60163 Minehead-London 18th June

Just see the times for this on UK Steam. Very strange?
12 minutes Newbury-Theale, VSOE is allowed 19 minutes, both with water stops at Theale.
3 minutes Southcote Junction-Reading AND 19 MINUTES READING TO EARLEY! On the 2nd of April 70013 was only allowed 12 minutes from Reading to WOKINGHAM.

 

Reading New Jc to Reading Spur Jc is booked for 14 minutes so there is a lot of slack there, to make up for the tight times earlier.

 

Silly question maybe but after a lot of debate earlier in the year as to what will or will not fit on the Minehead turntable, are they going to be able to turn Tornado ready for this trip on Thursday? All the photos I've seen from the WSR show it facing Minehead which is how it arrived.

 

Should do, i believe it was extended from it's original length with this sort of thing in mind.

 

No, not a silly question, as I was wondering the same thing. But while I was at Bishops Lydeard, last Friday, I aked one of the staff present "How did WSR intend to turn TORNADO without her making a run to Westbury and back? I was informed that the probable plan was to turn her at Minehead, with the use of shunting manoeuvres in "two parts" that is engine first, then tender, on Tuesday or Wednesday this week.

Best regards SteamHawk216.

 

The 62ft 5.25in wheelbase of 60163 should fit the 65ft turntable, although balancing would be quite difficult. However the overall weight of around 164 tons (fully laden) exceeds the weight limit for the turntable as I understand.

David

 

Thanks for the info - presumably the same will apply to Oliver Cromwell when it departs?

I asked the question because I remember that Bittern could not be turned back in March had to turn at Westbury on its way back to the Mid-Hants. I suppose that when the triangle at Norton is completed this kind of problem will be solved!

 

Britannias were routinely turned on this type of turntable in days gone by. However I don't think Oliver Cromwell will be turned as it is already facing the right direction for Bristol and eventually Carmarthen.

David

 

I must admit I am really looking forward to this trip, I just hope the weather is nice. I am now praying that Bob Crow and his mates don't declare a strike on the Tube for that day so I can get to Victoria easily [-o<

 

Was looking at the WSR webcam this morning and 60163 looks as if it is facing south in the yard at Minehead -- guess it was turned on the turntable .. Can someone confirm

cheers Richard

 

Yes Richard, 60163 TORNADO was turned today, 160609 on the Minehead turntable, in two "halves" engine first, then tender.
Photos of the event on this link: http://www.wsr.org.uk/cgi-bin/gallery.c ... &t=newspix

Best regards SteamHawk216.

 

Going to be doing this Reading-Earley. Will it stop in Reading for a crew change,they often do,dunno if Burnsy/Geoff/Fred know the road through Earley etc? That's assuming they are crewing it....

 

I've just checked the Transport for London site and all looks OK on the Vic tomorrow, although there was talk sometime back of a strike this day.

 

There's also the possibilty to run into the lesser spotted Mod-er-a-tor

Rumour has it Tornado will be met at Victoria by a few mods :-$

 

... we're just checking that the new Natpres monitoring system is working correctly on "Tornado". If the initial tests are successful, "Tornado" will then be able to make its own posts on the forum - reporting its exact location, speed, coal/water consumption, driver's tea consumption, future plans, gossip about footplate crew etc. Any other requests?

Richard

 

If you could keep an eye on my wife and let me know where she has wandered off to.
Thanks
Alan

 

It's not shown in the times on UKsteam, but Steam Dreams shows a 2 minute stop at Castle cary, 1826-28, presumably to pick up passengers who visited Wells and Glastonbury.

 

Indeed I spotted that. If if does stop I think we can take it for granted that the 8 minutes allowed for the 9 miles to East Somerset junction, including Brewham Summit is unrealistic! The 9 mins for 11 miles from Somerton to the stop at Castle Cary is also, well, optomistic.

PS: It's gray and cloudy at 13:20 a few miles north of the line.

Edit: 15:20: Sun coming out...

 

Anyone know how this is getting on? Running to time?

 

Ditto, just on my way to Theale.