Capital Christmas Express 28/11/2009

Looks like the Network Rail slewing will be successful and this trip will travel from Swanage to Waterloo and return, via Staines, after all.

http://www.networkrailmediacentre.c...eleaseID=4827&NewsAreaID=2&SearchCategoryID=8

Not sure when it closed but, presumably, this will be the first steam hauled train over [the site of] Feltham Marshalling Yard for 42 (?) years.

 

Not quite - Bittern is due to go through Feltham a couple of hours earlier (and is also booked to go that way when it moves from the Mid-Hants to Southall on Wednesday, but that's only loco and support coach).

 

I am not to great a fan of rainbow mk1 rakes, but to me it is more interesting to phot 34067 with something other than green mk2s.

 

I will hopefully be at either Virginia Water or Staines to see this. Will have to get up early though to get there in time to see 60019

 

Feltham was opened just after 0400 today after track had been slewed

 

Hope weather improves. Don't fancy getting drowned going round London!
Incidentally, only a few Premier seats left apparently.

 

Rake is a mixture of maroon mk1s and mk2s

http://railways.mjspencer.com/gallery/main.php?g2_itemId=3212

 

Saw the bath and bristol express this morning. 34067 looked absolutely stunning. Was billowing smoke like anybodys business and was well cleaned. Coaches looked OK.

No 47 on the back due to turning restraints at Bristol.

Why does 34067 only seem to ever carry the 1 lamp and 1 disc headcode????? This tour could have had the s&d headcode and a pines express headcode as I believe the pines used to run from poole up to the midlands.

However, it is great to see so much smoke in an urban area. It was running 5 minutes early at So'ton central, but delayed by 5 minutes by the 9:30 service to Waterloo taking up the platform. Was stopped just outside the station for 10 or so minutes.

Further proves the fact that 34067 is an excellent loco, whatever we say.

 

34067 passed Newton St Loe (on the outskirts of Bath) bang on time, en route back to Poole today. Looked stunning!

 

Looked and sounded great this morning as it worked up Parkstone bank unaided. Certainly Tangmere is sounding in fine voice and seems more than up to the challenge of running to time in the modern railway environment. Here's to a good run from Swanage on Saturday and some good photo opportunities in the impromptu mini-Bulliedfest at Swanage on Sunday.

 

You know, steam locos really are amazing. Today, i have some memories that i know will stay with me for years to come.

As i stood on the platform at chandlers ford, the man on the microphone made his announcement about standing back. Then, in the distance 3 lamps can be seen. Gets closer very, very quickly.

Then out of the blackness, Tangmere lurched out of the dark, smoke and all, at 60mph. It whooshes past, connecting rods working overtime. I can see all of the numbers on the cabside flash past. Then all the coaches follow. And off into the distance it goes.

Ah... what memories!!!

However, the bath christmas tour apparently wasnt due to lack of bookings, it was due to unavailability of stock and loco, more due to rytc organisation, than actual shortages.

 

I have a memory similar to that from a couple of months ago, I went to see 60163 go through Sturry, the train was running late and it was dark before I saw a tower of steam off in the distance, joined by two headlamps as she came closer and then into the light of the station she flashed past at 60+ mph there was a great rush of heat and steam and the smell was fantastic, all I saw of her was an Apple Green streak before watching each coach fly by. Memories. Hoping to make some more of them on Saturday

 

Announcement for Friday and Saturday Photographers.
In view of the current inclement weather the Birds Nest buffet coach at Swanage (Platform 2) will stay open until at least 16:00 on Friday for anyone filming the afternoon ECS arrival and subsequent shunting. Hot meals will stop being available after about 14:15 but Teas, Coffees, Cup-a-Soups, etc will still be on sale along with cakes, biscuits, crisps, etc. until closure.
Saturday (28th) morning the Birds Nest buffet coach will be opened earlier - from just after 07:00. Hot drinks will be on sale almost straight away and, once all the equipment has warmed up, they hope to start selling Bacon Butties from about 07:20-ish. Please form an orderly queue!

 

On time at Christchurch on a lovely fresh sunny morning for a change. A virgin affair quite close behind so will have to get a move on.

 

Went through Brookwood fairly on time

 

A couple of minutes down at Woking:

http://simon71.fotopic.net/p62302040.html

 

Great pic, its nice to see steam on the fast up yet again.

 

five minutes late at winchester, made up for it though with a great performance. Smoke bellowing and whistle blowing and roaring up the bank.

Typical bulleid smoke drifting though!

 

Thanks, glad you enjoyed it. It is good to see steam coming up to London so that the sun is on the right side for a change.

 

It certainly looked good at Winchester and thanks to the very helpful station announcer for continuous updates about its progress.
http://www.southern-images.co.uk/li...preservationera/mainline2000plus/DS05&start=0