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Great Britain XVII - 26/04 to 4/05/25

Discussie in 'What's Going On' gestart door Big Al, 15 aug 2024.

  1. jsm8b

    jsm8b Part of the furniture

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    Indeed your shot prompted me to look up when 45407 was last on the Far North line.
    First steam to Thurso was 48151 as far back as October 1998, then again with the first GB in 2007 and your trip in 2016 with 44871. I don't recall any other trips north of Dingwall going beyond Helmsdale or Brora (60163).
    If memory serves 2011 is the only occasion the Black 5s have been in tandem on the Far North line.
    Always willing to be corrected on that.

     
    torgormaig vindt dit leuk.
  2. Big Al

    Big Al Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Moderator

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    I think you are correct. It's not a line that's covered often. And I believe that getting the train to visit both Wick and Thurso has not been easy. It appears that there are not plenty of paths available to fit a non standard journey like the GB.
     
  3. RalphW

    RalphW Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Administrator Friend

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    Not quite sure of the connection between double headed steam and rolling stock issues?
     
  4. Big Al

    Big Al Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Moderator

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    Two locos plus two support coaches plus a kitchen car plus a diesel to power the rolling stock hardly leaves much passenger carrying opportunity does it? I'm surprised you hadn't worked that one out.
     
    Leviathan en 26D_M vinden dit leuk.
  5. RalphW

    RalphW Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Administrator Friend

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    Well for a start going from Inverness to Thurso and back would not require 2 support coaches or didn't you consider that?
     
  6. Big Al

    Big Al Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Moderator

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    Was just going by what seemed to happen in 2011 as per #57. It's hard to argue against the extra demand that 2025 constraints impose on train length though.
     
    Leviathan en 26D_M vinden dit leuk.
  7. Bulleid Pacific

    Bulleid Pacific Part of the furniture

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    I've booked on it to fill in a missing section to Wick on the steam map, and also to say I've done a return steam journey between Inverness and Georgemas Jn.

    I was on 44871's run to Thurso in 2016 ((I seem to recall we were supposed to go to Wick, but issues on that branch meant going to Thurso instead - not that I was complaining!), and remember racing the rest of the train to the Commercial Hotel in Thurso on a pleasant Sunday afternoon. Remember the owner being rather surprised at the crowds turning up! Looking at the times on the tour page, it's a 15-minute leg stretch at Wick before steaming south again.
     
    Oswald T Wistle, Waterbuck en Mick45305 vinden dit leuk.
  8. RalphW

    RalphW Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Administrator Friend

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    I'm also booked on the Wick/Thurso leg, only done it once before and that was on a 4 day diesel hauled Compass tour based in Inverness, so steam one way is the clincher for me.
     
    Bulleid Pacific, Waterbuck en Mick45305 vinden dit leuk.
  9. Waterbuck

    Waterbuck Member

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    Long time since we chatted Ralph, hope we recognise each other.:)
     
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  10. Waterbuck

    Waterbuck Member

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    Be good to see you, Swansea last year may have been the last time (though I've not been about much - saving up for this 11 days away)
     
    Bulleid Pacific vindt dit leuk.
  11. RalphW

    RalphW Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Administrator Friend

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    Tall white haired old geezer with glasses.
     
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  12. The Gricing Owl

    The Gricing Owl Well-Known Member

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    Anyone have an idea of the sort of time this will leave Victoria on day one behind 35028 please?

    Bryan
     
  13. bobsungod

    bobsungod Member

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    8-44 ish
     
    sunstream vindt dit leuk.
  14. Bulleid Pacific

    Bulleid Pacific Part of the furniture

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    Likewise, Alan. Think it's a case of grabbing the chance while it's there, as I suspect steam north of Dingwall - or Brora at the very best - will be extremely thin pickings in future. Can't say how many times I've looked at the map and thought Wick would be one that got away!
     
    Waterbuck vindt dit leuk.
  15. Mick45305

    Mick45305 Member

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    Will be good to see you again Tom. Definitely seizing the chance to do the Far North line in its entirety. Will you be on the GB for the whole show, definitely in West Wales I suspect. Our latest itinerary mentioned Milford Haven.
     
    Bulleid Pacific vindt dit leuk.
  16. Bulleid Pacific

    Bulleid Pacific Part of the furniture

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    I'm not currently booked on other legs - sadly, my employment for the past eight years ends today following redundancy, so currently looking for something else - but as it's a Sunday, I could be tempted. The logistics would be pretty intense. I did Milford Haven with 71000 in 2008 - it was very much a last-minute change then! Haverfordwest was once my regular station.

    Another leg I'd be interested in is Grange-over-Sands to Edinburgh - a very rare curve at Gateshead, and a Bulleid doing it to boot.
     
    Mick45305 vindt dit leuk.
  17. Big Al

    Big Al Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Moderator

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    The late arrival of Tornado to the GB party has done much to improve the loco mix for this tour. I wish it well as it seems that only the RTC attempts anything the remotely offers different routes than normal. You really can have too much of a good thing - Shap, S&C etc.
     
  18. MellishR

    MellishR Resident of Nat Pres Friend

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    Any info on the timings, particularly when it leaves Inverness?
     
  19. RalphW

    RalphW Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Administrator Friend

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    Nothing yet, but the web site does say early morning..#
     
  20. Big Al

    Big Al Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Moderator

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    My guess is 8 am from Inverness and back by 10 pm with maybe an hour at either Wick or Thurso. Either way it'll be a long day.
     

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