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Santa Steam Express & Christmas Steam Express - 13, 14, 20 & 22/12/21

Discussion in 'What's Going On' started by Paul.Uni, Sep 22, 2021.

  1. Paul.Uni

    Paul.Uni Well-Known Member

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    Departures at:
    • 09:20
    • 12:00
    • 14:15
    More info https://www.steamdreams.co.uk/santasteamexpresstours.php

    Departing at 18:40
    More info https://www.steamdreams.co.uk/christmassteamexpresstours.php
     
  2. Deepgreen

    Deepgreen Well-Known Member Friend

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    Indeed. I do wonder what the attraction might be for a steam train ride entirely in the dark, as one of the things that so many passengers say they like is the sight of steam blowing back past the windows. I hope it succeeds but I suspect it could just as easily be diesel as far as 90%+ of passengers are concerned.
     
  3. 5944

    5944 Resident of Nat Pres

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    Seems odd to me that they've decided to run it when they have - the first two dates are when children are still at school.
     
  4. Gladiator 5076

    Gladiator 5076 Part of the furniture

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    It appears to be pitched more at the dining market from the description. So Xmas meal for office groups etc. They will get chance to see the steam loco before and after, I would expect this to be quite a successful operation subject of course to a Covid spike impacting things. (And them being sober enough to hold the phone level on arrival back at Victoria)
     
  5. 6026 King John

    6026 King John Well-Known Member

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    Why do you assume Santa trains are for children? Don't you believe in Father Christmas? I can hardly wait to meet him on an exciting scenic trip around the Hounslow loop!
     
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  6. crusader612

    crusader612 New Member

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    Are the Santa trains confirmed as routed via the Hounslow loop or are they via North Pole ?
     
  7. Gladiator 5076

    Gladiator 5076 Part of the furniture

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    The words say Barnes and Chiswick (hence Hounslow loop) but I guess you could go back via "North Pole" using Kew East Junction and Willesden but that would make a short trip unless it sits somewhere. Gives an even "better" scenic experience than the loop!
     
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  8. Deepgreen

    Deepgreen Well-Known Member Friend

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    Experience has taught me to be wary of sitting on strange mens' knees!
     
  9. crusader612

    crusader612 New Member

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    Shorter yes, but would allow Santa to give out his presents closer to his home ( more authentic/seasonal?) and make life easier for his Elves, reindeer with the slay on each occasion they have to get to the train to restock his sack ? ☃️
    Can't see Steam Dreams missing the opportunity of taking a Santa steam train to the 'North Pole' ?
    Hounslow loop or the North Pole ?
     
  10. MellishR

    MellishR Resident of Nat Pres Friend

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    We do not wish to know about your experience.
     
  11. Paul.Uni

    Paul.Uni Well-Known Member

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    The route info has been updated.

    Santa Steam Express:
    Christmas Steam Express:
     
    Last edited: Nov 27, 2021
  12. RalphW

    RalphW Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Administrator Friend

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    "We chug through the neighbourhoods" :Facepalm: Who writes this rubbish?
     
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  13. Gladiator 5076

    Gladiator 5076 Part of the furniture

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    From many railtours via the Hounslow Loop reasonably accurate I feel if not totally correct. Moving slowly and an engine running slowly sums up about 75% of my tours that way.
    verb
    (of a vehicle or boat) move slowly making regular muffled explosive sounds, as of an engine running slowly.
     
    Last edited: Nov 28, 2021
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  14. Deepgreen

    Deepgreen Well-Known Member Friend

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    Perhaps people who try to appeal to the lay-person with such 'cutesy' descriptions. I'm a little surprised it doesn't say 'chuff', though, which has more of the steam train about it than the diesel-ly "chug".
     
  15. mrKnowwun

    mrKnowwun Part of the furniture

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    Diesels do many smells and sounds. In my book "chug" aint one of them.
     
  16. green five

    green five Resident of Nat Pres

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    Diesels don't chug, they go "Boggler, Boggler"
    (Fans of Steve Bell cartoons will know what I mean. IIRC there was a detailed correspondence in the Guardian letters pages a few years ago about what sound a diesel locomotive makes ) Bell-001.jpg stevebellif1_071209.jpg

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  17. Big Al

    Big Al Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Moderator

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    Never mind chugging, if the Steam Dreams site is to be believed it seems that there is a guest locomotive covering the trips on 14th December...
     
  18. green five

    green five Resident of Nat Pres

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    The guest loco certainly doesn't chug.
    Bulleid Pacific's chatter. A former SR steam driver that my Dad knew used the word chatter to describe the sound of Bulleids to my Dad and I when we used to listen to his wonderful footplate stories at Chilworth station while waiting for steam charters to pass through. He had some hair raising tales about the Q1's. And his description of the sound 4472 made when climbing the Surrey hills was "it sounds like someone dropping a bag of spanners down a long flight of stairs". The A3 was certainly not in the best of health back then.

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  19. 6026 King John

    6026 King John Well-Known Member

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    When I did the Surrey hills with 4472/60103 the only sound I heard was the Class 37 on the back growling away. Total waste of time as a steam experience but a good evening having a few beers with some nice people I met onboard.
     
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  20. Deepgreen

    Deepgreen Well-Known Member Friend

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    Now that the non-stop 'pan-handle' route has been confirmed, I assume the Stewarts Lane triangle will be used to put 61306 at the front for the next trip each time? Would it be reasonable to assume that a diesel will be lugged around for the whole trip or will it drop off after the climb out of Victoria? Will, too, the evening runs be via the Surrey hills, I wonder?
     

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