Great Britain 3, 6-14 April 2010

30777 scrubbed out on uksteaminfo for the Penzance - Bristol leg, and also scrubbed out for The Royal Duchy Bristol - Penzance on Sat 3rd Apr.

Looks like an ollie + black five doubleheader instead.

Dave B

 

44871 + 70013 confirmed on uksteam as designated locos for the Bristol - Penzance 'Royal Duchy' railtour and the Penzance - Bristol 'GB3'.
Oliver Cromwell is allocated the Bristol - Preston leg. <BJ>

 

Bristol - Preston leg now double headed by 44871 + 70013 and confirmed on uksteaminfo.

Light engine moves to Glasgow on 9th April now tripleheaded, the 2 black fives and Oliver Cromwell.

Times showing on uksteaminfo as running just ahead of GB3, good for the linesiders that morning!

Dave B

 

I see that 70013 + 44871 are making their way down to Bristol from Crewe, dose anybody have any times for this? - as I know I will hopefully be out to see them go and return on the Tour

 

UKsteam now showing 5029 routed Paddington - Swindon - Bristol on the 6th

 

Well, it's only happened by default, due to unavailabilities and the strike, but we now seem to have a Castle to Bristol via Swindon, on GB3, in the GWR's 175th year. Only right and proper if you ask me.

The latest strike-related route changes now on UK steam are not necessarily second-best either. Unless you live in Wales or Cornwall, that is.

 

but if the strike is called off will they revert to the original routing and timings?

 

just seen on uksteam that on thursday 8th - the great brition from bristol to preston is now going via cheltenham and nun eaton, could some confirm this and does this mean that the double header will be going up the lickey incline and then going via camp hill to nun eaton continuing to preston?

cheers

 

agreed that routing is now showing on uksteam info but if it goes via the Lickey and Camp Hill and that seems the only logical route as it cannot get directly to Nuneaton going via Old Hill, it will arrive at Nuneaton with the steam locos facing south and there are no turning facilities at Nuneaton. It will be interesting to see what happens.

 

Also on UK steam it shows day 2 as being steam from Totnes to Bristol, rather than Penzance.

 

you sure their are no turning facilities at nun eaton? perhaps they will put one on the back of the load and make it more interestung?

 

I've read on the Gen groups that the two engines will run light from Penzance to Totnes (SDR) after the Duchy on Sunday the 4th.

 

I wondered why they picked Totnes.
Makes sense having the SDR avialable there.

 

Totnes is the western end of Exeter PSB's area. Perhaps Network Rail cannot staff Plymouth Box during the strike. Very nice vistors for the SDR, and I'm going to Germany for the Plandampf!!

 

What i'v heard is up the Lickey, across Camp Hill to the trianglar junction for the Sutton Park Lane, reverse so the Diesel heads the train via Water Orton to Nuneaton, where the steam loco's are facing the rtight way to head north up the WCML.

 

What's the reason for the redirection away from Shrewsbury? I have to say I am very disappointed

 

Not enough men on duty to man secondary routes ? seems to have running on 'prime routes' from Bristol - Preston now rather than out the way via the Marches, probably explains why it goes via Nuneaton rather than over Sutton Park & via Wolverhampton too.

 

I don't think the Great Western main line London to Brizzle was on the original itinerary either.

 

Just heard on Today Programme R4 there's been a landslide somewhere near Berwick on the ECML.
Its between Berwick and Dunbar.

Brian

 

Every credit to RTC and NR that they are bending over backwards to ensure this tour actually takes place. Under the circumstances, everyone should just be relieved and content that a service will run. It would have been so easy for NR to take the view that commuter services etc take priority and a "hoiliday trip" was of no consequence. Some considerable effort has gone in to ensure that view has not been taken. Well done RTC and NR.