Renaissance Hotel re-opening. Charter 15/05/2011

Timings now available. Thanks to Kieran Wildman.

Sunday, 15th May, 2011.

09:00 5Z33 Southall - St. Pancras. Class 37, plus train, plus 34067 d.o.r.

Here is an outline of the timings:

1Z34 34067 Tangmere plus support coach plus 9 (plus diesel?)

10:40 dep St. Pancras
11:02 Acton Wells Jn.
11:24 Clapham Jn.
12:00 Swanlea
12:28 - 12:41 Maidstone East (photos !!)
12:54 - 13:18 Lenham loop
13:37 Ashford Int.
14:04 arr Canterbury West

1Z35 34067 Tangmere

16:20 dep Canterbury West
16:47 Sandwich
16:53 Deal
17:08-17:09 Dover Priory
17:28-17:48 Folkestone West
18:04 Ashford Int.
18:56 Swanlea
19:38 arr Kensington Olympia

5Z36 diesel and steam top 'n tail
19:50 dep Kensington Olympia
21:00 arr Southall FSS

Hope this is of use. <BJ>

 

Thanks,I missed that Thread.
Colin

 

0z34 diesel
st pancras 10-55
southall 11-55

 

Hope to catch this at Gospel Oak in the morning, 3 min walk from home.

 

Just caught it looking very nice in full Golden Arrow regalia. I was near the site of Lismore Circus Station and she was making a lovely sound in the cutting. 10:43ish for those interested.

Paul

 

Hope to catch the return run later on

 

Tangmere was looking and sounding great as she slowed for a signal check at Bickley


IMG_4614 by timbgray64, on Flickr

 

Really nice shot Tim. shame I couldn't get out to see it. Hate SWT ticket machines!

 

Lovely photo, but strewth, is that the end of the platform at Bickley? Attached is my first surviving photo. Taken from almost the end of Bickley station platform in September 1960. 34088 on the down Golden Arrow.



The signal check today was due to a rather late change of signal etc because of the preceeding Orpington train. I was with brother Don at the next bridge, towards St Mary Cray Jctn. And from previous experience there he did say it would take quite a while for the road to be set for Tangy, so he knew it would be checked. Oh for the days of a man standing in a signal box and pulling levers and wires as soon as one train had cleared the junction! LOL!

Hutbers Law, "Improvement means Deterioration". (Joke fellas, Joke).

Will post my blurred, dark and out of focus photos from today later.

 

Early through Ashford approx 17:50. Had hoped to get a picture, but Nikon's finest refused to cooperate

 

Those hoping to see Tangmere on the return working be aware that it was 15mins early at Charing Kent.

Alan

 

Was still a little early as Tangy made a really lovely noise on the climb through West Malling.

But with a service train just in front I suspect the special would be back to just on time before Otford Junction.

 

Out of St Pancras in the morning... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l5A3Idp4ZPA

 

No joke that! All bar one of my shots at West Malling in dreadful gloom were just that! Have got so used to the wonderfully fast and accurate focus of my Nikon f4 300mm lens with/without the TC 1.4, (my bird lens combination), that I somehow assumed my Nikon 70-300mm zoom, (my failed bird lens!), would also focus the same.

Dooooohhhhhhh...................

So it was focussed OK for the first West Malling shot, (important to me, it's been my home station for over 25 years), but the rest were truly blurred dark and out of focus! LOL! Made up for by the lovely noise Tangy was making on the climb.

Bickley shots in better light were OK. Just one bridge down from where Mum and dad started it all for elder brother Don and myself in the 1950s, taking their growing class of brats out to watch the trains go by. Was with Don at Bickley yesterday, and later for a great family lunch with all brothers and sister. A good day!

 

How Bickley has changed (& grown) in 50 years, & Thank you for your comment.

I did try the bridge to the Bromley side of Bickley (Clarence Road) on Friday evening's Cathedrals Explorer, but it needed a step ladder to get a decent view, and felt lazy on Sunday morning so opted just to walk to Bickley