The Chiltern Explorer - 1/11/25

https://www.railwaytouring.net/ce-01-11-25
Courtesy of RealTime Trains:
34028 ECS: https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:U68393/2025-11-01/detailed
34028 Manchester to Reading: https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:U68394/2025-11-01/detailed
34028 ECS to WCRC Southall: https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:U68395/2025-11-01/detailed
Diesel ECS: https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:U68396/2025-11-01/detailed
Diesel Reading to Manchester: https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:U68397/2025-11-01/detailed
Diesel ECS to Hooton: https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:U68398/2025-11-01/detailed
Diesel ECS Hooton to Carnforth: https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:U68399/2025-11-02/detailed

 

Looking forward to scratching some required track and Bulleid mileage.

 

Early running Eddystone crawls into Deansgate...


And then waits for a green...

 

Fairly plain sailing so far, with a nice stretch of fast running south of Madeley. Useful to get a Bulleid between Piccadilly and Crewe. Currently at Stafford.

 

.

 

Water stop ?

Hopefully enough coal this time.

 

https://flic.kr/p/2rCNUZy

34028 seen passing Heaton Chapel this morning. Close call with the 323 in the background but glad I made the effort

 

Flattening up the bank away from Bletchley High Level at Whadden Rd, both steam and diesel on full whack taking on the 1in140 going up to 1in115

 

Passing Lancaster early this morn, tender piled high:

https://andrewstransport.smugmug.com/Northwesttrains/North-West-trains-2025/i-Mc48LrZ

Andrew N

 

After the Stafford stop approaching Colwich Junction and catching the light at Weetmans Bridge. The second shot would have shown more of the cobbled bridge surface but for the sudden arrival of a Tesco van , why do they always turn up at the wrong time ?

 

Coasting into Appleford

 

Overall, an enjoyable run that achieved an ambition of mine to link up the various chunks of Bulleid haulage on the steam map. Fairly bucolic scenery on the Varsity Line, and the earthworks for HS2 were massive in scale. We seemed to stop at Claydon E Jc for servicing, which confused the schedule a bit. Thanks to everyone who made it all happen.

 

Less than a minute separates these pictures at Slough.

 

34028 flattening up the bank away from Bletchley with today’s Chiltern Explorer
Funny to think 6 years ago the once mothballed trackbed was used as a path by the locals and dog walkers, how times have changed ey

 

Seems the boys at Carnforth forgot to fit that 10A shed plate during the week

 

Action from Eddystone on its most recent outings. Downhill/level/lightly rising sections chosen for obvious reasons, though was shoved hard out of Oxford after being sent out in front of an IET.

 

'28's tender looks to be quite empty-ish so presumably no coal provided en-route. It seems to have hauled the ECS from WCRC Carnforth to Manchester, then the tour to Reading followed by the ECS to WCRC Southall OK, so all the shovage was vital to eke out supplies. This would seem to indicate a maximum steam leg on excursions of possibly less than 200 miles. If topping up (coal) supplies, not under OHL of course, is not possible then this might restrict it's availability for some of RTC's longer trips.
An example might be "The Valentine's Express" on 14th February 2026. I realise KX - York is 'only' 173 miles but the loco would normally first have to haul the ECS from WCRC Southall to Ferme Park sidings with the rear diesel towing the train into KX ready for departure north. Then there's a bit of shunting around at York to access the turntable, etc.
Opposite Ferme Park sidings is Great Northern's Hornsey EMU depot which has reasonable road access for coal lorry deliveries. It also had (still has?) a non-electrified siding (alongside a roadway) to the east of the site but WCRC don't seem to use the site since Harry Potter filming at KX [2001 ?]. A pile of unused coal was there for ages. Trying to fit rail tour movements into a busy EMU depot schedule might create some problems perhaps.
I recall stabling my train one evening and then got ready to go home. However, I got chatting to a support crew member of 5972 Hogwarts Castle (Olton Hall) and. without my asking, he kindly invited me to travel in the support coach to KX (where my car was waiting). I saw plenty of the actors riding on on the train - to make sure they were not 'molested' by the public on the former concourse. Robbie Coltrane was amazingly tall so whether he had 'lifts'/higher heels in his shoes I have no idea.

 

I’ve seen another YouTube video where it was coaled up during the water stop at Clayton, not a tender full by the looks of it but enough to get it to Southall