RTC 2026

The train has a large green headboard on it.....

 

Has Eddystone been removed as according to Railcam it’s 2 x 47’s

 

Nope green headboard is still on the front, 47 802 doing all the work from the rear.

Andrew

 

thanks Andrew

 

New territory today for the glorified whistling machine, seen at Sandy

 

What has to be remembered, when moaning about the diesel doing most of the work, that the cross section of passengers on the train means that there is practically no option to cancel the train when Network Rail impose Red restrictions to steam operations.
Think about the people who are using the tour to celebrate a birthday, a wedding anniversary, a family reunion etc etc? To cancel a tour with 1 or 3 days notice because of the Red restrictions, would ruin a long looked forward to day.

 

Someone has dropped a clanger, as the Water Bowser normally provided at Huntingdon wasn't booked. This info from a member of staff at Huntingdon.
Also, although she was booked at Huntingdon for about 20 minutes, her stop there caused a following Horsham - Peterborough service to ait in the section behind, becoming over 23 minutes late in the process...

 

Looking at Real Times Trains seems the Thameslink service was due to move to the fast to overtake Eddystone at St Neots but was running late so wasn’t able to. Eddystone stopped as booked at Huntingdon and left early.

 

The appearance of Eddystone at the head of the train today certainly pleased the usual large crowd of families who come to watch the steam trains at Welwyn North - I thought it might be quiet today being booked before 8am but it wasn't. Hope all the passengers have a good day.

 

The route is through largely arable farming area areas almost all the way with tender dry crops either side of the line. I’m very surprised it isn’t black restriction , ie no steam, today, just be thankful it’s there

 

Eddystone at Sherburn-in-Elmet on the RTC White Rose to York.
Temperature around 28 degrees with the 47 doing most of the work. Still good to see WCR/RTC had it on the train though. Good turn out on the station to see it go through. To be able to see any steam loco on the mainline whether it's working hard or not, nearly sixty years after the end of steam is a credit to all those who keep doing it.