Cathedrals Express to Cardiff 1/03/18. New date: 14/06/18

Must have done as the trip was on Sunday March 1st 2009.

 

Had already corrected my typo.

 

Sadly I will also give this one a miss. The combination of diesel potentially (probably!) pushing and particularly the risk of being at the back all day is too much for me.
I was also on the 2009 trip and agree I think it was my best ever. On the way back I was in the second closest compartment to the engine and was able to use an open top light to experience a fantastic run from the water stop at Wantage road to Reading all on the main.
Sadly one doesn't see locos hammering through Didcot London bound anymore as they always seem to use Milton Jn. to water and that runs onto the slow lines. One is also no longer able to stand where the photographer was standing on post #4 as the platform 1 has been shortened at Didcot.
Thanks Ralph W for your correction to my original post.

 

After 70013's failure today, what are the alternatives if OC isn't fit to return to Southall to run this train? Ian Riley's Black 5s or 34052 are the only engines I can think of that are/may be fit.

James

 

Could send the Jube down from Crewe as it would be still warm from the Salopian ?

 

Big end now repaired and will run on Thursday.

 

Just had an email from Steam Dreams - the tour is cancelled. Ollie is still at Norwich and Network Rail have imposed a ban on its movement back to Southall due to inclement weather and the impact that this is having on its East Anglia region...also, the organisers have taken into account the risk of similar poor weather in the southwest and South Wales. The tour is redated to 14 June with either Mayflower or Union of South Africa.......

 

Just had call from Steam Dream saying trip Cancelled due to weather conditions forecasted

 

Absolutely unbelievable tbh. They are restricting services now before we even get any weather! Its a total joke IMO.

 

Whilst I can see that severe weather can disrupt the modern railway so easily it seems that they have given up without a fight.. Nothing we can do about it but old school railway men would be horrified.. but they had different locos/stock than the modern electronic gizmos they have today.

 

Yes they sure would. What sort of railway are we running today. Waves that stop trains and now snow that trains can't go out in! It would be humorous if it wasn't so tragic.

 

A few years back I seem to remember a Steam Dreams tour being the only thing running around Kent in the snow and taking commuters home (Tornado trip maybe?) Good PR for the steam movement, perhaps the modern railway sees that as bad PR and hence lean on NR.

 

It was indeed Tornado.

 

6024 did something similar during bad flooding. We took a Torbay out despite the floods. At Flax Bourton the water was cascading down the sides of the high cutting and water was nearly at rail height. When we went through ESD everything else was stabled as we sailed through (no pun intended!)

 

Just think 1963 & 1947 before that?

 

I certainly recall 1963!

 

One of our members (MrKnowwun) did a great video around 5 years ago of Clan Line on the Pullmans in the snow. SouthWest Trains had given up and cancelled all their services.

 

Like this - was it really just over 8 years ago!

Cheers, Neil

 

You are probably right. After the train operator in Kent left a large number of commuters stranded at Victoria they got permission to make some unscheduled stops to take them home. Always seeking publicity the A1 Trust got in touch with a couple of news agencies and the story made news at ten and the morning papers. I think it was Mark Allatt, when interviewed and asked how steam age technology could domthe job and modern traction couldn't he came out with the classic line ' we've still got the drawings for Tornado and we would be happy to quote Network Rail for building them half a dozen'.

Our pathetic third world rail system has not improved in the meantime it would appear.