VT Bath Xmas Market 1/12/19

Another without its own thread - so I'll start one. This tour gets away with just a 30 min wait in Oxford loops on the way out. Just enough time to top up REG?

 

A beautiful day expected in the Bath/Bristol area for Clun and the B1 but for video/photographers, remember the pesky northerly wind. <BJ>

 

47.773 top 'n tail 7029 'Clun Castle' arr Solihull 4 early.

Update: Charter departed on time. <BJ>

 

A spectacular sight through Leamington Spa, as 7029 powered up the hill and through the centre road in full sun ! Video to follow !

 

Not a bad way to start to a Sunday !

 

A signal checked played into our hands, as 7029 restarts up the hill towards Leamington Spa Station !

 

Couple of pictures from a beautiful morning:

Hatton North Junction


Running about 20 minutes down at Heyford.

 

Leamington Spa Station.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/25640353@N05/49151385053/in/dateposted-friend/

 

That second shot is a real cracker.

Sent from my I3312 using Tapatalk

 

weather was crap in Bath nice pic at Leamington

 

Full dull at Corston. Still, lovely to see a Castle between Bath & Bristol for the first time since 2014.

 

7029 at Ashbury Corssing, Shrivenham
A 7 min late departure from Banbury had turned into a 15 min defecit by Oxford. After watering just south of Oxford station, this turned into a 17 min late departure to allow a local departing Oxford to precede it. After that, 1Z88 was given a clear run through Didcot North and Foxhall Junctions onto the GWML, and wasn't looped at Milton or Challow.
The noise was glorious. The driver was obviously intent on making up time as we could hear 7029 on full bore from as far away as Challow !!!


BR(W) Pomp and Glory by Stephen Dance, on Flickr

 

Corston.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/16582147@N07/49152712891/in/dateposted-public/

Plenty of sunshine but not here.

 

My video at Pixash Lane, lucky with the sun

 

Powering away from a signal check in the dip at Leamington Spa

 

7029 seen powering past Corston/Newton St Loe

 

7029 and 61306 at Pixash Lane and Keynsham Station ..

https://youtu.be/F7n_ZBk_FQQ

 

Just after sunrise at Acocks green

 

It was very atmospheric in the evening at Swindon as Clun Castle passed it's birthplace. The train was booked on the up main but had a red signal due to a London bound IEP departing from platform one. As the Castle approached at snails pace the signal changed to green and she opened up nicely through the station. What a roar.

Just 23 mins later B1 61306 hammered through at speed. Both trains were very impressive. That's what I call a very good evening. <BJ>