Chilterns and Downs with Clan Line - 24/11/18

Nice to meet you too. The light was so poor I didn't bother with Culham in the end.

 

My footage of Clan Line in action. Filmed at Saunderton and Kennington near Oxford. The video also features 60009 on her early morning run to Bath. Enjoy.

 

Just back from a great day out with 35028 in top form. Saunderton was rather a non-event as Clan Line hardly seemed to notice there was a gradient! Some good brisk running on leaving Oxford (Thanks AlexGWR1994 - I especially enjoyed that section of your video) and it was good to meet Wayne at the Shalford water stop. When I found out he was taking us over Gomshall, I knew we would be in for a good run and on a gloomy, damp day with 13 carriages, he certainly gave us a great performance.

A big thanks to UKRT, the MNLPS and DBC. I shall look forward to reading the performance logs from those who know about these things.

For the more statistcally-minded, I'd be interested to know if anyone can think of a run which has covered the lines of more different pre-grouping companies in single day than today's run: We ran over GWR, GCR (Admittedly, join line) LNWR, SER, LSWR LBSCR and LCDR metals in the space of a 160-mile round trip.

 

Yes - definitely an interesting and varied route. I can't remember it all being covered by a single railtour before. It would be good to do it again sometime, maybe at a time of year when the days are longer as the Surrey Hills bit was a bit gloomy. No complaints though - another fine performance by Clan Line expertly handled by the DBC crews with a particularly good climb of Gomshall bank and some fast running where possible. Many thanks to MNLPS for their hard work in keeping this fine loco on the main line for us all to enjoy!

 

Leaving Oxford.

 

Another fine performance from a fine machine. The climb of the chord from Streatham Common to Streatham from a stand was pure skill from the crew. There were several points at which the wheels threatened to pick up, but control was constantly asserted until the locomotive dug in near the top. The last time I did that section was with 34067 in 2009, but I can't remember how it performed. So thanks go to Wayne and the rest of the DBC crew as well as the MNLPS for providing a day with interesting track, a few climbs (I didn't notice Saunderton, either!) and a fairly unusual route via Streatham back to Victoria.

 

Full cry up Saunderton.

 

There's a perfect example of this locomotive's rate of acceleration.

 

Nevertheless, it’s still a nice clip.

 

I feel your pain. I had 2 hrs 40mins on an IET down from Worcester to Paddington and my lower back and backside were killing me when I arrived. Luckily I had an HST on the way back.

 

A very enjoyable day, thanks to UKRT, MNLPS and DBC.
A rushed shot at Victoria when I saw the unit coming in, which has lit Clan Line up on the side, and one from Paddington.

 

No photo opportunities during the trip, so here are a couple I took from platform 1 at Paddington as the ECS arrived.

 

Managed to grab this at Oxford Parkway. However, a lot of people were jogging from the station in the process!

 

Three locations yesterday. Saunderton sunmit, Kennington and familiar ground for the Pacific at Blackheath Lane on the run up to Gomshall.

 

A video and a couple of dark shots from dusk to the North of Redhill yesterday.

 

The last clip, climbing up from Shalford, the steam around the wheels is from the steam sanding. Which I had on most of the climb. Tried a couple of times without it but I could feel she wasn't happy, so kept it on.

 

A few pics from yesterday, on the stretch of line just before the site of Ashendon Junction. Looks like a good spot for videoing if you want to pan the train through the landscape.

 

It was a new location for me Liam. I too was impressed with the sure footed departure...!