The William Shakespeare - 30/12

UKRailtours.com: THE WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE

Well already its the last mainline steam charter of 2011! Tornado has replaced KEI due to "gauging reasons" which is worrying for a route that is one of the most suitable for a King. Also the unusual reverse working along the North Warks to Tyseley before returning to London has also been abandoned (according to uksteam, UKR have not yet updated their site) and the route is now simply Paddington-Stratford and return. Hopefully the running on the Chiltern Main Line will survive the next week as it can get written out at the last minute.

 

From the moment i first saw this itinery i must admit i was expecting a late change.

 

The UK Railtours website now says...

 

UKR now list the return as North Warwicks, Water Orton, Nuneaton, Coventry, Leamington and then as outward.

So presumably Tornado will have to turn at Hatton for the return?

 

Hmm looks good. Especially as those timings are apparently "confirmed" (although in the times for the pick up points I think there needs to be a bit of editing!) Should be good, can see the train along the North Warks then get back down to Leam to see it again. Hopefully there'll be a water stop at Banbury as well so should be able to see it a few times - well saying that, I think I'll wait a while before planning it in that much detail.........................

 

Anyone know which part of the GWR Mainline Network Rail have ruined now ? The Help for Heroes tour suggested the issues was the platform at Bordesley, but this tour turns off before Bordesley so the problem lies elsewhere.

 

Something down the Chiltern way after the upgrade there I would guess. I know there are some bits that look very tight even for modern stock window hanging along there, especially the sections where the double track splits in the Up direction south of Princes Risborough. Could easily see how some of that could fall foul of a King. Heck it even looks tight hanging out of a Mk 3 (or rather at that point you duck inside its that close!)

 

Times now appearing on the net, these are from S E gen.

UK Railtours "THE WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE"- Friday 30th December 2011

DB Schenker Operated.

Class 67 + Stock + Steam Locomotive 60163 'Tornado'

5Z27 04:05 Eastleigh T&RSMD to London Paddington
04:05 Eastleigh T&RSMD
04:10 Eastleigh
04:13 Shawford
04:17 04:19 Winchester
04:36 Worting Junction
04:39 Basingstoke
04:54 Farnborough
04:58 Pirbright Junction
05:02 Woking Junction
05:03 Woking
05:07 Byfleet & New Haw
05:09 Addlestone Junction
05:16 Virginia Water
05:23 Staines
05:38 Feltham
05:40 Feltham Junction
05:42 Hounslow
05:47 Brentford
05:53 Barnes
06:01 Clapham Junction
06:04 Latchmere Junction
06:11 Kensington Olympia
06:16 North Pole Junction
06:17 Mitre Bridge Junction
06:19 Willesden SWS
06:21 Acton Wells Junction
06:25 06:27 Acton Main Line
06:30 Acton West
06:33 West Ealing
06:34 Hanwell
06:36 07:32 Hanwell Bridge Loop
07:35 West Ealing
07:39 Acton West
07:41 Old Oak Common West
07:44 Ladbroke Grove
07:48 London Paddington

Steam Locomotive 60163 'Tornado' + Stock

1Z27 08:03 London Paddington to Stratford-upon-Avon
08:03 London Paddington
08:06 Ladbroke Grove
08:11 Old Oak Common West
08:14 Park Royal
08:18 Greenford East Junction
08:20 Greenford West Junction
08:25 South Ruislip
08:28 West Ruislip
08:34 Gerrards Cross
08:44 08:46 High Wycombe
08:53 Saunderton
08:58 09:10 Princes Risborough
09:31 Bicester North
09:42 Aynho Junction
09:51 10:00 Banbury
10:09 Fenny Compton
10:19 Leamington Spa
10:28 Hatton
10:30 Hatton West Junction
10:40 Bearley Junction
10:50 Stratford-upon-Avon

Class 67

0Z27 08:09 London Paddington to Wembley HS
08:09 London Paddington
08:12 Ladbroke Grove
08:16 Acton West
08:19 West Ealing
08:20 08:31 West Ealing Loop
08:33 West Ealing
08:37 Acton West
08:39 Acton Main Line
08:46 Acton Wells Junction
08:48 Acton Canal Wharf
08:50 Willesden No7
08:51 Wembley Yard South Junction
08:55 Wembley HS

Steam Locomotive 60163 'Tornado'

0Z28 11:45 Stratford-upon-Avon to Stratford-upon-Avon
11:45 Stratford-upon-Avon
11:53 Bearley Junction
12:01 Hatton West Junction
12:03 12:08 Hatton
12:10 Hatton North Junction
12:22 12:44 Dorridge
12:53 Hatton North Junction
12:54 Hatton West Junction
13:05 Bearley Junction
13:12 Stratford-upon-Avon

