CathEx to Gloucester 20/11/18

60009 heads to Gloucester the long way round, via Redhill and Guildford, this morning. Weather is dull and cold here in Oxon but it's an excuse to bunk off work for an hour or 2. RTT says she was away on time

 

She was slipping a bit going through North Camp and also still has to negotiate the signalling fault between Wokingham and Reading

 

Shots from North Camp (just before the rain really hit)

 

The freight train passed seconds earlier,
The chain saw paused,
Nobody leapt into shot at the last moment.

Terrible light, though.

*Now with added darkness

 

Must’ve been doing 65mph+ past me on the run up Sapperton. Diesel doing nothing.

 

Going pretty well, in full dull, at South Stoke, between Goring and Cholsey. Video may follow later, if it's worth showing...

 

Lots of chiming and the crew seem prepared to give it its head. Spoke to track worker checking the line at Blackwater, track circuit fault on the other road, so didn't affect '09.

 

Going well away from Standish junction on the run in to Glos just a few mins late

 

Light?? Wot light?!

 

Going well at Sapperton.

 

Looking at the speed near the summit, I'd say Kemble station would of been the place to be !

 

Guildford this morning...

https://www.flickr.com/photos/alts1985/45923032122/in/dateposted-public/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/alts1985/45247816614/in/dateposted-public/

 

My somewhat grainy pictures from North Camp this morning are now on Flickr. There are four shots and if anyone would like to have a look this is the first one in the Photostream:

RD19533. 60009 approaching North Camp. by Ron Fisher, on Flickr

Hope they're of interest.

 

Chilworth 20:50

 

Seen at Sapperton, Stroud and Kemble

 

Further to my grainy pictures from this morning, I've now put an even grainier one from this evening on Flickr:

RD19542. 60009 at North Camp. by Ron Fisher, on Flickr

 

Had the pleasure of a first class ticket in Coach G for this tour, my first mainline steam jaunt since a trip to Swanage behind 44932 in 2014. Despite some less than helpful members at Didcot Signalling Centre on both legs, the tour went without a hitch. No.9 performed excellently (slips notwithstanding) and the climbs at Sapperton in both directions yielded only the sounds of a 3 cylinder beat and nothing of note from the 47 on the rear. 60009 contributed rather a lot to the local environment at Gloucester Central this evening, really happy I chose this tour over Thursday's run to Cardiff.

 

Not quite clear why there was a 47 on the back for this although I'm guessing it was insurance against any difficulties with railhead conditions. I think it's customary even for DBC to take a diesel on the Surrey Hills route at this time of year. Glad to hear it behaved itself anyway

 

Rather unkind to the signallers trying to balance slow steam trains with fast modern ones and actually keeping to the timetabled sequence through a busy flat junction.

In the morning the A4 was held on the relief line before Didcot to allow Bournemouth Manchester services to cross between the fast lines and Oxford lines as timetabled. As all 3 trains show as slightly late altering the timetabled pattern would have further delayed the Bournemouth Manchester services for little gain to the A4. The subsequent late arrival at Challow may, however, have led to the signallers holding it there rather than letting it out in front of the Cardiff train as scheduled. The delay leaving Challow then being only partly recovered by Gloucester.

RTT does not show delays to the evening run (it stopped briefly at Wantage Road to allow a Cardiff service to overtake as scheduled) with it shown passing Didcot ahead of schedule but then unfortunately getting delayed by a late running stopping service before Reading.

Overall I think we should be grateful that steam can still run 50 years after BR banned it and admire the skill and dedication of those who find paths through congested junctions to make it possible and those who work long hours to support the operation.

The 47 on the back was needed for the shunt moves and turning move on the Gloucester triangle which themselves created congestion and difficulties for the operation of Gloucester station and extra work for the hard pressed signallers.

 

Couldn't make it out for the morning run unfortunately, but managed to get to the footbridge at Redhill for the return, from which I link my video and a pair of photos. Thanks to all involved.