Street.

James

 

Passing Whitnash this evening as the train slows down for the stop at Leamington Spa:

Earl of Mount Edgcumbe, Whitnash by chris bridges2, on Flickr

(The background has been edited to remove a new housing estate which now dominates this location)

 

Sent through to Snow Hill, rather than going into the terminus at Moor Street. Opened right up on approach. I don't think I've ever heard 5043, or anything else for that matter, bark as loudly as that before.

James

 

5043 sounding pretty special on the restart after being signal checked on Hatton Bank and it began it's restart at around 5mph. You could hear the Castle all the way from Leamington at one point and I was at Hatton North Jct.

 

5043 at Droitwich Spa, Honeybourne and Warwick today sounding excellent as always

 

5043 seen on this tour around Oxford and Radley, a pretty eventful day for myself!

 

Being a Swindon lad, I always make the effort to catch a GWR loco when it's in the area. Could have done without the hailstorm, though! The Earl sits hissing in the rain, having just arrived.

 

Hope the the terrible weather around Oxford and much of the Midlands didn't spoil the day too much for the passengers! I caught the train before and after the storms:

Droitwich in the morning


Great Bourton foot crossing on the return leg