Steam Dreams 2023

Interesting question - I note from RTT than all four Santa trains were supposedly routed through Platform 2 and I didn't think that was possible. The platform with the set of stops is Platform 1, but having consulted Open Train Times Maps and even looked closely at the track layout on Google Maps it looks like what is beyond Platform 2 is just a long siding, with no sign of a crossover. I wonder if there has been a very recent change in the track layout that allows access from the Windsor lines?

 

Platform 2 and Middle Siding do not have any connection to the Up Windsor slow except at Ludgate Jn, London end of Clapham Jn on the Windsor Lines.
Can you imagine the possessions for installing a facing crossover there? 52 hours to instal the metal work and another 52 hours to connect up the signalling which would spread on to the Latchmere Curve and Ludgate lines and Three Bridges ROC. With the ways of the railway nowadays there would need to be a very good business case to even suggest it.
I think that we have to assume that someone bid the wrong platform details.

Cheers, Neil

 

And yet the system was able to generate a path through that platform, apparently.

 

There don't seem to be many videos around of yesterday's runs. However, from the one I have found it appears that Braunton was in charge. I'm not sure if that was planned or if 45231 has a problem. I'm wondering now which loco will be on the "Spirit of Christmas" train out of Paddington tomorrow night.

 

45231 was being moved around Southall yesterday afternoon by an 08.

 

The website now says 34046 for the Spirit of Christmas jobbie

Andrew

 

Neil what confused me in RTT apart from my correct thought it was not connected is it seemed to show they were all planned through P3 but changed to P2 with a red entry which I think denotes a change on the day. So would that have been fed from the NR system somehow? I do not know enough about how the data comes across.

 

Braunton would still have been warm from its Golden Arrow duty so it was an obvious choice

 

Looks like it's scheduled for the Santas on Thursday too so I am assuming 45231 has "boiler ache".

Anyway, tomorrow night's train is sold out so I hope all good time will be had by all! I suspect a fair amount of Christmas spirit will be flowing.

 

Having spotted the service come through Clapham myself yesterday I can confirm they were definitely utilising platform 3! Strange that RTT has corrected them all to show platform 2

 

P2 is clearly an error. I see quite a large number of platforming errors on RTT for a variety of workings.

 

Not necessarily, it will still be warm from Monday

 

The platforms should feed across from the NR planning systems into RTT and other open access systems.
Platforms and other details can be amended direct in Train Service Data Base by Controllers or VSTP planners, but why change correct details to wrong details?

RTT and other open access systems have a variety of programmes to fill in details, the most obvious being filling in passing times at places which are not timings points or reporting points for various systems of data collection. As the train was routed via the Up Ludgate line did an algorism pick that up the line and automatically change it to platform 2 which is the normal platform for departures towards Dalston Jn via Rotherhithe. This is pure speculation, it's probably best to raise this with the technical people of RTT.

This link points in that direction. http://charlwoodhouse.co.uk/rail/livetrain/U91903/18/12/23
The platform number shows arrival 3 depart 2 which as discussed up thread is not possible. It does show that the data was probably fed from Network Rail and has something to do with automated reporting points triggered by track circuits.

Cheers, Neil

 

I've just checked rhe schedule for a freight 6Y48 0901 Eastleigh East Yard to Hoo Jn Up Yard yesterday
http://charlwoodhouse.co.uk/rail/livetrain/H34061/18/12/23
That has highlighted 6Y48 arriving on platform 3 and departing from platform 2, so it appears to be a reoccuring fault. Alternative unused schedules for 6Y49 and 6Y49 just show platform 3 at Clapham Jn.

The same fault was fed to RTT https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/se...2-18/1005-1200?stp=WVS&show=freight&order=wtt which confirms it is something odd in the Network Rail data feed.

Remember that the data is only as good as the interpretation, which has been discussed to death on the record runs thread.... Sometimes extra detail / knowledge / experience will show up wierd data. Common sense often sorts it out.

Cheers, Neil

 

My video from a couple of recent runs, including a SD 'Santa', is here:

 

What a shame that Railway Herald can't even be bothered to change their traction allocation for the SD 'Santa' workings from 61306, despite this being known for weeks now. They are a great source of relatively up-to-date news but this sort of stuff really lets them down.

 

It has seemingly been updated since you have made this comment but it does seem to be very late at times. I find RailAdvent has the exact same problem, sometimes even worse, like 6233 displayed right up until a few days before a tour when it has had it's wheels off and been removed from all tours for months.

 

Yes, updated but only after some of the runs today had happened and weeks/months after it was known that 61306 would not be used on any of the runs. No site can be perfect, of course, but this stuff seems fairly basic for a web site that prides itself on up-to-date news. Hey-ho; we're still fortunate to have anything I suppose.

 

I'm sure that many of us remember 'uksteam'. Sadly missed in my opinion [BJ]