The chairman's train. From 16th April, 2025

Sheff’s link took me to the Ralways of Devon & Cornwall page. I then had to scroll down through more recent posts to find this rather wonderful one of Dawlish. My link might (I hope) take you straight there:
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1BDyWE82bU/?mibextid=wwXIfr

 

I get You must log in to continue.

 

On my phone I see a message inviting me to log in or create an account. There’s also a little x at top-right. Click on that to get rid of the message.
Hoping it works

 

It was 3 hours late leaving Penzance this morning. One of the 37s is playing up apparently.

 

Yes just hit the cross at the top right of that dialog box and it will display the post. Sometimes it may kick you out after a minute or so, which I always find strange if Heritage Lines want to use it as their main source of communication these days. I guess it is some Meta illogic but if it supposed to be a public account, rather than private, why time restrict (other than trying to makes users sign up for an account of their own).

 

I wasn't getting that this morning. Now I am, and it lets me see a few pictures but then tells me to log in, now with not cross.

 

By Shrewsbury they were both just being dragged along for the ride:

 

According to reports elsewhere one 37 was dead and the other was low on coolant hence the from BTM.

 

Great video. In the closing seconds you can see Jeremy Hosking standing at the rear of the back coach as it leaves the station.

 

Memories of the steel trains in the early 90s where the 37s were so unreliable they'd be sent out as double or sometimes triple headers to ensure at least one was still working by the time they reached South Wales.

...hearing triple headed 37s powering up to accelerate away was quite an impressive sound.

 

I used to go spotting at Cardiff in the late 1970s. The highlight of the day was usually the Port Talbot to Llanwern iron ore train hauled by three Class 37s. After a while they were replaced by double headed 56s.

 

What was the problem when 5029 was replaced at Worcester?

 

37409 and 37401 pass the gatehouse of Whalley Abbey and head onto the viaduct with the Appleby-Euston leg of the Chairman's train on 23/4/2025

David Price
Cop Lane on Flickr

 

Yes, which prompts my thought - as they are passengers rather than staff, is it technically allowed for that external door to be open while travelling? It is clearly causing no issue or perceptible safety hazard, but I just wondered about the rules.

 

I think the Royal Scotsman has a similar set up? So presumably not a problem.

 

Indeed. In the last episode of that TV show about Royal Scotsman, the rear door is open whilst going over the Forth Bridge.

 

So I imagine the presence of a railing is adequate - thanks.

 

Was that for reliability reasons, or the sheer weight of the train requiring three 37s? 3x37 = 5250hp, and 2x56 = 6500hp, so the power was obviously required.