Steam Dreams 2019 - New Summer and other tours

I saw both of the news reports yesterday. A bit of a strange situation. SD are certainly sending out very mixed messages to their "valued customers".
If 61306 had failed her FTR exam surely she would not be allowed to leave Southall in steam if the boiler is the problem?
SD sent out letters and e-mails saying "Sorry we had to cancel your train as the loco is unavailable due to boiler problems". I wonder how many customers on the cancelled trips saw the loco and the company name on the BBC and ITV regional news yesterday and thought hang on a minute?

Alastair also posted this earlier:
Comment from SD on Facebook:

The Steam Dreams Rail Co Thats correct Sean, she was assisted heavily by the diesel today but will not be able to haul any passenger trains until the boiler issue is fixed, which will take some time.

"some time" sounds a bit worrying for SD!

Does this suggest that the boiler has to come out of the frames to be repaired? Not a great start for the new era of SD.

 

Mayflower scheduled to go to Inverness next month. Is that now off?

 

With the mainstay loco now not available it would seem, what other locos, that would fit the routes might be available if the B1 needs more work than envisaged, and of course are available to SD? I do wonder if 61306 has to go back to Carnforth might 35018 come down sooner, if its duties can be covered by 6201? plus it would be a shot in the arm for steam dreams tours if they were able to announce they had secured its use .

 

As BR 73082 has implied, there is a difference between platform capacity and route capacity. It is possible - as yesterday demonstrated - to get platform capacity at Waterloo on the 'Windsor Side' (which Plat 19 is) for a period of time by making platform alterations (with SWR's blessing) but route capacity to/from Waterloo is a different matter entirely. If you just want to go for a slow trundle down the Windsor Lines to Clapham Jn and onward towards Staines (which these trains will be) then it's just about feasible for most of the day, but if you want to come roaring out along the Main Fast via Surbiton etc at popular times of day (including Saturday) then forget it.

 

The entry on UKSteam mentions 61306 in light steam only, but the clip I saw on BBC News included at least one burst of effort from the B1 approaching Waterloo - I'm guessing for the press only? However, I was surprised to see a loco with a significant boiler problem being allowed any work.

 

Has the route from East Croydon to Waterloo for the evening runs been released yet? E. Croydon - Norwood Jct - Herne Hill - Linford Street - Waterloo?

 

If you go to full regulator and full forward gear there will be plenty of noise even if the boiler is being kept well below its normal pressure.

 

Waterloo - Linford St Jn - Herne Hill was covered by Clan Line in about 1999. I'm not certain if that route has been done in the UP direction.
That will have to be the route, as it's the only one possible .

Cheers, Neil

 

I assume that by "Linford Street" you mean across the old Eurostar flyover? If so I remember being on a Steam Dreams tour to Canterbury (29th April 2010) which had to use Waterloo as the loco was 30777 which was out of gauge for Victoria. This tour used the flyover in both directions.

 

Snide comments not required - especially from board administrators.

 

In an email from SD today:

London Waterloo to Portsmouth & Portsmouth to Salisbury
Saturday 20 July
Top-and-tail steam

On Saturday 20 July, we will not only be hauled by B1 Mayflower but will have another steam locomotive, 44871 Black Five, at the other end of the train! You can either travel to Portsmouth and the Isle of Wight from London, or travel from Portsmouth to Salisbury and return.

So the answer to an unwanted diesel is, of course, a Black 5.

 

The email also states " We are delighted to announce that our next trip, on Saturday 4 May, will now be hauled by 6233 Duchess of Sutherland!
Recently repainted in Crimson Lake livery, she will be joining our train at Taunton on the outward journey and hauling the train, unassisted, to Paignton for the Dartmouth Steam Railway.

On Thursday 1 August, you can join a double-headed steam excursion from London Paddington to Cardiff. B1 Mayflower and Black Five 44871 will be put their paces on the challenging climb of Sapperton and along the Severn Estuary to Wales in both directions.

London Victoria to Cheltenham & Worcester Thursday 23rd May On Thursday 23 May, join us on a day out to Cheltenham or Worcester, hauled by Black Five 44871, who will be running unassisted over the notorious Sapperton Bank in both directions."

There is no mention if 1/8/19 is unassited since trains to Cardiff in recent years have had a diesel on the back shunting.

 

All seems very encouraging. I hope they manage to deliver. Those Riley 5s get everywhere!

 

Just have to hope it rains during the nights on the run-up to those unassisted trips!

 

Sounds expensive to me, but if the figures stack up, good on them.