Steam Locomotive 60163 'Tornado' + Stock

1Z28 14:00 Stratford-upon-Avon to London Paddington
14:00 Stratford-upon-Avon
14:05 Bearley Junction
14:14 Henley-in-arden
14:19 Wood End Signal TB3478
14:20 Wood End
14:26 Whitlocks End
14:37 Tyseley
14:40 Small Heath South Junction
14:42 Bordesley Junction
14:43 St. Andrews Junction
14:45 Landor Street Junction
14:53 Water Orton
14:57 Whitacre Junction
15:14 Nuneaton Abbey Junction
15:19 Nuneaton
15:22 Nuneaton Chilvers Coton Junction
15:29 15:46 Hawkesbury Lane
15:50 Three Spires Junction
15:53 Coundon Road LC
15:57 15:58 Coventry
16:05 Gibbet Hill Junction
16:10 16:35 Kenilworth
16:44 Milverton Junction
16:50 Leamington Spa
17:04 Fenny Compton
17:13 Banbury
17:19 Aynho Junction
17:32 Bicester North
17:53 Princes Risborough
17:57 Saunderton
18:03 18:06 High Wycombe
18:17 Gerrards Cross
18:24 West Ruislip
18:27 South Ruislip
18:32 Greenford West Junction
18:34 Greenford East Junction
18:46 Park Royal
18:51 Old Oak Common West
18:55 Ladbroke Grove
19:00 London Paddington

Class 67

0Z29 17:50 Wembley HS to London Paddington
17:50 Wembley HS
17:56 Wembley Yard South Junction
17:58 Willesden No7
18:00 Acton Canal Wharf
18:04 Acton Wells Junction
18:13 Acton Main Line
18:15 Acton West
18:18 West Ealing
18:19 18:46 West Ealing Loop
18:47 West Ealing
18:51 Acton West
18:55 Friars Junction
18:58 Old Oak Common West
19:01 Old Oak Common East
19:03 Ladbroke Grove
19:06 London Paddington

Class 67 + Stock + Steam Locomotive 60163 'Tornado'

5Z28 19:20 London Paddington to Eastleigh T&RSMD
19:20 London Paddington
19:24 Ladbroke Grove
19:29 Acton West
19:35 Southall East Junction
19:36 19:54 Southall
19:55 Southall West Junction
19:57 Heathrow Airport Junction
20:02 Slough
20:06 Maidenhead
20:12 Twyford
20:18 Reading
20:21 Southcote Junction
20:31 Bramley
20:40 Basingstoke
20:45 Worting Junction
20:58 21:04 Wallers Ash Loop
21:09 21:11 Winchester
21:15 Shawford Junction
21:23 Eastleigh
21:25 Eastleigh South Junction
21:40 Eastleigh T&RSMD

 

Thanks very much southofthethames. Looks like no diesel so thats good. Not sure how the water stops work though looks like a pretty sharp splash n dash at Banbury I guess and then Kenilworth loop on the return. Could even pass it on one of the hourly service trains between Coventry and Leamington but best laid plans etc!

EDIT: These timings are now also on uksteam. http://uksteam.info/tours/t11/t1230a.htm

 

The following allowances re made in the timings for the Shakespear Express:-

1Z27
Princes Risborough 08.58 - 09.10 Pathing Stop to allow 2 trains to pass
Banbury 09.51 - 10.00 is the watering stop on the outward journey.

0Z28
60163 Turning move
Dorridge 12.22 - 12.44 is for coaling.

1Z28
Hawkesbury Lane 15.29 - 15.46 is for water
Coventry 15.57 - 15.58 is a crew stop
Kenilworth 16.10 - 16.35 is a pathing stop to allow 2 trains to pass.

I hope that helps a few!

 

15 mins for water, have you got the Mclaren F1 pit crew providing a tanker ?

 

Can be done in 6 minutes with the right supplier and equipment - been there and done it!

 

If Twotones are doing the watering the hoses are already layed out and connected to the inlet pipe within 30 seconds of the loco stoping,they are the top watering team.

 

Indeed, there's a world of difference between Bells & Two Tones, with their high pressure pumps and hoses already laid out and the days when a water stop would start with the support crew wandering around trying to find the hydrant, then clearing out the accumulated gunk to allow them to connect the stand pipe, only to find that the hydrant had about the same pressure and water delivery rate as a bathroom tap.

 

Just checked the weather forecast for the day of the tour.
Here's the rainfall prediction for 12 noon with the weather moving to the East:


A good day to test my new anorak that's for sure! :rain:

 

I know - things have definitely improved, but my comments are all based on experience and even the best hydrant water stop isn't a path on BTT.

 

There is nowhere really to coal at Dorridge. It is possible to take on water from Grove Bridge and is done so on trips running through Dorridge but it is more practical to coal and water at leisure at Stratford as frequently happens. Weather permitting I will see it at Dorridge and as it departs SonA.

 

I've seen the NR timing sheet which does say 60163 stops in the Down Loop at Dorridge for coal. We'll have to wait and see how it will be done. Load is 12 vehicles with no diesel, and 60163 is running from Southall to the Mid Hants with its support coach in the early hours of Saturday morning.

5Z63
Southall - 0540
Acton ML - 0614
Kenny O - 0633 (Plat 5)
Clapham J - 0642
Twickenham - 0700
Staines - 0720
Woking - 0746 (Plat 4)
Aldershot - 0803
Alton - 0832