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RTC: Dorset Coast Express 22/7/26

Discussion in 'What's Going On' started by buzby2, Jul 12, 2026.

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  1. buzby2

    buzby2 Well-Known Member

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    First of the season BUT subject to Network Rail not having a 'Black' [NO STEAM] regime in place for Wednesday week:

    WCRC Southall to Victoria [ECS]: https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service...2/detailed
    Victoria to Weymouth: https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service...2/detailed
    Usual trundle to Basingstoke then a rare (?) outward routing via Eastleigh and Botley to Fareham where the train reverses with the tail-end diesel taking over to haul the whole train via Hamble to Southampton, Bournemouth and Weymouth.
    Winchfield seems to be the usual outward water stop and I wonder if the 22 minute stop at Brockenhurst Platform 1 might also see a water tanker attending or car park fire hydrant used [subject to third rail not precluding this]. More water (and coal?) at Weymouth Jersey Sidings I guess.
    Weymouth to Jersey Sidings: https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service...2/detailed
    Jersey Sidings to Weymouth: https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service...2/detailed
    Weymouth and main line all the way to Waterloo: https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service...2/detailed Water stop possibly at Eastleigh Signal E85 [alongside Southampton Road Car Park] ?
    Waterloo to WCRC Southall [ECS]: https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service...2/detailed
     
    buzby2, Jul 12, 2026
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  2. Bulleid Pacific

    Bulleid Pacific Part of the furniture

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    Also, I understand, the first time 34028 will have run into Waterloo since withdrawal in 1964.
     
    Bulleid Pacific, Jul 12, 2026
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  3. Gladiator 5076

    Gladiator 5076 Resident of Nat Pres

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    Although with only a few days of drizzle forecast down this way a temps still in the high 20's or low 30's before then I will be surprised if it is not a bit longer still before 34028 hits Waterloo again.
     
    Gladiator 5076, Jul 12, 2026
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  4. Bulleid Pacific

    Bulleid Pacific Part of the furniture

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    Indeed. But that's the historic context for whenever it happens first this summer.
     
    Bulleid Pacific, Jul 12, 2026
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  5. Deepgreen

    Deepgreen Part of the furniture Friend

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    I will be amazed (and, frankly, worried) if there is any steam at all on this run, sadly. No rain forecast so the already bone-dry conditions can only worsen. A great shame - I was looking forward to seeing 34028 out.
     
    Deepgreen, Jul 14, 2026 at 8:36 PM
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  6. buzby2

    buzby2 Well-Known Member

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    Hope NR decide soon as if they ban steam it will save the support team from travelling needlessly to Southall and back again.
     
    buzby2, Jul 14, 2026 at 9:55 PM
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  7. Romsey

    Romsey Part of the furniture

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    I think that has happened already looking at other threads.
    Red for Scottish Route, Black elsewhere.

    Cheers, Neil
     
    Romsey, Jul 14, 2026 at 10:29 PM
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  8. Deepgreen

    Deepgreen Part of the furniture Friend

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    Sad though it is, I think it's the correct status.
     
    Deepgreen, Jul 15, 2026 at 10:11 AM
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  9. Gladiator 5076

    Gladiator 5076 Resident of Nat Pres

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    Gladiator 5076, Jul 16, 2026 at 6:30 PM
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  10. Romsey

    Romsey Part of the furniture

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    I think that I know, perhaps it should be in the Location quiz thread.

    Cheers, Neil
     
    Romsey, Jul 16, 2026 at 6:36 PM
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  11. twr12

    twr12 Well-Known Member

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    It wasn’t so long ago that the first a steam loco support crew knew that it wouldn’t be running that day due to fire risk, was when the driver turned up in diesel driver uniform rather than steam crew blues!
    The loco was in steam, FTR’d and ready to go.
     
    twr12, Jul 17, 2026 at 7:43 AM
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  12. Deepgreen

    Deepgreen Part of the furniture Friend

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    Yes, and they couldn't even be bothered to remove the bit in the same paragraph about 'reliving the golden age of steam' with the "disel" loco (or giving a brief explanation about the reason being the fire risk)!
     
    Deepgreen, Jul 18, 2026 at 1:12 PM
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  13. Gladiator 5076

    Gladiator 5076 Resident of Nat Pres

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    Well technically you could celebrate "the golden age of steam" for the route rather than the motive power. The spelling mistake is well just that.
     
    Gladiator 5076, Jul 18, 2026 at 6:34 PM
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  14. Deepgreen

    Deepgreen Part of the furniture Friend

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    "Technically", yes, but that isn't the spirit of it. Typos on web sites annoy me because it's just sloppy not to take a few seconds to check.
     
    Deepgreen, Jul 19, 2026 at 12:04 PM
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  15. Gladiator 5076

    Gladiator 5076 Resident of Nat Pres

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    Gladiator 5076, Jul 19, 2026 at 5:03 PM
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  16. Deepgreen

    Deepgreen Part of the furniture Friend

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    Deepgreen, Jul 19, 2026 at 5:26 PM
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  17. Gladiator 5076

    Gladiator 5076 Resident of Nat Pres

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    I guess so, although if it hauled by a 47/57 I guess you could leave the loco used for the ECS in London as I believe you can still reverse in an out of Jersey Sidings as you do not go past more than one signal.
     
    Gladiator 5076, Jul 19, 2026 at 5:36 PM
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  18. Saint Austell

    Saint Austell New Member

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    would you rather, they just cancelled the whole train instead?
     
    Saint Austell, Jul 19, 2026 at 7:56 PM
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  19. Romsey

    Romsey Part of the furniture

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    A good idea but the run round in Weymouth Jersey Sidings is locked out of use. The run round in Weymouth station is roughly 8 coaches, so I'm afraid you're stuck with a top and tail formation.

    Cheers, Neil
     
    Romsey, Jul 19, 2026 at 9:27 PM
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  20. MellishR

    MellishR Resident of Nat Pres Friend

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    I would rather they put a bit more effort into their descriptions of their trips.
     
    MellishR, Jul 20, 2026 at 7:36 AM
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