Brief Encounter Special - 14th Feb (Evening)

Hi all,

Have been informed on very good authority that the evening trip to Brighton will depart from Platform 7 and run via Battersea Park and the normal Brighton line, not running via Stewarts Lane or Tulse Hill, running via Battersea Park hasn't happened in a very long time, infact does anyone know when this last happened?

The return is also going to be rather interesting, scheduled in for non stop fast line running all the way from Brighton to East Croyden and into London in 73 minutes, not going to be hanging about!

 

Thanks for the info.

Regards

Mike M. (70c )

 

Fair play Big Al, in my defence there's absolutely no way I'd have known that little gem. Totally agree, that certainly isn't hanging about & guess the fireman may have been abit busy too!

 

Interesting to contrast that (nearly an hour for about 50 miles) with some of the recent timings on the ECML for Tornado and the A4s. I suppose it's quite fast for the Southern with lots of other trains to contend with and lots of junctions to negotiate, but it's pretty much on a par with the start to stop timings for many mainline trips today.

 

Trilbies,raincoats, pipes optional.................

 

I could be wrong, but this might this be due to one of the bridges near Battersea having its weight limit lifted after some work around Christmas; perhaps this routing will become more popular in future?

Chris

 

Hope so like others I'm always looking for a different shot it that area.

Mike M. (70c )

 

I'll probably go and see this at Haywards Heath.

 

A 58 minute schedule for nowadays up from Brighton would be rather good. And as indicated there is no comparison with most ex SR routes heading into London as against the ECML. Always a problem into Waterloo for instance in steam days. Regularly got checked approaching Surbiton if the "Bils" were put out onto the main line in front of an up Bournemouth train. Or a late running Guildford New Line train stopping at Wimbledon on the up fast. What seemed fairly slack steam timings had to take such trains into account.

But 73 minutes, non stop on the fast line all the way from Brighton in ten days time? Can't really work that one out. Unless it's following a semi fast service train all the way. If not it could keep time hardly touching 60 mph.

 

I suspect it is the slow line North of East Croydon.No mention of fast line or nonstop between East Croydon and Victoria in the first post.

The train has to depart and arrive at the South Eastern side of Victoria station

 

That makes more sense.

All goes to prove that not only aren't I a total steam enthusiast, (as someone suggested here recently), but I can't read English properly either.

But I still manage to struggle through each day! LOL!

 

I will most probably go to Haywards Heath to photograph this. All depending on the times? (Which don't appear to be up as of yet?)

 

I might see you there then.

 

I'm told the train will be departing from Platform 7 at Victoria, not sure what platform it will be returning too on arrival later in the evening.

 

Regarding the "slow line north of East Croydon" idea - there is no reason why whatever engine is to haul this can't stay on the Up Fast, go through Clapham Junction's platform 12 and go straight ahead down towards Longhedge Jcn (straight ahead, where trains into Victoria on the Up Fast veer to the right near Culvert Road). Doing as such will still allow access to the SouthEastern side of Victoria.

The timings will reveal all I'm sure....

 

Doesn't look like 34067 will be on the front. 44932 is replacing it on the Valentines Sussex Belle on the 12th. Might make up for not seeing 44932 at Haywards Heath back in December. Though if it is 44932 then it's going to be a 60mph limit.

 

The outline times for the return ( from Steam Dreams website) have a departure from Brighton at 22.22 and arrival at Victoria at 23.35. According to National Rail enquires a service train stopping at East Croydon and Clapham J leaves Brighton at 22.19 and arrives at 23.13.

 

I wouldn't be so quick to jump to that sort of conclusion.....