cathedral express - tyseley to paddington via new cotswold line - 17th september

The message from Hinksy did say 09.35 but I knew what it meant. Didn't want to embarrass anyone by mentioning it on here.
Thanks for the update anyway.

 

Any reason why? Seems to have performed ok all day so far.

 

Presumably the Old Hill climb is too much to risk with 5043 alone with 10 on.

 

5043 in Worcester this morning:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/neilscottuk/6156376018/sizes/l/in/photostream/

 

5043 approaching Iver this morning:

http://stephenleek.smugmug.com/Rail...Steam-2011/17580045_BxQB2R#1483646942_XW6qzk6

 

Just got back to my (temporary) home from this day out and have showered out several ounzes of coal & grit from my hair!!. Brilliant, absolutely, brilliant enjoyed every minute and the Castle went like the wind!! Too many highlights to list although blazing through Goring (a favourite location) on the return was quite something. Many thanks to ALL concerned.

 

Deleted

 

Mate, Les filmed the tour in the London area
http://youtu.be/JPMt98tjG5E?hd=1

 

Despite being told by one chap yesterday morning that it would be too dark to film the return trip, I ventured out anyway to see No:5043 race down Honeybourne Bank and the results can be seen in the following video.
Personally I do not think it has come out too bad (okay, a part from the people standing just behind the camcorder who insisted on saying things like 'ooh, isn't he going fast!') but as always and feedback on the video or on improving the quailty or filming techniques are most welcome.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DD__dneGVFc
Thanks to all involved who made the train happen, those on the train and people behind the scenes - yesterday showed all that is best about mainline steam - fast running and on time!
Thanks again and hope you enjoy the video.

 

Nice shot that Horace!

I was the guy with the baseball cap on the island platform,I would have joined you, but I wanted to reduce the risk of anything getting in the way! Below is my effort V's yours, and one from the return Посмотреть вложение 3234 Посмотреть вложение 3235

 

Hello and thanks for the comment.I like your effort for the evening shot.

 

Thanks

it would have been even better had she opened up, but the signals were against her - she opened up just after clearing the station!

BTW were you the one with the monopod or the shorts?

 

Here is my video of the tour yesterday.

[video=youtube;OAA-uc4olqI]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OAA-uc4olqI[/video]

 

That last clip is just magnificent! :clap2:

 

I was the one with the mono pod, so you cannot blame me for the rain !!!!!

 

I dont! I blame the guy who turned up in shorts (never mind the look on his wife's face, wishing she were somewhere else!) - He put the mockers on it, just glad it stopped before the 'Earl' turned up!!!!!!!!!!

 

Simple really.

The train became so popular that it ended up with 10 coaches and was over the load limit for a Castle on Old Hill. On a busy suburban line and with a certain amount of focus on steam activites on NR at present it was neither responsible or indeed sensible to exceed the limit on a day when rain was expected at intervals. certainly conditions on the Cotswold line were just about the worst that we have experienced for slipping and I can't remember us ever using the sanding gear as much as we did yesterday, as we managed to empty the leading sandboxes on the outward run. Added to this, recent platform gauging issues at Cradley, now prevent the ability to get a run at the bank. So I was just not prepared to even consider any thought of trying it with an overload on Old Hill, such heroics have no place on NR. There was achoice of putting the diesel on at Worcester or Stourbridge. The original path thought to be available had a certain amount of waiting around and it became clear that we could get an earlier path with abit of help from FGW but it required the diesel to be attached at Worcester so there was no thought of putting it on the rear over that distance. The final bit of the jigsaw was that it avoided the time and complication of trying to find somewhere to water from a tanker between Worcester and Bham, with the complication of a later arrival for the passengers.

In the event, although the Castle did have a go in the early stages, we were checked consistently up Old Hill by a local in front, so if it had been raining and not piloted there could have been considerable problems. We believe we took the right and only possible decision.
Regards
Bob