Victoria to Minehead, 21st June, 2012

Thanks King Stephen for the clip - made a nice getaway ! Tremendous acceleration once on the move DH

 

D1661 understood to have failed at Bishops Lydeard after coupling-up. Standby D6566 took over. Not sure if D6566 worked the train alone. Further updates to follow...

Steve

 

Thats a fair old load for a Crompton if she had 1661 as well Steve! but have seen them do things like that before Dick

 

Recent report on SWRGen (Ta Alan Spencer) suggests the 33 took the train and 47 onto Minehead. Nice bit of Crompton thrash then! Sounds as if weather was not that good either Dick

 

Shame they haven't got an air braked steam loco. Or use dual/vac braked stock. Comes back to bite you eventually.
Wouldn't of happened if SD carried on using West Coast and/or the Green Train.

 

That was some departure from bracknell very impressive .

 

Bittern on the approach to Isleworth this morning

Steam Railway Photography in the UK | 4464 Bittern The Cathedrals Express 21.06.12. | _DSR1519

 

Return train arrived 5min down at Bishops Lydeard behind D1661 (leading) and D6566. Loco swop. Departed 5.28pm. Could just be right time handback to NR

Steve

 

Assume they got 1661 working again then Steve - nothing too serious hopefully! Dick

 

Or did the 33 pull the lot?

 

They will have an air braked loco shortly - Braunton when not used for mainline excursions.
Steam Dreams new set (not the current coaches being used) will be dual braked - G Bunker was quoted as saying in Steam Railway

 

Reported departing from Taunton right time. <BJ>

 

Bittern seen near Egham this morning.Mainline Steam 2012 - Stephen Leek's Photos | SmugMug

 

Deary me, I wouldn't call that enthusiastic smoke in those first 2 pictures!

Now the video from Bracknell was enthusiastic, showing good acceleration away from the stop in the station and certainly not hanging around.

 

Here's a second video from today, this time of her emerging from the gloom and the pouring rain just past Wokingham tonight. Hooray for Midsummer's Day:

[video=youtube;A14eUmtVOos]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A14eUmtVOos[/video]

 

A couple more from Victoria this morning, including that clag.

 

Tangmere and Bittern just minutes apart at a wet and windy Chiswick station tonight. Not the greatest quality video but...

[video=youtube_share;FrDKgXQhT-g]http://youtu.be/FrDKgXQhT-g[/video]

 

Well it did provoke "Inspector Sands" into action as the train departed!

 

Just out of curiosity, was anyone at the outward Sunningdale stop for this? Did the stopped train extend back across the level crossing?