Torbay Expresses 2017

Nice shot. It's the location that I had planned to film the train but when I arrived a guy in a small parks department truck pulled up next to the wall and sat waiting for the train. That's fair enough but when his mate turned up and parked alongside I decided to move to the next bridge.

How nice it was to hear the A1 whistling away in the distance long before it arrived at Bath. The crew used the whistle once again to greet the folk at Sydney Gardens. Well done to DBC. <BJ>

 

Thank you. Was quite a crowd at the 2nd bridge. Pity re 2 trucks, plenty of colourful trees in that first bay. Could hear the whistle sounding off from Bath and the engine working hard. Not many other trips scheduled til Christmas. Wonder when a King might take charge again.

 

28 was better last week in much worse conditions

 

60163 was totally on top of things as it stormed through Cockwood!
A brilliant end to a day featuring rides behind 5526/42 and seeing 1420 etc AND the new carriage sheds/sidings at the SDR
We are very fortunate!!

 

KWR-PGN 31m 01s. Left KWR 2.5 E and got up to 27 mph at Britannia Crossing but some slipping and maybe priming saw speed fall off to 12 before Greenway Tnl. Thro Churston in 15m 20s.

2.5L away from PGN but got to NTA 14m 55s before up HST. Min 22 mph after Torre. Checked before and after EXD pass 36m 14s, max 71 Cullompton but fell off to 58 on the 1:150 before Tiv Jn.

Thro Tiv P 53m 15s and Whiteball OB 56m 34s at 53 mph min. Arrived TAU 67m 06s on time.

 

My footage of Tornado tackling Whiteball Bank for the last time this year. Enjoy.

 

Good but not in the same league as 35028 last week

 

TAU - FRO 44m 27s. 74 after Athleney, 63 min Somerton, 70 through C Cary min 54 on Brewham. Looped for hst that's late and will still be behind us at WSB.

 

Tornado going well at Oath in a roaring gale !

 

WSB - BTH 29m 10s. Got away on time, good start but caught up PMH - CDF 150 (!) at Bradford on Avon, then clear run into Bath.

BTH - BRI 18m 59s, 70 thro Keynsham and 73 max before the tunnels. Slow crawl along plat 3/4 saw us arrive 1 late, but everyone seemed to have a good day, despite the weather.

On board it was announced there will be 7 Torbays in 2018, 4 via Westbury and 3 via Weston.

 

Thank you for the stats and yes we found it worth the trip from Yorkshire.

 

The engines for next year were sort of leaked to some of us. Clan Line is in the frame for 4 and No9 for the other 3. Not sure if things have been finalised but it was a confident statement. Tornado has lots of commitments around it's 10th anniversary and doesn't look to be available. Dates should be on the TBE website soon and are:

June 3rd and 17th; July 15th and 29th; August 19th; and September 2nd and 16th.

There will be 4 via Bath and Westbury and 3 via Yatton and Weston. Don't know which are which.

 

More Clan Line!!!

 

Yes we know a lot about how Clan Line was being worked but not much about Tornado. However Clan Line with it's 6ft 2inch driving wheels seems to do better on this trip.

 

Log of Tornado's outward run on Sun 10/09/2017 attached. As per my posts on the day, things were taken smoothly to Taunton and after a good initial restart speed only reached 52 in the easing after Wellington and fell to 35 entering Whiteball Tunnel, but rallied somewhat on the easier grade in the tunnel itself.

We had to slow down more than usual to weave through P5 at Exeter St Davids as P4 was occupied by a unit, displaced by engineering works in platfors 1-3.

Weather conditions were good until we got to the coast, but at Paignton the mizzle set in and this can be more challenging than heavy rain. Whatever the reason, this run clearly wasn't as assured on the 1:60 after Goodrington compared with Clan Line's efforts on both 20 Aug and 3 Sep.

Return log to follow.

 

Edited Image I shot after leaving the train at Taunton last night. We really enjoyed the day out despite the rain in Kingswear & Dartmouth.

 

The MNLPS thoroughly enjoyed our two trips on the TE this summer - despite the appalling weather most of the time. We made some good friends at both St Phillips Marsh depot and on the Dartmouth Steam Railway, and as others have stated the engine performed impeccably and passenger feedback was very positive. It is certainly true that the management at TE and DBC would like 35028 to return next year, but at this stage nothing has been agreed.
It perhaps is not generally recognised that 'playing away from home' - i.e. being based in Bristol rather than at our home depot of Stewarts Lane - is a very big logistical 'ask'. Being well over a hundred miles from our workshop facility presents considerable challenges for maintenence, even for the relatively minor issues that always crop up and need to be attended to (which at Stewarts Lane would be done by our regular weekend working parties).
Every trip we undertake - and the TE is no exception - requires fours day attendance by the prep guys and support crew, and with virtually everyone being based in the Home Counties this meant good business for local B&Bs, or lots of miles on GW services or the M4. There was a MNLPS team at SPM working on the engine even in the middle weekend between our two trips.
Something else that perhaps gets overlooked is that for every charter we do the MNLPS is the only business involved that is not doing it to make a profit - we are a registered charity and ALL monies generated simply go towards keeping the engine running and the next overhaul! Everyone is a volunteer, and moreover there are virtually no claims ever made for accommodation, travel expenses or subsistence. As our working party co-ordinator frequently says to the troops "remember this is only a hobby" - though when you're trying to prepare an engine outside at SPM in the wind and driving rain, rather than inside at Stewarts Lane it does require a leap of faith to agree!! Are we mad - yes probably!

 

I'd like to add our appreciation to you guys for bringing the engine down. To say it does you credit is an understatement. It looked superb and the performance was truly exceptional and I know I'm one of many who hope you will be able come back next year. It's a pity the shed the 6024 Group used on Barton Hill isn't available any longer as that did allow engine preparation and work to be carried out under cover. I hope many who enjoyed travelling behind or photographing 35028 will send a donation to the society. I've send a couple of hundred pounds as every little helps. That's one thing that wasn't addressed on train. Tornado's people bring a sales stand through and also try to get passengers interested in covenanting or making a donation. Something for the future perhaps?