CATHEDRALS EXPRESS, ALRESFORD - ELY ON 7TH JUNE.

Instead of, or as well as?

 

I hear 67026 is the loco to work the ecs

 

A couple of mins late into Farnham.

67 dead on the rear.

 

Through Staines 10 down

 

"steve wakerly" on angliagen says it passed gospel oak at 12:43 so looks like its about 45 mins late atm

 

I saw it at Frimley. Three pictures now on Flickr; here's the first one :


RD7054 70000 Frimley by Ron Fisher, on Flickr

Clicking on the picture will enlarge it and take you to the others.

 

Passed through Stevenage on the down main at 13:19.

 

Some good photos of steam in the south east this week, despite the conditions!

 

My video of her storming Camberley bank - turn up the volume!

Noisy Steam Train: 70000 Britannia storms Camberley bank, Cathedrals Express, 7 Jun 2012 - YouTube

 

Any updates on the return timings ?

 

No diesel on back when through Feltham this morning. It ran through about 5 minutes later light engine.

 

It got to Harlow about 15 minutes down tonight, but I didn't measure the exact time. Water stop was a quick splash and go, so it made up some time. No 67 on the back, but it will apparently be added at Temple mills.

 

Sat at the Holland Park roundabout at 2135, I thought I'd gone mad when I heard a chime. As I drive over the WLL at Shepherds Bush, the smell told me I'd just missed Britannia! Gah! Anyways, passed Shepherds Bush at about 2135!

 

A fairly good run yesterday which suffered problems from various sources.
First up the Class 67 was left at the rear of train. We were told on the train that it was required for Camberley bank but when we got to the bank it didn't assist and just added to the weight of the train with 70000 really slogging hard up to the summit near Bagshot. Then we had a "Magical Mystery Tour" through London as the engineering works at Kew were still in progress. We also took a different route after London.
And the boiler in the Buffet car packed up causing a shortage of hot drinks. Thanks to the guys in the 70000 support coach for providing some "emergency" supplies of hot water!
After a very wet and windy visit to Ely things were better on the return run. Plenty of hot drinks were needed and plenty were supplied.
Typically as we left Cambridge the sun began to shine! 70000 performed well throughout especially when towing the 67 around as well. She had a bit of trouble lifting the train out of Staines on the return with rather a lot of slipping. Again the 67 was on the rear but did not assist. We got back to Aldershot about 30 minutes late.
Thanks to all involved for doing the best they could in what were obviously difficult circumstances.