Cath Ex West Brompton - Bath & Gloucester 21/03/17

Indeed it is. Could 2017 be the year confidence returns to the market?

 

Raced through Whitchurch at a rate of knots (felt like 70+, but I'm sure @Sean Emmett will confirm/deny!), sounding superb. Second tour run by WCR that's diesel-free in 4 days for us in the south... we're being spoilt!

James

 

63 max after Hook. 5 late away from Basingstoke. Steady climb to Worting Jn 6m 38s 42 mph. Overton 12m 18s 67, Whitchurch 15m 27s 71 mph, 74 max Hurstbourne, 69 min up other side then 72 before Andover. Thro Andover 21m 27s 67 mph, 63 at Red Post and 68 max Monxton viaduct. Grateley 27m 30s 57 mph, min 56 at MP 73. Max 76 down Porton, checked in to Salisbury 40m 57s for long water stop.

Lovely sunny day and Galatea running well so far.

Load 11.

 

My very short offerings from Brookwood this morning. Going very well, nice to see her running without Diesel assistance!

Enjoy!

 

This looks like a fairly energetic performance for a 5XP with Load 11 unassisted and I think we can count ourselves lucky that we have Sean on hand to record and report the proceedings. At first blush, and allowing for power and load differences it would certainly seem to stand comparison with, say, Tornado’s performance last year over the same section with the Devon Belle/ Load 13, which covered the Worting to Salisbury section in only one minute less than Galatea’s achievement this morning. I’d be interested to get a more tutored view about this comparison, but that’s certainly how it seems.

The 36 route-mile Basingstoke – Salisbury section is surely as good as any in Southern England for seeing what unassisted steam is really capable of, unhampered by significant gauging, pathing or other operational constraints. The presence of steam along this section could at least be described as “regular” if not particularly “frequent”, and there should be a number of interesting opportunities to observe and make sensible comparisons of steam locomotive performance in the near future. Coming up next, we have 5043 EoME on VT’s 8th April Moonraker, then Clan Line’s outings for UKRT on 27th May ACE and again on 9th July Waterloo Sunset.

So, as remarked up-thread, all good news today, and definitely evidence of the green shoots of a brighter and more confident year ahead.

 

Salisbury to Bath 62m 37s. Steady climb to Wilton Jn 7m 37s 36 mph, 54 max before Wishford slack, Wylye 16m 53s 60 mph, Codford 20m 44s 66 max, Warminster 27m 23s, then checks and/or slacks before Westbury and Trowbridge and at Avoncliff. Max 68 before water stop Bristol East DGL.

 

5 mins late away from water stop and 4 early into Glos. 49m 53s. What's not to like!

35 max after Stapleton Rd and 28 min on Filton bank. Romped thro Parkway at 54 mph then opened up for a real Jubilee roar, 58 max before Westerleigh Jn slack.

Nice run along Galatea's old stamping ground, 75 maybe 76 max nr Berkeley Road. Min 61 at Standish then 70 max before Glos.

Superb run on a glorious day, although there was a shower of rain approaching Gloucester...

 

I filmed Galatea crossing Huckford viaduct just to the north of Bristol Parkway ......very noisy !! <BJ>

 

Absolutely. This unaccompanied run by Galatea and last Saturday's RTC Bristol train hauled by 45407 (also unassisted) are very good news for those of us who live a long way from the S&C or Fort William. This year, we will be welcoming Clan Line back and it looks like there will be more non-Pullman trains in the offing in the south of England for this old friend, with DBC in charge and thus pure steam. However, West Coast has some exciting engines which only operate under its safety case, including, before too long, 35018 British India Line and I'd certainly like to enjoy a chance to travel behind these engines too. My concern was that I would end up perhaps in a few years' time with some good pictures of 35018 hauling 10 or 11 coaches and a diesel but never having the chance of travelling on an unassisted run. The LMS visitors are also gaining plenty of friends down here (including yours truly) and, of course, there is a certain green A4 which will be retired before too long and which looks like it may grace quite a bit of the country with its presence before then (and which has also so far eluded me as far as haulage is concerned.)

These recent welcome announcements by SD and RTC, letting us know when a train is to be pure steam are thus very welcome. I have felt quite envious reading Sean's account of today's run! I hope this new openness results in more bookings for both companies and long may this state of affairs continue!

 

Superb performance, as I mentioned earlier, from the red Jubilee. My photo and video from today, the video from Whitchurch and the photo from Salisbury with the cathedral in the background.





James

 

I am onboard today and along with the weather its been good so far. The last 45 minutes into Gloucester were particularly memorable. We hardly noticed the bank.

 

Just don't step in any puddles... ;-)

 

Galatea at Freshford , the sun went in just before she came into view .

 

Yes, but the problem is that it's all rather last minute isn't it? Like many on this forum I have lost faith in Steam Dreams and for that matter anything operated by WCRC in the South. I do not want to pay good money for a diesel assisted experience. So today's and last Saturday's tours seem like welcome developments. If I had known today's run was going to be unassisted I would have taken a day off work for it. The problem is though that I need to give a couple of weeks' notice usually if I want a day off and the "no diesel" announcement was only made a few days before the run.

I know it's difficult to plan these things in advance but I am still mystified by what critieria they use for diesel assistance. I thought that as the SD set is vacuum braked only that meant almost inevitable assistance these days but it seems not so. I guess it also depends on the load and the nature of the route....???

 

Going well through Westbury, first time I have seen Galatea since it was moved to SVR as 'spares' for other Jubs!

 

Noisy run from Glos to Brizzle. Away RT on wet rails but breasted Standish Jn 12m 04s 59 mph with 75 at Cam Dursley 16m 49s. Down to 64 at Charfield 23m 24s with 56 min after Wickwar Tnl. Thro Parkway in 37m 26s 52 mph but checked down Filton bank to arrive in loop 58m 34s.

 

I share your concern. BUT at least we are starting to see some response to the "nagging" that has been going on about diesel assistance.

The photos and vids today have been excellent and proved that a diesel is not needed in most cases.

Like you, I would be inclined to book more if I knew from the start that the "plan and intent" was to run unassisted. I accept that a loco failure etc could change things at the last moment but that is a risk I will take. THAT is the next step that SD (and RTC) need to take. Confidence is returning - cement that confidence.

 

Away from Bath RT. Thro Westbury 24m 17s 36 mph, max 41 before climb took hold, Dilton Marsh 26m 24s 35 mph falling to 27/26 mph at Upton Scudamore summit, with sound effects to match. No slipping despite wet rails.

Easy run down Wylye valley max 64 and 3 early Wilton Jn, but held outside SAL for late WAT - EXD and arrived 5 late.

Now watering in Plat 4.

 

I am in the first carriage coming home and agree about the sound. I had my sound meter running on my smart phone and it said it was 85db 'loud music' on the bank after Westbury. It was certainly music to us in carriage K