The Red Dragon

Whole train turned at Swansea, standard stuck at rear for the whole trip. At least we get to hear the 47 pushing us as far as Oxford, where it is rumoured to be taking over from 6201. No wonder people have bailed out. Why suffer another 6 hours of crap running being push by a diesel? Currently being shoved out of Swansea. What an absolute joke! If I wanted a diesel trip I would've booked on one. Same again for Midlander out of BNS I guess, in which case I, and the three other people sat at my table, won't ever be booking with Vintage Trains again. I don't mind being at the back of a train on one leg, but both legs and with diesel assistance is not on!

 

Whats the diesel shoving for Lizzie should laugh at the job Vintage trains are usually lightly loaded compared to some. I can understand your disappointment on board.
Brian

 

It's only load 11, not a heavy load. I can understand the need for a diesel to shunt release at Swansea, but there is no need for it to stay on all day. There are plenty of sidings at Swansea or Landore for the stock to be stabled in during the layover. Even the platforms at Swansea aren't exactly busy. One the orginal spec the tour was supposed to reverse 3 times during the day, now it has been reversed once and the whole train got turned. For an out and back tour that is not right. I understand it's not down to VT to say if the set should be turned or not, but they should have a say in the matter and not accept it. You can't even tell there's a steam loco on the front most of the time.

Currently somewhere between Cardiff and Newport on time.

 

Passed Pengam (on the outskirts of Cardiff) on time, on the slow line.

Cheers,

Phil.

 

Do you know if there's any real truth in these rumours? I'm not sitting on a bridge halfway Hatton Bank at 10pm waiting for a diesel!

 

Left magor water stop 10 minutes early

 

6201 through Winterbourne, east of Bristol Parkway, at 19:01. Very nice light.
Box on the rear of the train pushing hard. Lizzie hardly working. <BJ>

 

How many people do you know for sure bailed out?
As for the train not being turned, as someone has already said that is quite likely down to NR. And you can't dictate to them.
As for diesel assistance well I travelled right next to the 47 from B'ham to Foxhall Jcn and there was no pushing on that leg.
One other thing, apart from coming on here to complain, have/did you make your feelings known to a steward, or Bob Meanley, I'm sure you know he's on the train.

 

Watched Lizzie on Stormy bank in both directions. You could hear her approaching but she appeared to be making light work of the job. But I wasn't aware of any noise or effort from the 47 ( including from platform level at Pyle). The one run I have had behind her she has a lovely exhust note but isn't as vocal as , say, a King or maybe Cromwell for that matter. Bit more ladylike.
I can remember 6201 working Welsh Marches trains back in the early 80's. Out of interest, has she or any other Stanier pacific ever been this far west on the South Wales main line?

 

Any more progress updates anyone?

 

A couple of photos of 6201 from the outward and return legs.

http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/irtmainpage/tmpsteam/2010photos.htm

 

Box on wheels really pushing up Hatton Bank under Budbrooke Bridge. I feel really sorry for those stuck in the back coach with that racket. Perhaps someone from Tyseley can tell us why the 47 was pushing so much?

 

Not sure if its the case today for the old Girl, but I heard that the last WCML duchess trip had the diesel for assitance on hard working stretches due to potential fire starting risks.......

 

She seems to be coping well on her own in this one.........

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3BuyRNRZdN0

 

All pull and no push.

 

I have added a few shots of Earl of Mount Edgcumbe at Banbury and Lizzie at a windswept Shrivenham to my collections.
Lizzie certainly was pulling well when we saw her!

http://rickeborallphotography.fotopic.net/

Regards......

 

It would be nice to have an official explanation or apology instead of a funny comment. If I had been on the train I would be claiming a full refund.

 

I travelled in standard yesterday and there were a lot of disappointed people there with regards to the train being turned and the amount of diesel assistance. A couple siad they were going to write letters and had made their feelings known to stewards. Why was spindizzy told the train wouldn't be turned if it was out of VT's hands?! I don't think there was much assistance on the outward trip but on the return you could hear the diesel very clearly, feel the shove as it kicked in and the acceleration being shown on the GPS was far too quick for steam alone. I can understand some assistance being required out of Swansea as they were tight times to Cardiff &Lizzie slipped, but why we needed such shoves out of flat loops and station stops I do not know. I think we are owed an explanation for this, I have travelled a number of times with VT and they have always been run by enthusiasts for enthusiasts and if there was a genuine explanation then we should know. On previous trips for example the diesel has followed in a path behind or been switched off dead, not left running as it was on this run.
The rumour about the change to diesel on the return was started by a VT announcement on the outward run stating Lizzie would come off at Oxford and it was never corrected, stewards were later asked and said they were confused, so until Lizzie stayed where she was we never knew.
I don't like to sound so negative about this trip as it was an epic run in turns of mileage and the performance outward was excellent. There was very good running on the return (Oxford to Banbury in a mile a minute) but we will never know whether how much was down to steam or diesel assitance and thats a shame and did temper my enjoyment somewhat. As has been stated the original schedule called for several reverses guaranteeing good sound effects, while the route changes were necessary and beyond control of VT, for some to only hear a 47 pushing was always going to cause disappointment.

 

In that case you'll have to wait until someone comes on here who can explain what happened.
I left the train at Foxhall Jcn. to come back with 5043 and wasn't on the Swansea legs of the tour. Add to that I come on here as a private individual, so even if I'd been on the train I wouldn't comment on operational matters.
One thing I'm certain of is that there must have been a very good reason for the diesel giving assistance or it wouldn't have happened.