The Dorset Coast Express 2023

Today's Dorset Coast Express with 45596, seen at Egham and Totters Ln near Winchfield, where the British Pullman was following closely behind it!

 

1:45 to 1:55 - you’d have a right to be disappointed if you’d booked expecting steam traction throughout!


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It is worth noting it was 14 minutes late away from the water stop at this point and Bahamas is making quite a noise despite this, so don't really see your point

 

Just received tickets for a trip on the 2nd August which reads "Due to operational reasons, we will be diesel hauled from Weymouth to Southampton on the return."

Hopefully not the case but I can only assume it is.

 

A couple of "station images" from yesterday's DCE.
Tour arriving at Bournemouth before the alleged "light showers" arrived, and the ECS entering Weymouth from Jersey Sidings in continuous rain.

 

I am hoping it is more of a case of them covering themselves but I suppose we will have to wait and see. I have heard rumours of positive news for the next trip so I guess it is very hit or miss at the moment.

 

I was on last Wednesdays trip and the unofficial news was that all the issues had been resolved and the U would most likely be used on the 2nd yet now it's not .As bookings don't seem particularly strong it must be in every ones interest to be able to reliably inform us the U will be used as this would surely increase bookings considerably

 

All depends on if that diesel is detached this coming Wednesday - it is worth noting the timings for the return of the last two have disappeared on RTT so are being adjusted, I have heard rumours as to why but nothing for definite but it would suggest the use of the U to be more likely.

 

It of course could be a purely commercial decision taking a W.C.R 47 on the back is presumably cheaper than hiring in the U and making it a pure steam trip and do most customers care? It is probably only the National Preservation pundits that would care!

 

I am not sure that would be a WCRC cost would it. Surely it will be RTC that are paying the loco hire costs. There maybe other operational reasons that a TOC would be impacted by though.

 

From what I noticed at Weymouth on Wednesday there certainly seemed to be more than I have seen in the recent past. Due to the rain most of course had arrived back early.

 

It's not just loco availability. You need an extra steam qualified loco crew to use the U, in addition to the DL driver for the ECS moves, and that crew needs to get to Swanage before the shift and home again afterwards. I know nothing about how many suitable crew WCRC have available in the area at the moment nor whether they were included in the budget agreed with RTC. It's just another thing to consider when understanding what "operational issues" might mean

 

Crewing it isn’t a problem.

 

Water seems to be the issue, as shared in the Swanage group on facebook. I believe the timings may be being changed for the last two trips to allow for an extra water stop, hence their disappearance.

 

I can only find one more now after the one on August 2 listed on the RTC website. As you say that one on the 17th has had the return removed, and I thought there was one the first week of September the 6th from memory, but nothing on RTT either.

 

There was only the 3, same as last year. 26th July, 2nd August, 17th August. The return timings for the 2nd have seemingly reappeared with no changes which doesn't bode well for any hope of the U. Ah well, hopefully the one on the 17th gets sorted.

 

I was told there was a gauging problem with the U. The original timings on RTT included a light engine move from Victoria to Southall and one from Swanage to Weymouth. These have now disappeared so it would seem the problem, whatever it is, has not been resolved. It’s beyond RTC and West Coast’s control, all part of the joys of running mainline steam in them 21st century.
The water stops are ridiculously short, particularly the one at Winchfield which means late running is almost inevitable, we even had a private fire service appliance at Winchfield with two fast pumps but we still overran the time.

 

Remember on the whole in the South, West Coast operate on behalf of a Tour Promotor, LSL work for themselves.