The Dartmouth Express - an A4 on Whiteball

I just thought I would mention this trip as times have appeared on uksteam. This looks rather interesting as it includes a rare non-stop (booked) run Exeter to Bristol. 60019 will also be given a run at Whiteball in the morning with a non-stop run Bristol to Tiverton. I believe the last loco to get to do Exeter-Bristol non-stop was 71000 in 2008. In 2007 the 71000 was stopped at Taunton East Junction and 60019 will be the first in many years to get a run without the bridge restriction before Tiverton.

 

With the advent of OTMR I doubt 60019 will be able to get anywhere near 60009's speeds up & over Whiteball - on that memorable Past Time Rail trip which ushered Trevor Barnett's [Exeter Driver] retirement from BR! That trip also brought back many, very happy memories of his times on the regulator when based at Marylebone.
Should be a good trip on 20th, I hope, and am looking forward to hearing that three cylinder beat again.
As some say "Gresley Was Right" !!

 

Oh Dear - another proper engine down in Devon

The copper cappers will be jumping off Dawlish prom!

 

Indeed speed will be constrained on the run downhill, but whether 19 can get close to the 20 min mark, as 9 has done twice, Exeter to Whiteball summit will be interesting. Can 19 get close to the Tuanton to Whiteball times of 71000 and 6233? Might well be a heavier train of course.

 

Does no.9 still hold the fastest speed over Whiteball in a northbound direction? What was it,71mph on the Torbay that was load 9,intended for 5051? Still the best Torbay's i have been on,the ones with no.9 Such a shame that its on the same day as the Western.

 

Edit......

 

Just got a couple of std class tickets for this run. Boarding at Westbury. Anyone else coming?

 

with regard to L/E runs, when is it leaving Ropley??? it is due to run from southall to bristol on the friday, but nothing as to when it leaves Ropley.

Will it leave on the thursday, in which case that will be interesting as i am hoping to volunteer down at ropley on that day.

 

70013 had a creditable speed going down Whiteball northbound on its trip over the Devon Banks last summer, according to a few carriage speed recorders. That was still one of the best runs I've had, but 6201's sustained high-speed running last Saturday has caught it up a bit...

 

I was wondering about this as uksteam shows a LEM for 60019 Alton to Southall on 25th March, which is after the tour. However tickets arrived this morning saying 60019 Bristol-Kingswear-Bristol so I assume all is OK!

 

70013 topped Whiteball at 59 mph, an excellent performance given it was subject to the Stoneshill bridge restriction. The time of 21m 37s was the fastest I am aware off with the Bridge restriction in place. As far as I know the fastest 60163 acheived was on the 9th August 2009 - 22m 1.5sec, but with 11 coaches; these are way faster than anything I have personally timed with 6024 or 34067.

 

What's the start and finish of the 21+ min timing?

 

Depart Exeter St. David to Whiteball Summit (MP174).

 

19th March. Southall-Bristol for Kingswear railtour on the following day. Return to Southall 21st March.

25th March. Alton-Southall presumably in readiness for the 'Palatine' railtour on 27th March? <BJ>

 

Thanks No. 7. Now another question to all. What's the usual route that Bittern would take from Alton to Southall? It's easy to find times for EC movements on uksteam, but I can't see any LEs. Have I overlooked them or are they available somewhere else closer to the day?

 

surely 60019 is working from alton to southall tomorrow?

 

60019 moves from Alton - Bristol on the 19th
10.20 off Alton

 

Can someone post if the lem is on time tomorrow, hoping to get a photo near Havant. Cheers

 

Re: 60019 BITTERN and "The Dartmouth Express".

Does anyone know which diesel locomotive, should be a Class 47, will be doing the hauling of the 1Z46 part of this tour from Poole to Bristol Temple Meads in the morning and the return leg 1Z47, BTM to Poole in the evening.

Thank you in advance for any forth coming info.

Regards SteamHawk216.

 

On time through Farnham.