Steam Dreams Hants Circular - 17/05/22

A nice easy day and looks a good chance to run diesel free. Steam Dreams say it is not planned to take a diesel but who knows with West Coast. I might risk it.

 

I assume every steam working will include a diesel these days and am therefore occasionally pleasantly surprised. With the dry weather of the last month and more I wouldn't be surprised if fire risk rears its head...

 

One day of rain in the last month, a bit forecast tomorrow night, nothing else in sight. I wouldn't be surprised if 61306 ended up being little more than a very large headboard.

 

This trip is running in place of the Windsor Shuttles, but the Sunset Steam Express is still running that evening. For that reason, I'd assume they'd take a diesel with them regardless of the recent weather.

 

I expect a diesel on every steam run these days. Drought conditions will only increase in the next few weeks and may become quite significant.

 

BTW, is it confimed that 61306 will be the 'Windsor' and 'Sunset' loco this season?

 

Barring 2 weeks with 45596 Bahamas (28th June & 2nd August), and one week that doesn't have a confirmed steam loco as of yet (5th July), yes its 61306 throughout.

 

Thanks.

 

The photo opportunity with 61306 is not even mentioned on the Brooklands website event page:
https://www.brooklandsmuseum.com/whats-on/world-land-speed-record-centenary
Is the railway clearly visible from the museum?

 

I did a recce of the spot where the famous photo was taken that they are attempting to recreate. You can see the railway line but there are trees along there which by now will take up more of the view than when I went a month or so ago, although there is a couple of gaps. Hopefully Mayflower will be in one of those gaps when the car speeds past as its noted by Steam Dreams that Mayflower will be travelling very slowly. There's a view on google maps of the location here: https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@51.3...4!1sh5UaIfQ56cmC1W-lRenojw!2e0!7i16384!8i8192

The original starting point was London Victoria, but I think for the sake of accessing Weybridge to actually pass Brooklands it was changed to West Brompton, so it would be odd if it was suddenly routed via Staines and not doing the event advertised.

 

I can imagine a huge amount of luck being needed for this conjunction to come off. A slow pass is surely dependant on the train running OK - if a few minutes late will that be ditched, with an Alton train booked at 5 minutes behind, I wonder? Also that gap will have filled in a tad with trees in full leaf by now. Will there be a dedicated area for photographers, or is it pot luck (or for a couple of official photographers only)? I don't intend to go there but it's fascinating to know.

 

Times

https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:U63019/2022-05-17/detailed.


https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:U63016/2022-05-17/detailed

 

So it starts at Brompton and ends with loco facing in at Victoria?

 

ECS ex Victoria at 1545 so it will have a DL on the back all day

 

Missed it by 2 minutes at Byfleet and New Haw. Awful traffic en route and early running on that section (including a four minute early departure from the passenger pick-up at Wimbledon!) conspired against me. You win some...

 

From the Brooklands twitter feed:


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They managed it then. Shame about the lack of visible exhaust but it was very warm.