Weymouth Seaside Express 2012

Heres my short video of Tangmere attacking Evershot, taken at Winterhays near Yetminster.

The Weymouth Seaside Express 34067 Tangmere, 01/07/12 Winterhays, near Yetminster - YouTube

 

TBEL have reeled 70000 back in for this Sunday as 71000 has become unavialable so Tangmere to the rescue once more - a facinating season out of Bristol!

 

Indeed, no word on why 71000 has become unavailable yet though. Hoping it's nothing serious as that loco seems to be having mixed fortunes.

 

Yeovil Pen Mill to Weymouth line currently closed due to line blockage caused by flooding. National Rail advise the situation is currently "bleak" so not sure how this will affect tomorrow's train.

 

Well it won't be going Weymouth if the lines still blocked in the morning, even if you had a viable diversion you still need to reach Yeovil's turntable.

I wonder if going to Plymouth/Par a few weeks ahead of schedule is possible ?, presumably the path it runs in when it's scheduled to operate is just sitting empty currently ?.

 

Well that's an interesting thought, and if I was one of those booked I'd be delighted to accept a journey to Plymouth / Par instead. That said, there are now reports of flooding between Tiverton Parkway and Exeter st David's so it's all a bit of a lottery at the moment. What about Bristol to Weymouth via Reading West and diesel hailed back if all else fails ?

 

RTC website now reports additional stops at Dawlish and Liskeard have been added to Royal Duchy itinerary by the way. Not sure whether there's a separate thread for the RD from Bristol or not ?

 

Calling at Bath, Trowbridge, Westbury and Frome? Oh and picking up and setting down passengers back at the roughly advertised times? Perhaps not.

 

I'll grant you it's not ideal, but is there a better suggestion, short of cancellation ?.

Would add far too many hours to make it an acceptable day out, and I doubt NR would entertain trying to path a train on such a busy route at such short notice, the Royal Duchy path is already there by comparison, just waiting to have a train in it.

 

Probably something beginning with D and ending with L but hopefully not for the sake of those booked.

 

Looking at the question mark for Sunday July 22nd it shall be interesting to see what powers this train. I'm guessing that w/34067 doing the return with 4464 doing the outbound on the Thursday July 19 Dorset Coast Express that Bittern will be possibly powering that weeks Weymouth.

 

That could work very well unless 71000 has arrived in Bristol by then in which case 70000 is likely to pick up the 22/07 Weymouth I imagine. Time will tell though, and off the top of my head I'm not certan whether 4464 is gauged between Westbury and Weymouth via Maiden Newton or not. Anyone who knows better please speak up.

 

Well, whatever ends up where thats fine with me.
Either Way, it would be cool to see Bittern end up on either the Weymouth or Torbay Express that weekend. I now think the latter(Torbay) is more realistic.

 

From SWRG line at Yetminster to be closed all day Sunday due to flooding. Might cause a problem.

 

Just seen this posted on gen group, this guy posts reliable gen...

Line at Yetminster to remain closed Sunday, FGW services to terminate Yeovil Pen Mill with NO alternative transport provided.

 

Hopefully it will be running still. There is a nice long message on the First Great Western website which states

" The line between Yeovil Pen Mill and Weymouth will remain closed until the end of service today Saturday 07th July. Due to severe flooding at Yetminster First Great Western is not able to operate a train service between Yeovil Pen Mill and Weymouth on Sunday 08th July. Replacement road transport cannot operate between Yeovil Pen Mill and Weymouth and we advise for passengers not to travel for stations between Yeovil Pen Mill and Weymouth."

Fingers crossed.

 

Fingers crossed indeed, was originally going to see this trip at Evershot and Upwey...

I don't like speculating on what I think could happen to the tour, but have thought about other routes that could be used instead. Could we see a "reversed" and revised Bath Spa Express? Start in Bristol with normal pick ups as far as Westbury, before veering left via Salisbury to Eastleigh* and then down to Weymouth via the south western? On the return, 47245 drags the stock and 34067 back to Southampton (providing there is a path), before 34067 takes over via Romsey* and back to Bristol... It's a thought/suggestion, but whether it could be organised in time I do not know.

* I am unsure whether there are any engineering works at Romsey at the moment, as I read on WRGen that there were two GBRf engineering trains going to Romsey tonight. I don't know whether that will affect the first services or not?

Would not be surprised if the tour is now cancelled, but hey, stranger things have happened! Let's hope something can be sorted in the morning.

James at SVN with fingers crossed!

Main Line Steam 2012 - Part 1 OUT NOW through www.steamvideos.net

 

Well the fingers crossed might have worked
First Great Western has taken down their message about the flooding on this line. But National Rail Enquiries still have it up. Time will tell. So excited about taking this trip all the way from Bristol to Weymouth.

 

I am afraid FGW has now confirmed that it is unable to run train services between Yeovil Pen Mill and Dorchester/Weymouth on Sunday 8 July as the line remains closed.

 

Yeah. refreshed about 1hr after posting this and it came back Must have been a glitch when they wanted to get rid of the Exeter one