THE BATH CHRISTMAS MARKET 4/12/10 (TORNADO)

Now departed Bath

 

Dep BTM 16:56, Keynsham 17:04, Trowbridge 17:41. <BJ>

 

Through Kintbury at 18.25 going really well, certainly the best eastbound steam run through here for a while.

 

Made a fine sight through Trowbridge this evening:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ox8GvctVlk8

Thanks to everybody who posted updates.

 

You mean you think he hadn't bought a platform ticket? :nono:

 

Interesting to hear all the supositions for the delays, though she would still to have been at Bedford for several hours so a late arrival should not have caused a late departure......any way an very but thanks to the St Albans signalbox guys who opened up the compound and invited us in so we got our pictures. We will return soon. My Wife and Daughter certainly apreciated being able to be there and not sat in the car watching Daddy standing on a snowy platform pleading for another ten mintes to see if she comes!





http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=580482&id=561985524&l=ca66ae385e

 

One view of it from this morning - thank goodness for gen-boxes!

http://timeaster.fotopic.net/p68322428.html

Still can't get over how silent she is - lovely!

Cheers,
Tim

 

It may have been wiser to keep the photographs private. <BJ>

 

The signal box at St Albans is privately owned

 

I think you'll find the St.Albans box is preserved and occasionally open to the public.
Colin

 

Thanks for the correction. I presumed it was a NR box. <BJ>

 

Looks like this was a spirited run with 60163 going by the videos on Youtube. There was a very noisy, enthusiastic departure from St Albans:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WoPYcn1b-r0

I had intended to see this run at Woking but slept in yesterday till 9.20, a result of being knackered from hiking into work last week in the snow. I was gutted when I woke up and realised what the time was. Thinking I had missed 60163 I decided to begin the dreaded Christmas shopping in Aldershot. What a waste of time that was. Didn't get any of the things I went for as the shops didn't have any of them. What a dump Aldershot is now. Wish I had looked on here instead to see how 60163 was running.

 

Indeed it is! We're open on December 12th (next Sunday) 2-5pm - Free entry but donations welcomed! The opening dates for 2011 have been posted on this forum - see http://railways.national-preservati...-St-Albans-South-Signal-Box-Open-days-in-2011 .

Visit our award-winning box this year or next - we think you'll enjoy it!

By the way, NR still own the box but the Preservation Trust has a 25 year 'peppercorn' lease on the box and surrounding grounds.

Regards,
John Webb
(Publicity Officer, St Albans Signal Box Preservation Trust)

PS If anyone has pictures of Tornado passing the box we'd love to have copies - please PM me for the info on where to send them to.)

 

Great footage. Captured the slip and your exasperation when the EMU passed in front of you and the train.

Also great to see a winter tour without a box - see it can be done!

 

Few photos from the tour yesterday:

Bedford:
http://aa.photosnaps.org.uk/p68343185.html
http://aa.photosnaps.org.uk/p68343178.html
http://aa.photosnaps.org.uk/p68343175.html (67017, don't look if you don't like diesels!!)

Near Basingstoke:
http://aa.photosnaps.org.uk/p68343187.html

Bristol:
http://aa.photosnaps.org.uk/p68343181.html
http://aa.photosnaps.org.uk/p68343173.html (light engine)
http://aa.photosnaps.org.uk/p68343179.html

Hope they are of interest,
Thanks
Alisdair

 

Thank to all involved in yesterday's trip,i was told by a steward that the problems started at eastleigh were the crew had to defrost the kitchen coach before they could leave then things did not get any better when they collected Tornado so instead of 04-50 arrival in Bedford it arrived at 07-00 then they had to detatch the diesel and that took longer than expected, at Bristol the ecs was late into the station,a good time was had by all in coach j, thanks again

 

dp266, this isn't my video. I just posted the link to show the spirited departure. I didn't manage to see this run.

 

A great set of pictures Alisdair.