70013 1st March to Newport

I see the trip down the GW Mainline for 70013 now terminates at Newport, which is slightly disappointing if not totally surprising. With this tour in the calendar for so long anybody know what has caused this last minute change?

Schedule on the down journey looks like a sensible, 57mph start to stop average Challow to Bristol. On the way back the average Newport to Wantage road is only 40.2 mph, in theory non-stop, with 18 minutes to do little more than 10 miles (down hill) in some places. 19 minutes from Severn Tun. Junc to Patchway is rather easy, even 5051 did it in 13 minutes and we had to stop for a blow-up before Parkway! I hope 70013 will be given the opportunity to ‘stretch her legs’, fingers crossed.

 

I booked on this & was told this by Steam Dreams.

"Due to engineering works, the train will drop off passengers approximately ten miles outside of Cardiff from where a private coach will transport for the remainder of the journey. The train will continue on to Hereford and passengers may choose to continue to Hereford or travel to Cardiff as they so wish."

 

Are you confusing Hereford and Newport? uksteam.info has the loco turning on the the Maindee triangle and the stock being stabled at Pengam sidings.All the times are available.
Colin.

 

No, this is the exact wording copied from the email Steam Dreams sent me.

 

Since these are unlikely to be emergency engineering works it beggars belief that NR couldn't have given much longer notice or even path the train to Cardiff in the first place. On the other hand if the train does indeed continue to Hereford then I'll be more than happy as that gives us the climb up Llanvihangel. I haven't received the e-mail in question but I don;t think Steam Dreams has my current e-mail address anyway. I note that their website has yet to be updated.

 

From the Steam Dreams website :-

"In a slight change to the planned programme our train will no longer be able to call directly at Cardiff Central station, this is due to Network Rail being unable to provide platform capacity. Our train will therefore call at Newport where private coaches will be waiting to take everyone directly on the short journey to the centre of Cardiff. We anticipate arriving in the Welsh Capital around 1335hrs."

 

I can't see how Hereford could be an option if you wish to use Newport station, given the station is past the Triangle and Welsh Marches Junction,turning the loco and running round in such a location would take at least 45 minutes, only realistic way would be to bypass Newport station and dump Cardiff passengers at Severn Tunnel Junction.

 

Could turn the loco on the Maindee triangle and then head off to Hereford but that would eat heavily into the time available at Hereford and then of course there's the need to turn again on the way back if Newport is to be used again. Still can't find anything about the revised tour on the Steam Dreams website in spite of what a previous poster said. Either I'm losing it in my old age or my browser is playing silly beggars.

 

Exactly the same information was on a latest news letter handed out to all passengers on last weekends tours with Tornado. Now it seems that the tour will terminate in Newport.

 

I found it in a link off "latest news" in the top right corner of the Steam Dreams homepage.

 

I can see no logistical sense in taking the train to Hereford as the loco is unable to turn at Hereford and there would be no path to accommodate a loco running tender first at 45 mph max along the Welsh Marches route even on a Sunday.

I believe the problem at Cardiff could be caused by the length of time the carriages would have to remain in the platform whilst 70013 hooks off the front, runs round and couples onto the back to take the ecs to Pengam sidings and then of course repeating such a move in reverse prior to departure. Its feasible that if Steam Dreams had a taken a diesel with them on the back of the train then Cardiff as a destination may well have been allowed, as the diesel could have dragged the train back to Pengam within minutes of arrival. Thank goodness Steam Dreams seem to have opted against this option as a diesel would overload the weight of the train and therefore necessitate it having to assist. OK the train is to terminate 10 miles short at Newport. This is a far better option than having a diesel on the back all the way. Those of us on the train should still get around 135 miles of pure steam each way, which is what we have paid for and all passengers will still get to Cardiff.

 

The ecs could have gone to Cardiff Canton to run round

 

On last week's Tornado trip a handout said that, due to engineering works, the train would go to Hereford with passengers for Cardiff being taken by coach from the Newport area (which we guessed meant Cwmbran, with the train going round Maindee curve). I understand that the plan, at that stage, was for 70013 to go to Shrewsbury to turn. It would seem that the arrangements have changed during the week and the train is now going to Newport.

 

Good idea, but it would depend upon agreeing access rights between WCRC and Arriva Trains Cymru who own Canton Depot. Not really an answer, but it's how the National Network operates.

Regards, Neil

 

Amazing.

Why has this come to light only a few days before the trip? I thought trains had to be pathed at least 12 weeks in advance?

Hereford would have been great but never mind. Well done Steam Dreams for putting on coaches. For me a few miles of level track is no big issue but for non-enthusiast passengers the difference between Newport and Cardiff is more significant I suspect! I hope NR are paying.

 

Not regarding the route change but I gather that the stock used on 34067's trip to London yesterday will be the stock on this trip on sunday. Any idea why the green Mk2 set isnt being used as this is normally the steam dreams set. I noticed it at Carnforth a couple of weeks back and would of thought that it would of returned south by now.

 

Not too sure about this, I think that stock is air braked (looks it has a Mk2 air con in the formation). 70013 is vac only.
Just seen that Steam Dreams has the stock down as CS05 whatever that is & UKsteam lists WCRC.

 

70013 is running Cleethorpes - Kings Cross on 28th,so I guess that might be the stock for the next day.


Please ignore the above,the stock is diesel hauled back to Cleethorpes,its a brain in neutral day!!

Colin.

 

The Green Mk2 set is actually Vac only so would have been fine with 70013, i suspect the reason for the other set is either it was already in the right area from a charter working previously, or the Green set is recieving winter maintenence, i doubt WCRC would be in the habit of spending thousands on ECS moves when there is a perfectly good maroon Mk1 set at Southall.

 

This train returns to Cleethorpes (by diesel) the the same evening.
Made this post before I saw springers edit!