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RTC Swanage Belle 2026

Discussion in 'What's Going On' started by Gladiator 5076, May 15, 2026.

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  1. Gladiator 5076

    Gladiator 5076 Resident of Nat Pres

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    Confirmed timings taken from RTC website for May 20 trip.
    Leaves earlier than previous years, and arrives later, only the Brentford pick up being different.
    2 hours 3 mins seems a "sporty" target for a turnround based on previous trips.

    Confirmed timings shown
    Station Outward Return
    London Victoria 08:21 22:09
    Brentford 09:16 21:41
    Staines 09:35 21:21
    Woking 10:06 20:34
    Basingstoke 10:56 19:46
    Swanage 14:32 16:35
    -
    -
     
    Gladiator 5076, May 15, 2026
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  2. Deepgreen

    Deepgreen Part of the furniture Friend

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    Interestingly, the times are still not on RTT - quite late for a (relatively) non-celebrity loco.
     
    Deepgreen, May 19, 2026
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  3. Gladiator 5076

    Gladiator 5076 Resident of Nat Pres

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    Gladiator 5076, May 19, 2026
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  4. Bulleid Pacific

    Bulleid Pacific Part of the furniture

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    Bulleid Pacific, May 20, 2026
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  5. Deepgreen

    Deepgreen Part of the furniture Friend

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    Also interesting that the stock stands in p7 at Victoria for nearly an hour, tying up a platform there on a weekday morning, albeit a little before the peak.
     
    Deepgreen, May 20, 2026
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  6. Gladiator 5076

    Gladiator 5076 Resident of Nat Pres

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    Gladiator 5076, May 20, 2026
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  7. TH Railway Videos

    TH Railway Videos Member

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    34028 Eddystone charges over Chelsea Bridge at the start of The Swanage Belle this morning
    Also complimented 2hrs later by 34046 Braunton
     
    TH Railway Videos, May 20, 2026
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  8. Deepgreen

    Deepgreen Part of the furniture Friend

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    This morning at Woking. Perhaps it's me, but the 34028 cab-side number looks as if it is applied in bold! 115A6588.jpeg 115A6586.jpeg
     
    Deepgreen, May 20, 2026
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  9. Deepgreen

    Deepgreen Part of the furniture Friend

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    My film from today (including the Saphos 'Golden Arrow').

     
    Deepgreen, May 20, 2026
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  10. CLN_WVR

    CLN_WVR Member

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    The water stop(?) at Fleet seems to have run over a bit. At least one delayed service train, that should have stopped at both Fleet and Farnborough, has been routed onto Fast Up, so has now gone through both stations.

    Edit: Although Eddy is now moving.

    I wonder if they were able to offload passengers from the service train at Winchfield, so that they could join the next service, which was just behind and did not have to change lines
     
    Last edited: May 20, 2026
    CLN_WVR, May 20, 2026
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  11. Bulleid Pacific

    Bulleid Pacific Part of the furniture

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    More water was needed than the time allowed. Suspect it was the last chance to fill up before Southall. However, it must have been the slowest approach to Victoria from Clapham Junction I've yet experienced! Very narrowly caught my booked train north from Kings Cross, thank goodness.

    Otherwise, a good day out, with a little bit of required track in the guise of the main line link to the Swanage Railway, and some more miles behind 34028. Thanks to all who continue to make these things possible.
     
    Bulleid Pacific, May 20, 2026
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  12. Big Al

    Big Al Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Moderator

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    Woking to Victoria in 95 minutes must be something of a record!
     
    Big Al, May 21, 2026
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  13. Gladiator 5076

    Gladiator 5076 Resident of Nat Pres

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    Back on Swanage metals the Belle heads away from Harmans Cross having passed 257 Squadron in the station. DSC_0417r.JPG
     
    Gladiator 5076, May 21, 2026
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  14. TH Railway Videos

    TH Railway Videos Member

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    TH Railway Videos, Jul 23, 2026 at 4:49 PM
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  15. Gladiator 5076

    Gladiator 5076 Resident of Nat Pres

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    Something different and only a few more mile distance on the back for 34028 than a DCE.
    A fish and chip day on the SR so hopefully the tour will be on time or the chips may be cold.:)
     
    Gladiator 5076, Jul 23, 2026 at 5:11 PM
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  16. The Gricing Owl

    The Gricing Owl Well-Known Member Friend

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    Provisional timings give four hours to Bournemouth which looks to be on the direct route from Waterloo. And four hours back, but via Fareham to get the train to reverse and put 34028 at the front end.

    Plus an 07.00 Waterloo start.

    Not a trip to bring me out of my SR main line steam retirement.

    But I'll miss the chance of seaside fish and chips at Swanage.

    Bryan
     
    The Gricing Owl, Jul 23, 2026 at 7:07 PM
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  17. Big Al

    Big Al Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Moderator

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    So Eddystone is going to be towed tender first from Swanage to Fareham. That's quite a distance. Just saying.
     
    Big Al, Jul 23, 2026 at 11:01 PM
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  18. The Gricing Owl

    The Gricing Owl Well-Known Member Friend

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    I can't see any reasonably straightforward alternative to that Al. But there could be one I've missed of course.

    Bryan
     
    The Gricing Owl, Jul 23, 2026 at 11:19 PM
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  19. MellishR

    MellishR Resident of Nat Pres Friend

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    Some trips reverse at Southampton to run via Romsey and Laverstock. That is a bit shorter but not much.
     
    MellishR, Jul 24, 2026 at 7:05 AM
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  20. Big Al

    Big Al Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Moderator

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    I guess it's a sign of the times with the various operational and loco availability issues that operators are now having to contend with. The days are long gone when we had the luxury of steam top and tail on trips like the remarkable Bluebell Explorer with the RTC back in November 2013. Braunton plus 44932 down to Sheffield Park and then back to Oxted to then visit Uckfield before returning to Victoria. A logistical nightmare with the watering of two locomotives that West Coast handled really well.

    That said, not all loco owners are happy with their loco running tender first so it's lucky that the owners of Eddystone are happy with the arrangement.
     
    Big Al, Jul 24, 2026 at 7:28 AM
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