Dorset Coast Express, July - August 2011

Many thanks for sharing Ron, much appreciated!

 

My pleasure. It made a change to get some pictures from somewhere different. Tornado took water at Beaulieu Road the following day; hopefully, I shall get those pictures onto Flickr in the next day or so.

 

Was out with grandchildren all day so missed 4492 this morning . Tangmere was in great form tonight with a lovely clear light grey exhaust and going like a good 'un - up top of Parkstone bank at 1742 DH

 

4492 also known as 60019 worked light engine to Eastleigh this evening after earlier stint on DCE through Parkstone at 2022 - some 20 minutes early and catching few people out! DH

 

Evening All,

I have just added a few shots of Bittern / Dominion of New Zealand on yesterday's 'Dorset Coast Express' to my Flickr site, together with some pictures of Tornado at Beaulieu Road a couple of weeks ago. They're in the 'Stop press! Latest Pictures!!' collection in the Set dated 31st August :

http://www.flickr.com/photos/train-pix/collections/72157627090322278/

They'll be there for about a month, but they can also be seen in the Main Line Steam collection which is here : http://www.flickr.com/photos/train-pix/collections/72157627155603462/

Hope that they're of interest.

 

Had a cracking run on the DCE on Tuesday. A strange schedule with 4492 on the outward run as she had her second tender in tow. For instance we had a water stop booked at Winchfield. 4492 crawled along to Winchfield and was held back until the signal changed at the station and she was opened up through the station so we went straight through. Also made an unscheduled stop at Eastleigh as we were early. Heard a number of passengers moaning that we were running late to the timings in the guide book handed out on the train. The stewards then told them we were running to different timings. We did actually arrive at Weymouth on time (according to the times on Uksteam which were the correct timings). It was very much quick-slow-quick-slow on the outward run with 4492 only managing to stretch her legs a few times. The return run on the other hand was much more lively. 34067 is in magnificent form at the moment. Sections of the return run were comparable to the great run on 9th July. Plenty of high speed running with a wonderful dash from Basingstoke to Woking. 34067 was also very vocal on the climbs of Upwey and Parkestone bank.
There was a small problem with the smokebox door not shutting properly which was scorched when we left the train at Woking. It didn't seem to hinder 34067 much though.

 

As usual, many thanks Ron for sharing your photos with us!

 

Seems similar to last weeks run, the return being a lot better than the outward run. Stopped outside and in the station at Eastleigh last week due to being early, although there were signal problems in the Southampton area.

 

Thanks Green 5 and Paul42 for those comments - Tangers certainly seems to be in fine form at the moment and simply stormed up Parkstone Bank on Tuesday evening. The comments about the timing sheets being different to the actual timings seems to have been going on all 2011 season and was touched on earlier in this thread I think. The down trip appears not the easiest to schedule especially from Southampton onwards until Wareham and then it is a dash to Weymouth. With the SW main line being so busy not sure on the options DH

 

If the fires on the ECML thread is factual as to 30777's status it would appear Sir L is currently at Loughborough for repairs not at Southall.

So given the problems with 30777 arising from those fires on the ECML does anyone know if the DCE this week will be 70013 down from London and then simply diesel only on the return leg, or the diesel heading out of Weymouth with steam on the back for a reversal at Southampton? (That seemed to be the previous fall back option)

 

Surely 60019 is still in the south and would normally return this week. The general working seems to have been down 1 week then poole -bristol on the wed. and back to London the following tuesday.

 

60019 is at Swanage at the moment in preparation for their steam gala next Friday/Saturday/Sunday.

 

I asked as 70013/30777 were supposed to be working Tuesday's trip and still are according to UK steam tours. However the ECML fires thread suggests Sir L went to Loughborough by road from Newark and therefore unless the repairs were done very quickly and it has had a short-notice low-loader run south 30777 isn't at Yeovil Junc shed for prep' for Tuesday's run.

60019 is at Swanage but the arrival trip is showing on their website and Bittern is chimney to the sea so the wrong way round for working Weymouth - London. It is too big for Swanage's turntable so would require either (a) loading onto a lorry to turn or (b) a l/e run to Yeovil Junction (Or?) for turning. Also if it did work up to London on Tuesday on the DCE it would have to be worked back again light to honour it's Swanage Gala booking next weekend.

70000/34067 can't do the up run as they are on other work on Tuesday. 71000 was at Bristol but I don't know where it was going after working to Devon and back hence the query re Tuesday's running.

 

I think it may well be a wait and see situation especially as Tangmere has now had problems and there may have to be changes made to cover that - the other possibility is that 70013 will work down with diesel on the back and they will return top and tail to Southampton for Oliver to lead back to London via Laverstock Loop and Andover as has happened earlier in the season. DH

 

Hence my original query!

 

U.K. Steam suggests the latter scenario.

 

Apologies John - misread part of your earlier post reading it in a hurry! - agree that unless some other loco becomes available (which does not appear likely at the moment) the most likely option would appear to be as we both suggested and as has happened earlier in the year, that is Oliver down top and tail with a diesel and the return going via Andover after a reversal at Southampton DH

 

I recall WCRC declining to use 71000 ?

 

71000 currently on route to Nene Valley Railway (if memory is correct) engine and support coach reported at Swindon on SWRGEN (Thanks to Andy Harkness) at 1515
DH