2019 'West Somerset Steam Express'

Many of the passengers are presently enjoying Quantock Brewery's annual beer fest, including 3 street food outlets. Not due to depart BL before 20:00 hrs.

 

News of a fire to a structure came from the National Rail enquiries. Surely they wouldn't have made a mistake. <BJ>

 

My footage of the morning run of the Duchess in the pouring rain roaring and whistling past Crofton and the nearby Pumping Station which the beam engines were in operation due to a public event taking place. Enjoy.

 

Seen near Langport.https://www.flickr.com/photos/79185888@N04/48389190652/in/dateposted-public/

 

Managed to catch her at Reading West this morning

 

W

omg fantastic. Is that accessible from public land

 

Property, of course may mean land as well as buildings.

 

Do you know where the Duchess has gone? You have my sympathies at having to explain next endure a diesel-hauled return run. Will the Duchess go back “inside” the diesel?

 

No, she's staying behind at Bishops Lydeard.

 

Duchess is tucked up in bed at Bishops Lydeard engine shed.

See here hiding behind the diesel: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?...379784.-2207520000.1564254289.&type=3&theater

 

The charter has finally departed from Bishops Lydeard 93 mins late and without the Duchess.

Strangely enough RTT at the moment shows the charter as passing N. Fitzwarren on time at 18:43.

Thanks must go to the volunteers at the West Somerset Rly for the additional hours that they have given. <BJ>

 

That's where I'd be! Every cloud has a silver lining etc....

 

Indeed.

Clicking on the National Rail Enquiries website where it says "a property on fire" brings up a map where it says "fire on a property". Same words, different order, different meaning.

 

Yes taken from the road over bridge.

 

Copied from the PRCLT'S workshop FB Page

There has been issues with lineside fires today , 6233 has not been impounded by NWR and it is only speculation that 6233 has caused the fires there is no hard evidence that 6233 is responsible.

 

Anyone know which diesel hauled the return?

 

47802.

 

Thanks, I thought that would be the one as I knew it was in Southall

 

I am somewhat confused as to why the Duchess remained at BL yesterday. 47802 is apparently "piloting" No 9 around Somerset and Devon today so why could it not do the same yesterday evening to get 6233 back to Southall?
Of course there may have been a crewing issue, not too delay the tour even more than it appeared it may be at one time (although Paddington arrival was only 15 late) or the loco is remaining for some other reason, but I would have thought they would have preferred the loco back at its London base.

 

I'm guessing here, but... I expect the owners and NR will want to check 6233's spark arrester and, especially, ash pan before returning home, just in case something has been damaged or dislodged. As others have commented, it seems odd that the fire occured at a place where 6233 would not have been working particularly hard, if at all. When this sort of thing has happened before, it's been something that's fallen from the grate/ashpan, not sparks from the chimney.