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

My GPS showed minimum of 26.6. Really good for load 11.

 

Love it. Thanks for staying up...

 

I was at Farnborough to watch Galatea on the return trip. Nothing moved through the station London bound until around 11pm. From Farnborough to the west the line is straight for several miles and from the footbridge, it was possible to see the lights of multiple stationary trains on the slow and fast lines. Once the track at Brookwood was cleared, a succession of passenger, empty and freight trains made their way towards London. It was unfortunate that Galatea was caught towards a the back of the line but I think making special pathing arrangements just because one charter train might have needed some water would have been a bit hopeful. An unfortunate end to what appears otherwise to have been a very successful day.

 

I don't think there should be any hand wringing about the end of the tour. A really tragic and unforeseen circumstance occurred. What could be done was very probably done. It was not just the charter passengers impacted but all service train users too. A sad end to what was looking like a triumph.

 

I'm pretty sure that everyone, NR included, had the nightmare additional scenario of a steam loco being forced to dump the contents of its firebox in the 6 foot at the forefront of their minds while trying to unwind this mess. It made for a busy night at West Byfleet, a whole host of interesting stuff was pouring up the two up lines. Not the least this, an unmistakable sound.

 

Lovely roar up Filton Bank and an absolutely stonking run through Cam & Dursley! A good day's filming, I'd say.

 

This was too early for me to see on my regular commute to CJ but could it have had anything to do with a reported sighting of Steam at Brondesbury (or maybe Brondesbury Park or even Kilburn Jubilee line) yesterday am by a colleague?

 

Some power outputs on the outward run:-

Location Gradient EDHP
Brookwood 310 1,105
Worting Jn 276 1,085
Grateley whole 193 1,120
Grateley upper 165 1,185
Filton Bank 75 1,280
Winterbourne 300 1,090
Standish Jn 263 760

Gradients shown are the average over the whole timing section used to calculate the outputs.

 

Comparing notes with Tornado on 1 March reveals that Galatea was a tad quicker up Filton bank, albeit with a slightly lighter load.

 

Sorry to hear Galatea failed its FTR yesterday.
Have now typed up log of the outward journey (from Staines), see attached.
Return journey to follow.

 

Yes agreed, this is a great stretch to test any loco and even time ought to be possible despite the uphill start at 1 in 249 to MP 51. I was offered £30 pay on the day by SD but didn't go. Bad decision.

 

For comparison. 16.12.2014, 34067 on 12 for 470 tons . 42/09 with slow line from Basingstoke and a sigs check before Worting and also sigs all the way into Salisbury from Laverstock. 79 Hurstbourne, drifted down to 68 at Andover, then 54.5 Grateley and 77.5 Porton. Driver Dave Hewson, possibly the same driver on the trip with 45699? On 3rd May 2012, 35028 on 13 for 500 tons and that master of Clan Line, Wayne Thompson. 37/09 after a slow start from Basingstoke in the rain (6/24 to Worting). Then 78 after Overton before being eased to keep to the limit, 79 Hurstbourne, 73 at MP 62.5, 79 before Andover (Oh for that 90 mph limit-please, please may it happen-how stupid to constrain such a magnificent machine) , 65.5 Grateley and 79 Porton. A performance out of the top drawer. Going back to the 1960s there were very few trains scheduled to do this stretch non stop but on 27th June 1964 the 8.35 am down had 34095 on 12 for 435 tons and did it in 39/30. 6/56 to Worting at 42.5 mph, 79 before Andover, 54.5 Grateley and 76.5 Porton. See HR 202 for full details of all of these.

 

Thanks for that Gricerdon. Always good to put these performances in perspective.
Here's my log of the return from Gloucester as far as Basingstoke.
I reckon 1,310 EDHP climbing to Upton Scudamore!