The Saint David, 1/03/17

Tornado goes very quietly through a desolate Pilning , bridge has gone and so has platform 2.

 

Someone send this to Donut Trump, explaining what real fake news looks like.

 

Being a bit over-critical are'nt you? If you read the piece again it didnt say that at all. I agree the term "Tornado train" is dreadful for anyone who reads this forum but apart from that it's pretty accurate. Still can't get the Bristol connection though, did it go through TM?

 

Just chuffed past Chalford Viaduct, speed restriction still in place (mentioned either in this thread or another) so no fireworks but a pure beat sound was heard to make up for the lateness

 

I don't think so, did you read the headline? According to RTT it didn't go through TM

 

You're right, sorry I missed the headline completely!

 

My footage of Tornado tackling Filton and Sapperton Banks respectively. Enjoy.

 

Ossie Nock would have described the prolonged wait at Swindon as 'a shocking piece of regulation'.

Rather than leave Swindon at least 15 mins ahead of a down Bristol HST we eventually left just as another was pulling into the station. But we didn't delay it.

Swindon to Bristol East loop 45m 04s. Thro Wootton Bassett Jn 8m 24s at 73mph. With 76 at the top of Dauntsey bank a firm brake application was needed to keep speed to the 75 limit. Chippenham in 17m 05s 73mph which was maintained up to Corsham.

Bath in 30m 14s at 5 mph. No idea why we were checked.

Water stop to Cardiff in 52m 33s incl tough start round the rhubarb curve. 36 mph at Narroways Hill Jn falling to 28 at Horfield.

Checked at Pilning. Into the hole at 63 and out at 49, transit 4m 12s. Checked again at Severn Tnl Jn but then main line to Cardiff except up relief thro Newport. Maxes 73 either side of Newport.

Load 11 incl gen.

 

Cardiff Cen to Swindon via Glos 112m 58s non stop.

Relief line to Llanwern West. 74 after Caldicot. Max 75 betw Lydney & Glos.

58 max before Standish Jn, 51 thro Stroud. Not sure if there was TSR on upper part of the bank? Into Sapperton long tunnel at 20 with uncharacteristic slipping. 26 at the summit.

Swindon to Wantage Rd water stop 22m 35s. Good start, thro Shrivenham in 8m 36s at 73 mph then eased.

On to Reading 34m 39s. Max 63 before Didcot then checks and relief line from Moreton, max 67 at Pangbourne. Left tour at Reading.

 

Here's my video from Didcot in both the morning and evening:

 

Brave attempt at Sapperton, love the film noir effect, pierced only by the speckly rain, the building soundtrack, and the suspense, oh the Hitchcock delicious suspense - will we see anything? We do, Just. barely.

 

Nice soundtrack though!

 

Yes Al a 5 mph limit through Bath for steam. Robbed us of even time, as the Challow loop also did. Apparently a 30 tsr at Chalford but not sure if there was one at Frampton on the up line as the engine wasn't eased though it was slipping in poor rail head conditions.

 

Where on Sapperton was that?

 

Few hundred yards before the tunnel.

 

Re the press coverage - there are a couple of us that keep the Bristol Post sister paper in Bath "on track" when they have a tendency to write that sort of rubbish.

Will be interesting to see if that speed restriction gets eased any once they've amended the curve at Easter.

 

My video from yesterday, with Tornado racing along the Great Western Main Line near Goring and Streatley.



James

 

Just before it started slipping