Royal Windsor and Sunset Steam Express trips June-September 2021

My little video from the 8th.

 

Looking at the website, a few of the 0800 runs are missing and are apparently sold out (as best as possible with the current guidelines of course). Must be proving popular for people wanting to make a day of it, unless of course they train is just "full" to a safe capacity and they don't want to risk overfilling it.

 

I cannot see any early morning trains on the website. Maybe they have been binned rather than are full. I know in 2019 some of those involved as train crew told me the early departure was far emptier than the the other two. Difficult to believe an even earlier start is more popular, even with social distancing constraints.

 

We'll find out on Tuesday.

 

Just had an email from Steam Dreams unfortunately Mayflower has failed so definitely the evening run tomorrow has been cancelled, I'd assume that is also the case for the Windsor runs as well.

Andrew

 

Oh well, that saves me a trip out to deepest Surrey tomorrow evening.

 

Confirmed cancelled on the website. Have heard it was a leaking tube plate apparently. Wonder if it'll be fixed before Sundays excursion to Portsmouth.

 

They don't have much luck with the boiler on Mayflower. Hopefully she won't be out too long.

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Can confirm they've stopped doing the morning shuttles. Timings have disappeared from RTT and the ECS move from Southall now leaves later in the morning in time for what was the 2nd shuttle.

 

Many thanks. It was a gorgeous still evening and the whistle echoed wonderfully.

 

I noticed that RTT has the SSEs as running from 01.06.21 to 22.06.21. Does the schedule change thereafter or has the season been curtailed? Give the condition of 61306 perhaps that's it for 2021 - just the two runs.

 

If they have cut down the season they haven't updated the SSE website yet. Dates still available throughout the season with 61306 rostered at the moment.
I thought that there was a Black Five coming South for RTC's Dorset Coast Express season. If 61306 is unavailable perhaps the Black Five might be able to step in for SD?

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Mark Twain may have an opinion as to 61306’s health.

 

That would be great - it's been done (once) before - see:
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It was just odd to see the RTT schedule only to the 22nd. Perhaps a tweaked schedule thereafter. Fingers crossed.

 

Huge delay to the ECS getting to Victoria at Willesden - 20 early arriving at Willesden, 53 late departing. 35 late from Victoria.

 

Not entirely sure what caused the ECS to sit at Acton Ln reception sidings for an extra hour today, but there must have been a reason. A difference saw a Class 47 at the rear today, towing ECS for the 2nd shuttle seen at Clapham Junction:

 

Everything seems to have run very late subsequently, including the SSE, 17L from Victoria down to 24L at Chertsey. I hadn't realised the day's running was so compressed that there was perhaps no chance of full recovery from such a late start to the day.

 

The delay this morning was caused by the original booked diesel deciding it didn't want to work.

Yes I too hadn't realised just how tightly timed the day is (until Addlestone to Guildford on the evening run that is....)

Andrew