Steam Dreams 2022

Interesting to read of "spirited driving" - how much is this actually possible these days? It's certainly not possible to exceed speed limits, and with schedules set by the known performance of traction, it leaves little room for old-fashioned making up time unless pathing margins are used and pathing stops omitted, which is nothing to do with driving 'enthusiasm'. I'm just wondering what can still be done in this regard.

 

Yes although I was referring to issues kcal to Fareham. For instance the very busy 0744 Swanwick to Portsmouth was terminated at Fratton 26 late. Its by far the busiest train of the day which as NR should know carries a large number of pupils to Portsmouth Grammar School, all of whom had to wait in the cold for the next late running SWR train getting them to school very late. Priorities? These and others will all be deprived of rail travel for most of next week. Bus alternatives are now looking likely long term. Sorry to digress

 

Well, as far as I can see from RTT, if you deduct all the pathing stops which didn't happen and all the recovery mins, by driving at an average of 80 from Carlisle to Edinburgh, the driver gained a net 20 mins on the schedule. Given the queue of trains he did very well to keep out of the way.

 

Well, the Chichester run yesterday was dogged by delays - the return left Willesden 50 late after a 2 late arrival. Time was regained but arrival back at Shoeburyness was still half an hour down, at 0030!

 

The convoluted route didn't help. Perhaps there are no drivers on the LSL/Saphos/Steam Dreams books who sign for the Brighton Main Line or the Arun Valley lines, but to have returned by either of those routes would probably have been a lot quicker on what was a very long day out. It would also have obviated the need for the fiddly reversal at Fratton.

I know that trains aren't run for the benefit of photographers, but I was hoping for a decent shot - at least a rear three quarter view - at Fratton but 45231 was well off the end of the platform. Had the train taken a more direct route back from Chichester to London, besides saving the passengers an hour or so, there could have been the possibility of a taking a picture like this one:-

 

Yes, but the convoluted route doesn't explain a 50 minutes delay in changing ends at Willesden.

 

A second diesel was required and this was delayed passing Acton Wells and again at Willesden according to RTT.

 

The Arun Valley has 4 services an hour 2 fast and 2 stopping looking at RTT, so unlikely to be able to path it and include a water stop. It was also looks very busy through Worthing, and Preston Park was the only place for a water stop after the Thameslink depot was built at Three Bridges.

 

I believe the reason there are no tours starting at Three Bridges or Haywards Heath and along the coast line these days is lack of paths on the southern end of Brighton Line.

 

I am not party to how Saphos create their train specifications, but I would guess that sufficient time was specified to allow to serve the meal to be served on the return journey.
Reversal at Fratton is comparatively easy and is not length restricted where Littlehampton and Arundel are restricted to 12 coaches.
( Chichester is also restricted, that's why the ECS ran via Barnham to reverse. 11 coaches plus two locos is too log to reverse in the Down platform at Chichester within signals.)

Cheers, Neil

 

It's the reasoning I've been under, the number of trips South of Redhill on the BML reducing, seemed to coincide with the completion of the Thameslink programme which increased traffic on the route

 

My video from the Chichester trip:

 

Steam Dreams Christmas Trips via North Pole Jn now loaded on RTT. Also Surrey Hills evening diner.

19/12/2022

https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/se.../0000-2359?stp=WVSC&show=all&order=wtt&toc=LS

21/12/2022

https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/se.../0000-2359?stp=WVSC&show=all&order=wtt&toc=LS

Cheers, Neil

 

A Surrey hills working with 45231 took place today but I can't see any reference to it anywhere. I was away from home so wouldn't have seen it anyway but I'm surprised it sneaked in without any mention (unless I've missed something). No headboard was carried - was it a test run for the two evening runs next week, and, if so, I wonder why as 'Black Fives' have worked the route before? Edit - apparently it was Mr. Hoskings's Christmas trip, the possibility of which I had overlooked. It would be on a day when I was out of the area! BTW, it left Victoria over an hour late.

 

It was a private charter for the LSL Chairman, so it wouldn't have been advertised anywhere. One happened last year with Braunton.
I caught it at Gomshall in some rather interesting conditions:

 

Yep, thanks. I live just east of Dorking and this was pretty much the boundary between snow and just frost - we had about 4cm of lying snow but it petered out just west of us.

 

Can anyone confirm that the diesel was leading from Victoria this morning?

 

I’ll swear I just heard a Stanier hooter on the LBC news - the reporter was in ‘central London’