Sherborne Christmas Carol: 4/12/24

Timings for 35028's trip to Yeovil on Wednesday 4th are now up.

https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/se...4/0000-2359?stp=WVS&show=all&order=wtt&toc=WR

https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:U36303/2024-12-04/detailed
Load 11 plus self propelled generator vehicle.

Andrew

 

Nice one Andrew!

Bryan

 

Wonderful to see that - brings back many memories of the last months of SR steam when the 18.38 Salisbury and 18.15 Weymouth were regularly seeing that 23.5 mile stretch done start to stop in actual or net times of 20 mins or less. With maximums between 90 mph and 106 mph! Light loads yes, but run down locos and no self propelled generator vehicles. But not a light load for 34087 on the up Channel Islands Boat train on 29 June 1967 when Driver Shepherd of Eastleigh provided a superb run with 34087 on 12 cars for 435t gross. 21 mins 35 secs actual and a net time of circa 20 mins 30 secs (yet to be fully evaluated), so just under a 70 mph net start to stop average. 91-92 mph reached on almost level track after a gentle start from Basingstoke. And the run onto Waterloo was equally good, 80 mph reached just after Walton and eased back for a max of 85 mph at Esher.

My many memories of all these runs are right in the forefront of my mind at present. As I have got to 23 June 1967 with checking (on a spreadsheet) and then putting into the Word format I have agreed with my SR Steam Loco Memoirs book designer , all my SR steam timing logs.

Yes, it would be great to add a 60 mph start to stop with Clan Line on the 4 December 2024, and I really hope that is achieved. But there is risk of the diesel pushing at any stage; and even without that RTT shows Fast Line to Slow Line at Woking Junction which will add a fair amount to the overall time, along with the usual slow run up the platform to a stop.

But I'm not going to risk a day confined in the MK11s - Covid and any bronchial infection being significant risks to me - although I did get a fairly recently introduced jab yesterday that may help me with the latter.

My best wishes to all on that train on Wednesday for a great day out with 35028.

Bryan

 

Better nip out to see if I can bunk the train and add to my many even times from the 1960s one of my best being a flat top on 500 tons even time slow line to sigs stop at Woking Jct. Remember that one Wedgie?

 

I most certainly do remember it: June 1965, an up Weymouth train. 14 cars for 500t and original condition 34019 in the very capable hands of Driver Sullivan and Fireman Rowe of Nine Elms. Certainly showed that with a driver who really knew how to drive an original Bulleid, supported by a quality fireman, could make one work on a very heavy train. Just under 55 mph at the top of Roundwood bank after a Winchester start. And then the comfortably achieved even time Basingstoke to a sigs stop at Woking Jctn. 77 mph max. Not sure I remember much slipping!

I shan't be on the train on 4 December, but it would be fabulous to see it get an unhelped even time over the same stretch.

Wedgie aka Bryan

 

Unless I've missed it, there seems to be no water stop until Salisbury - back to what used to happen it seems. But still slow line Woking-Basingstoke on a very slow schedule, albeit with over 6 minutes pathing time included between Hook and Basingstoke or at Basingstoke. Not sure if that is to let a normal service train get ahead, although that is due to leave a reasonable time ahead. Or maybe for a Q working, that hasn't been activated today. Time will tell!

Looks ok from RTT so far.

Be nice to get updates from the train if anyone here is on it, or updates from the lineside. Maybe big brother Don is heading out to phot it somewhere?

Bryan aka Wedgie

 

London Victoria, awaiting departure with load 11 and 47848 tagging on the back

 

Six and a half minutes pathing time between Basingstoke and Worting Junction to allow 0O24 to precede first at Worting.

 

Holding a class 1 passenger service to allow an engineer's light engine to proceed? Sounds very odd to me. <BJ>

 

Looking at RTT and having heard from big brother Don who photted it at Basingstoke, it must have got clobbered either side of the Basingstoke stop. The latter of which ruined any chance of an even time Bas-Sals. It does look like a nice bit of running Woking to pass Hook but with a 5 late start from Woking I wonder what help it got from the rear end.

The above photo looks nice with just the West of England route discs on the font - but the nearest place to photo it on the down main was it going through Andover forest station. And the MK11 s meant I never even thought about the long drive down to get the shot. I'll just have to wait for 35028 to return to Kent next year when it should be be hauling a Pullman train on a fair bit 0f the Golden Arrow route.

Bryan aka Wedgie

 

The reality of the privatised railway. Additional trains such as charters have to timed around existing trains in the timetable unless the operator of the other train is agreeable to having their service retimed.

 

Not just to do with privatisation; the railway has moved a long way from prioritising by class* towards fitting around agreed paths.

* - I'm ignoring the "special" class 9s like Avanti's anglo-scottish trains via Brum.

 

The only light engine around sat on the up slow at Basingstoke having appeared from Reading . 35028 left at the same time as the Weymouth which blocked it so my choice to be at the London end of P2 was good

 

Up Fast through Basingstoke is currently closed, just as we’re on the approach, no reason given but suggested no more than 10 mins

EDIT: No sooner had that been announced we’re moving again, routed onto the slow line into Basingstoke

 

From RTT looks like even time Basingstoke to Woking. Can anyone on the train confirm?

 

I've always worked on 23.50 miles as the distance, so it has to be 23mins 30 secs or less. I can't recall that I've timed any runs as close as 1 or 2 seconds under 23 mins 30 secs (Don may correct me on that). But I have one at 23 mins 31 secs, and one at 23 mins 35 secs! Which do not count as even time runs of course.

Tonight's run looks to have had a fast start from Basingstoke if unassisted, and if RTT was accurate. 6 3/4 mins to pass Hook on 10 ? coaches plus a not working diesel is quite fast for that sort of load.

The run in from Brookwood looks to have been slow as expected (either a normal slow approach these days and/or FL-SL crossover at Woking Jct) . It looks like 5 mins 30 secs from RTT .

On train times are critical as is anything on the diesel helping out of Basingstoke as I think steam even time runs this year may have been very low. And one from Clan Line over that incredible stretch of railway would be wonderful. But for us timing grocers it all has to be all correct to count!

Bryan aka Wedgie

 

Do we have a Gricer from Brussels? <BJ>

 

Brussels and cabbage available all the time. Plus stopwatches of course. And when timing in the 1960s we usually wore one of those brown, long, lightweight over jackets.

Bryan.