35028 - The Wessex Express 18/11/17

The answer to that is easy WC don't have Clan Line

 

Two short clips.

 

That's a very good answer and of course they don't have Tornado either.But they do have some good engines on lighter loads So is it WCR or the promoter?

 

It is West Coast, James has stated this in the past on here.

 

Clan line, the engine that sets the standard others try to reach,
So I dare anyone to say that a rebuilt MN isn't an imposing looking engine, viewed from that angle ?

 

Bowled at Brookwood, a view of the engineers train they slipped out in front at Shawford, and stuck on yellows through a wet West Byfleet.

 

Please let us not forget Tornado but I think Clan Line is THE loco at the moment. It is simply the best.

 

Its seems to be getting out and about a bit more, rather than stuck on the Surrey Hills circular.

 

Not that I'm biased ( I'm a member of both groups) but I'd put these two at the top of the table without a doubt

 

Clan Line often (almost always?) runs with a diesel on the back on the Surrey Hills circuit during the winter months. I would have thought you were lucky not to have one today, not for train heat, just as a precaution on a very busy part of the network.

 

My footage of 'The Wessex Express' today, caught at Lyne Lane (Virginia Water), Wkye Lane, East Grimstead, Shawford and Totter Lane (Winchfield).

 

Wayne posted a few months back that DBS don't use diesels for banking except in exceptional circumstances. Clan Line is a MN in top condition and wouldn't need it anyway.

 

I always understood that DBC do not "do" rear-end shovage, but I may be wrong? The Surrey Hills run with the 67 on the back is maybe just for ETH.

A while ago, when DBC still had the Steam Dreams business, I was unlucky enough to travel on 2 trains where fire risk was deemed to require assistance. In both cases the 67 was at the front coupled inside the steam loco.

 

The Belmond pullmans have a generator set in the rake, so ETH not required. The Diesel always gets carried round behind in leaf fall season, so i'm guessing its for insurance only (there are a LOT of trees trackside on the up hill sections) I have seen a BBP with Clan line and TWO diesels.

 

Generator coach W6310 was on the back so no DL needed and although 35028 had very challenging conditions at times it managed ok even with over 500 tons.

 

Comfortably (!) getting 5 shots yesterday. Heard many comments regarding what a poor day it was for filming with route changes, signal checks, time and weather... All I can say is that a resplendent loco performed superbly under the conditions thrown at it.

 

Some nice clips there. Of interest is in clip two, and to a certain degree clip five, you can see the smoke deflectors doing their job. Channelling the exhaust along the boiler top rather than letting it drop down. Its not often this is shown so clearly on video clips.

 

Don't know about the "slow" line, she came like a rocket through Farnborough (penultimate clip in this video)



Photos also available at https://railwaygalleries.smugmug.com/MainlineSteam/Steam-Tours-in-2017/