Pembroke Dock Express. 28th June.

No probs,g lad you enjoyed it, was a fabulous run, the running coming back was even better.

 

Left Bristol on time will post a pic later.

 

Oliver Cromwell on time at Pilning.

http://michael527.fotopic.net/c1718242_1.html

 

Oliver Cromwell out of Patchway tunnel and through Cattybrook a few minutes early at 08:30. Superb light. Light engine 47 following a few minutes behind. Coaching stock was 5 maroons, 3 chocolate and creams, 3 maroons.

I'm glad I made the effort to get up early now!! <BJ>

 

No sight - 15:33 Pembroke ?

 

70013 on 1Z22 reported through LLanllwch, west of Carmarthen, 90 mins late at 17:46. <BJ>

 

Its not getting any better.....Ferryside 18:20. Now 110 mins late .

Thanks to Julian Rees. <BJ>

 

Thro' Bridgend around 8.00pm ish. 47 on rear ticking over.

 

Through Rumney 20:26

 

Well, there are a lot of carefully-laid plans totally - totalled! "What's going on?" might now be a suitable re-name for this particular thread. Waiting with interest to find out if it was the engine or something on the route which caused this delay.

 

'OC' stormed up the incline between Pilning and Patchway tunnel at approx 9pm .....with the aid of a class 47 diesel pushing like mad. <BJ>

 

Picture from Pilning on the run to Patchway.

http://michael527.fotopic.net/p59235115.html

 

Had a brilliant day today,simply stunning performance from the brit throughout the tour but especially on the pembroke section and the run from cardiff to newport was the best sections of running i have ever Had out of any loco. Thanks all for a hellfire trip and kirky for some super regulator action!
Top performance top engine,top beast!
For late running,it started at carmarthan where a unit in platform 2 was in the way till 1308 preventing the loco from moving over until after it. To be cont..

 

Continuation of earlier post,phone limits amount of text in one box!
....Had cleared meaning a late departure from carmarthan. The next problem was near whitland where i think there was either a signal prob or we were crossing a trainas one came the other way. We then Had to stop at various foot crossings along the pembroke dock branch. However the main problem was the behaviour of some idiots who seemed to think they Had a right to trespass because they 'Had been waiting 2 hours',so what! End of this post.

 

There were even more utter idiots further up the line who stood directly in front of the loco at said foot crossings! But after all these probs i am happy to report that we actually pulled back time after carmarthan on the return. At one point we were 108 down but managed to get into bristol a respectable 80 down thanks to some fine driving!
Cheers,
Mark

 

Great to hear the loco performed well. It went up Stormy bank in fine style in the morning with steam to spare and pretty much on time. You could hear the exhaust from quite a way off. Port Talbot departure was about on time as well with the boiler still very lively. So it was a bit worrying to hear of time dropped further on.

 

I will certainly second Alberta's comments on what was a fantastic trip. The amazing bark of 70013 was heard throughout the day, making it hard to believe that standard was at the back! The main reason for the lateness was due to signaling problems between Carmarthen and Whitland. Many thanks to RTC for what was a great day out.

 

I turned up at Camarthen at noon, and watched 70013 come off for coal and water.

The points at the end of the station had no locking mechanism, according to the NR guy, because it had been 'borrowed'. The points were unbolted, changed and rebolted after 70013 went over them. That can't have helped.

 

Erm, perhaps not only thanks to Ollie and crew. Did you read this? I suppose that's part of a diesel's Thunderbird duties.

 

To be honest i don't care,it was the only place i think it pushed,it certainly didn't appear to give any assistance on the climbs prior to Patchway. It was definetly pushing there because Cromwell was barely doing any work.

I can't confirm the diesel was not pushing throughout,i doubt it was,it depends if someone can confirm. But either way,the sound of 70013 was awesome