Royal Windsor and Sunset Steam Express trips June-September 2021

61306 away from Victoria a minute or so late with the Sunset Steam Express. 33025 doing the honours on the rear this week.

 

Mayflower at the blocks at Victoria last night.
I was on this trip in Standard Class 2 coaches from the rear. The 33 seemed to be turned off as we went through the Surrey Hills. We could just about hear Mayflower working hard. A fantastic trip, highly recommend!

 

61306 has not been fitted with an air compressor I believe, so the 33 will have to have it's engine at least ticking over to ensure it's air brakes operate when the train's vacuum brakes are applied by the driver of 61306.

 

WCRC (apart from on the Northern Belle) use Vaccum braking, so why would they need the 33 turned on for air brakes?

 

I agree and there was, prior to all the changes and subsequent postponement been no diesel originally planned to be involved in the Weymouth trip on Saturday just 61306 and 31806.

 

Because the brakes that operate on the 33 are air brakes. They need an air supply to be able to work, hence the 33 would be running to allow the compressor to run. If the train was air braked, then there wouldn't be any need for the loco to be switched on.

 

Ah makes sense. Thanks for the info. Must've just been very quiet!

 

At dusk near Betchworth.

 

Does anyone know why today's runs are off? Is that it now for the season?

 

Don’t know why today’s run is cancelled.
Steam Dreams still adverting trips on 10th, 17th and 24th August.

 

Sorry - I should have checked the SD site regarding further dates. Thanks. Perhaps 'Mayflower' has sat down.

 

Don’t think so.
Today’s trip was cancelled a fortnight ago.

 

I wondered if it was because of the Steam Dreams Excusion that should've run on Saturday. May have needed to give Mayflower a break with no other loco available to do the Windsors.

 

Thanks - RH has only today posted the cancellation, so I hadn't been alerted earlier.

 

I've heard that 61306 needed a washout and nothing else available to cover.

Andrew

 

With a week between trains there's plenty of time to have done a washout. It was looking a bit careworn at Southall the other week so I don't know if there are sufficient volunteers to do the work.

 

Yes, I thought there had been plenty of time for the washout. It was apparently cancelled two weeks ago, but Railway Herald has only today posted that. Would a shortage of volunteers have been known two weeks ago, I wonder?

 

I don't know what arrangements the owner has for support crews but I assume he could have paid West Coast to do the job if it avoided the cancellation of a train. Having said that we don't know any of the circumstances

 

Slight thread drift regarding the EUR 175 mid morning afternoon and evening tours commencing from 14 August 2021 from Colchester via Ipswich and Bury St Edmund's are these planned to go ahead if 61306 is fit to run besides the royal Windsor tours anyone?

 

Last year they had 44871 to cover some of the trips, and I remember reading somewhere that it was due down this year as well, until it went to. Fort William to cover for 62005.