Royal Duchy 2017

Despite many hours of discussion and lunches I never got onto Mike's list for receiving his tables. He said he would but never got around to it unfortunately. It's a great pity they were not published. Don Benn's Southern collection 1965-1967 in his recent book are fascinating to we lovers of timings.

We often discussed Hemerdon with Mike when he did come down south, which wasn't that often unfortunately, and elsewhere at times. Couldn't persuade him to use 239.5 how ever many beers we bought him!! As Al said above, Dainton is easy; but again Rattery was always a bit of a bone of contention. Purists use(d) the top of the 1 in 52, 99% of the time the 'slowest speed' point at 225.5 as Al referenced above; but that ignores a short section of 1 in 74, 3/4 mile of 1 in 90 and then 1/2 mile and a bit of 1 in 95 with a sharp few hundred yards of 1 in 65 that still catches some drivers out, so we use 227.25 (Rattery Viaduct which is pretty flat) or 227.5 just off the viaduct. Fun things summits; lots of beer consumed discussing them to this day and no doubt beyond!!!

Back to the train last Sunday, times were:

Rattery MP223 - MP227.5: 9m 34.8.
Hemerdon MP242.5 - MP238.5: 6m 33.1s
unfortunately I 'lost' the mileposts after Totnes so don't have the Dainton Eastbound time.

 

Why the near hour stop at Exeter, water stop?

 

Water and pathing. Same time as if it had been steam from Bristol.

 

Shireman noted that 6100 sounds different to 6115 I agree 6100 sounds like a Scot should 6115 sounds more like a V2 even so it goes well.

 

What a fantastic sight as 46100 passed The WSR steam rally at Norton fiztwarren

 

46100 passing Largin (moorswater viaduct) today...

 

What's the 150 on the front for?

 

... but the tour didn't go to Penzance.

 

Something wrong with the Duchy? Just seen on a live Facebook video 46100+POB just leave Exeter on their own without the train towards Taunton.

James

 

Just read elsewhere that she ran out of coal and the train is at Exeter awaiting a diesel.

http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/U54910/2017/08/06/advanced

 

The class 33 is on its way to Exeter now, approaching Whiteball.

James

 

There's an 0Z39 currently en route between Taunton and Exeter.....

 

46100 is running to Taunton as 5Z39:

http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/O17686/2017/08/06/advanced

 

Running low on coal apparently

 

Didn't coal up at Par apparently, had a few bags at Plymouth but clearly not enough.

 

Here’s my video of the run on the 6th August 2017, taken at Tigley and Hemerdon:

 

Clips from the foot crossing at Rewe, then coming down to Stoke Canon , the lady of the house next to the field seemed unimpressed with Royal Scot . For the return we went the bridge near Burlescombe and we waited and waited and it got darker and darker , then the class 33 went past and soon after 46100 appeared with its support coach having I understand run short of coal at Exeter .

 

Thanks, Rattery was clearly impacted by the signal check but Hemerdon appears to be a clear run. Comparing class 7's with 9 coaches (out 37 runs I have times for)
4th 34067(7/9/14)
6th 70013 (29/7/12)
9th 70013 (25/7/09)
12th 70013 (12/8/12)
20th 46100 (30/7/17)
24th 34046 (29/9/13)
27th 5043 (28/4/12)
33rd 34067 (2/9/12)

The run yesterday was slower.