VT - 'Pannier Rambler' and 'Pannier Preview'

At what point in time did I complain. I think under the circumstances, VT, WCRC and NR did an excellent job. Yes it was a disappointment, but we are dealing with very old technology and machinery. As the owner of a 42 year old classic car I can fully appreciate the risk.

I was only commenting on what another considered me to be giving false information when I relayed what we were told accurately. Messages get lost when spread by word of mouth.

We had a quirky Shakespeare Express which was well appreciated. The rest of the day did not go as planned but the intent was always to use pure steam. It was not a diesel on the back as many tours have. In fact such was the confidence of VT, they had not tried the 47 out and were worried that it may not have started according to one of the stewards. It was ok and a pragmatic solution was delivered. It could have been much worse - there was a problem in the kitchen and high tea was delayed! All fixed and a nice meal delivered with a smile. I do wonder about those who bailed though. Do they walk away when they arrive to find a steam tour with a diesel attached to the rear because the load is to great for the booked loco and this is known in advance by the operators?

Again, well done to all for completing the tour. I'll be back!

 

On a miserable wet morning I set off to take my first shot of this train at Wilmcote station. There were several fotters and videomen there already and we enjoyed the usual chat and banter while we waited. It was good to see a chimney first pass with 9466 putting on a storming performance through the station ably assisted by 9600 hanging on at the back. The water carrier was noticed to be behind 9466 so at least one of the locos would be OK. Once the train had passed I set off towards Stratford on the back roads and parked up (thank you Morrisons) just as the train was drawing to a halt in the station. I wandered over the bridge and took a number of shots of the run around including a rare shot of Dennis Howells, the owner of 9466, NOT on the footplate. He explained that he was in France when his PTS course was on. I then set off to Henley in Arden for the return run, bunker first with a plan to hop onto the service train to Birmingham that was scheduled to run 10 minutes after the excursion train had passed. Sadly the news filtered through that there was a problem with one of the locos and my service train had set off on time. Rather than miss my train and wait another hour for the next I thought I'd hop on and head to Moor Street (my train did not stop at Tyseley) . Having reached Moor Street and with Realtimetrains giving me the delayed times of the rail tour I hopped on a train back to Tyseley to see what was happening. Another few photos later and I was back on a train to Moor Street where I took up position on the top floor of the adjacent car park for the pass with D1755 & 9466. I hope you enjoy taking a look at my photos....

http://evergreen.zenfolio.com/p163609999#h217c657c

After that I walked over to pay my respects to 46235 City of Birmingham in the totally appalling, so-called, museum - Think Tank. That loco is supposed to be in ex Crewe Works condition but bit by bit the museum is applying totally inappropriate B&Q gloss paint to random parts so its patina is being lost. It's one of the main exhibits that people want to see but its hidden away in a dark corner - Yuk. In due course my photos will reveal its condition... Off topic so I'll stop now....

 

I would suggest that "abandoning the train at Moor St" is analogous to "complaining about the failure"; different forms of complaint perhaps but any action that shows dissatisfaction at the goods / service on offer are defined in my book as "complaint". Walking away is a "silent complaint" that the organisers may be unaware of whilst direct discussion with one of the organisers is "active complaint" that organisers cannot ignore.

 

If I had paid for something I would stick it out to the bitter end, even if I wasn't enjoying it, as a matter of principle.

 

So we have a masochist in our midst.

 

I already knew the answer! It I think it's fair to say that my views on diesel assistance are well documented. I now avoid booking, as do many of my friends, on tours where there is a risk of assistance and have huge sympathy for those who walk away. Yesterday was different in my view. An unusual failure by a VT loco necessitated the use of a diesel to complete the tour. Timing were only altered going to Worcester and otherwise the tour ran as schedule, if not description. The fact that you confirm people would walk away otherwise only proves that those who rail against those of us who expect pure steam when sold it must never take tours.

 

Plenty of fireworks on show up the Lickey, as this video proves 9466 was doing more than its fair share.

 

Nice one.

 

Not so for the folk I spoke to. Pretty much like us - weighing up the rest of the day. Just over an hour probably in the rain in Worcester - hardly enough time for a meal and few beers. Diesel assistance - don't do that. Driving home - daylight versus pitch dark. Not a complaint at all. Just a pragmatic decision.

 

As 9466's representative (on behalf of Dennis Howells) on the day I can say we were very grateful to the driver of the 47. After the run to Worcester 9466 took the train with the diesel only assisting where necessary.

A great bit of driving by the 47 driver who was keen to see what the old girl could do. I've attached a photo which should suffice to show the 94 did her best...

 

Train still looked pretty full when it left Worcester.

 

Hearing 9466 brought back memories of the sixties watching Bromsgrove's allocation of 84xx's banking trains up the Lickey.

Cheers Dave

 

I do wonder had things gone to plan whether there would have been the temptation to put 9466 on the rear at Worcester for that reason.

 

The North Warwickshire line was a great line for watching trains. Everything seemed to run there, except the King Class.
Although the line ran on a low embankment at the end of our property, when I lived there as a youngster, I still liked going to other places to view the action. Shirley was a stop for the local goods - a siding was located just short of the station on the northern side - this was usually a pannier which did the work and shunts. The halts - Whitlocks End, (Earlswood) Lakes Halt and Wood End were wonderful places to cycle to, the tranquillity, sounds and smells of the countryside, with occasional louder farm equipment noises, particularly during the summer months, the smell of the creosote on the sleepers and timbers of the platform and its structure all remind me of very happy hours spend reading, watching and waiting. I have to be honest I d not recall panniers working at quite the speeds seen many of the vids seen here. But then I wasn't there all the time!
There was a brief period when the Cardiff to Birmingham service was operated by railcars (GWR ones). What a special trip that would be on the N. Warks line.

 

Just curious but would the 47 have needed a fitness to run exam? And if so how long would it take to make it available at such short notice?

 

Don't go there....

 

Indeed, it was a good show and seems to have made the best of the circumstances. However, I think the video posted by @LMarsh1987 gives a misleading "picture" since there's very little bass on the soundtrack, which I think exaggerates the prominance of the pannier exhaust and reduces the rumbling from the diesel. (It's not one of your own, is it Liam ?)