'The Royal Duchy' 2013

60009 'Union of South Africa' has been rostered for the first 'Royal Duchy' railtour of 2013 on 2nd June. <BJ>

 

Crikey, No.9 is doing the class proud in this anniversary year with its prodigious workload. The support group must be due medals too!

 

Yes - and it's even running a few hot bearings in honour of Mallard's record run!

 

Ooo thats seriously good news! About time we had some A4 action down in Cornwall! Now all I have to do is figure out how to hobble out to see her with my broken leg! Typical!

 

Solo or with a pilot?

 

Shame it's sold out for standard class never mind.

 

Solo. The Royal Duchy was limited load last year - 8?

 

I think our friend is having a dig at the A4 class. The train often has a banker over the Paignton to Kingswear route. <BJ>

 

That's the Torbay Express surely. The Royal Duchy goes over the Devon banks to Cornwall does it not?

 

Will be on holiday near Par for the second train on the 9th . Hope to see No.9 .

 

Indeed it does but the question of an A4 needing a pilot may refer to the A4 class in recent years running between
Paignton and Kingswear with a diesel at the rear. <BJ>

>> ''That's the Torbay Express surely. The Royal Duchy goes over the Devon banks to Cornwall does it not?''

 

You can attack Dainton and Rattery somewhat faster than Goodrington, seeing the speed Ray Churchill managed to get 34067 going into Dainton Tunnel last year, I'd think an A4 would be fine in his hands.

 

If you want to attack Goodrington send the K4, that being said 4472 delivered some fine performances when it visited shortly after it returned from the States. If Ray Churchill is on the trip and they land some reasonable fuel (and 60009 does not have the misfortune to spit another cork) then the job should be a walk in the park, so to speak.

 

Can anyone recommend any good alternative viewing points in Cornwall other than respryn bridge and the Station at Par? Due to my recent injury I don't fancy pushing through crowds on the platform (it's going to be busy, isn't it!). Hopefully I can get some shots of her being turned at Par, but wondered if anyone knew any other places for a good view? Obviously if it requires scaling a bank (or in my case anything more than a small kerb ) that's out of the question for me at the moment!

 

60033 gave a magnificent performance up Hemerdon in the '48 exchanges with IIRC a heavier load so number 9 should make it ok.

 

Just booked on this the 9th run was told 60009 is booked to do this 2nd and 9th runs only and I had booked the last available standard tickets for the 9th happy days.

 

Lostwithiel Station. I photographed Bittern there in 2010( while on holiday) on the return journey passing a nice set of semaphores ( luckily the sun was behind a cloud since the photo would have been into the sun).Not too busy and all the photographers stood in a line. I parked in the free town carpark a 5 to 10 minute walk from the station

 

It's not the first time N0.9 been over Devon banks solo. It did a Bristol to Plymouth & back with 9 on 22nd November 2003 the day England won the rugby world cup.

 

That's right, on the Pilgrim Father. I've just had a quick look at my video of that run taken at Dainton on the down run and Hemerdon on the return. Very slow at the top of Dainton although I think there may have been a booked stop at Newton Abbot. On Hemerdon, part way up, a very steady climb as though she hadn't had a good run at the bank. The weather didn't look very good that day.

 

Bittern did a solo run on 19/09/2010 from Bristol to Par and rtn. I was on that and it coped admirably.