Dorset Coast Expresses - 2013 season

Update on return to London Waterloo, 1Z69 34046 TnT 33029 arrived Woking 20:33, 3 mins early. Theo equalised for England after 29 mins, 1-1.

 

Thanks for all the kind comments about my video from this morning, I'm glad you all enjoyed it.

 

just seen braunton at fleet what a lovely sight well worth the wait! ironic to think 50 years ago as a long term Bournemouth engine it was normal to see braunton twice a day at Farnborough and on summer Saturdays 3 or even 4 times a day when it became an object of scorn not bl×××y braunton again!!!! not sure about black back ground on name plates seem to remember being red on west countries??

 

true but still think red more authentic nit picking really

 

Only just made it to Winchfield in time this evening as most of the roads in the area are shut for road works but it was well worth heading out to see her. Here is my hastily taken video at Winchfield:


Great to see her back on the Main Line at last and there was an impressive turn out for her this evening.

 

This is a cracker, I have been trying to get this effect for ages, checkout the pulses of the firebox lit against the exhaust as 34046 hammers through Weybridge in the dark and rain.

 

Those two videos above have been worth the extra wait for her mainline debut. Loving all the other videos as well.

 

Thanks Dan for your kind comment. I nearly didn't bother heading out as the weather turned but I am glad I changed my mind!

 

Wonder if there were any timers aboard?

From RTT it looks like there might just have been a sub 30 minute run from Woking to Waterloo. Not a spectacular time on it's own, but a sort of benchmark time for an OK run in the 1960s.

I did think about going down to Woking tonight to beg/borrow/buy a run up on that section. But I got rather absorbed by things at home today.

Bug..r. Might have missed the only start to stop section with steam I would have wanted to be on this year!

Oh well, such is life.

 

Many thanks guys. The vegetation around Egham is getting very high now so if you do try that spot steps are essential. I will give that embedding trick a try next time.

For what its worth, 34046 was a couple of minutes early through Surbiton looking just as good as this morning.

 

Here's my token gesture from this evening.



Looking forward to seeing 34046 out and about in these parts a lot more and well done to the guys at Rileys for a fine job, especially the project leader who had the honour of firing out today, well done Mr B!

 

Great stuff, bet you were a bit nervous when that unit was heading for your platform!
Now, on the subject of flashes in the exhaust, can anyone tell me what was happening between 10 and 25 seconds in this clip I shot of Bittern last year?
It was very dramatic on a gloomy evening and I never knew what caused it!

 

Looks as though it may have been a floodlight or something along those lines.

 

My video is still uploading, but eventually, it should be visible here:



Locations are Egham (spot BR 73082 surrounded by horses!), Holes Bay and Grateley station.

Braunton looks and sounds the business, with a very even exhaust beat. I wonder if she'll stay that even? Clan Line has become more synchopated over the years, as has Tangmere. Weather forecast for Sunday looks promising at the moment, so perhaps a visit to Whiteball and the WSR would be in order?

 

I heard it coming, guessed it would be through pretty quickly....All adds to the drama.

As for the flashes in Bitterns exhaust, thats weird, but it looks like the light source is stationary not traveling with the train. Car headlights maybe?

 

Here's my photo from this morning, just north of Micheldever station.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/davestubbings/9510906467/lightbox/

 

I went to Winchfield so that I would be able to get several shots. This is the first one and clicking on it will enlarge it and take you to the others :


RD8023. 34046 BRAUNTON arriving at Winchfield. by Ron Fisher, on Flickr

I've still got the captions to write, but that will have to wait until tomorrow. Anyway, you will all know what you're looking at!

I was going to say how good she looked and sounded, but everybody else has beaten me to it!

 

I was there the day that picture in 1996 was taken as I was part of the first West Somerset Railway Association working party on the engine when it was still in the sidings at Brighton. We had to cut a tree down that day that was growing through the cab before she could be moved. Living in the USA now I can't be there to see her in person but it is great to watch the videos and look at the pictures. I do think that the work the WSRA put into this engine is being overlooked though. I spent many hours cleaning and painting parts in Williton shed as did many others over the years.