Cathedrals Express 22nd Dec

This is a much changed tour, Starts at Newington, finishes at Tonbridge, and you get to see the delights of Clapham Junction and the south London 'burbs twice.

 

Interesting end to this tour, its got 34 minuets to do Edenbridge to Tonbridge then UK Steam seems to imply steam hauled ECS back to London, don't think there is a triangle at Tonbridge though so is it top and tailed running backwards?

 

Well its not the same as that originally advertised now is it.

 

Some times for the ECS from Southall tomorrow
http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/U54744/2013/12/21/advanced

 

That's one way to get to Sittingbourne!

 

Lot of shuffling around at Tonbridge http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/U54746/2013/12/22/advanced

 

No shortage of track to get one or both locos to the other end of the train, but as Ashley said, no turning facility. But at that time on a Sunday a tender-first ECS probably won't be much of an issue.

 

Just looking at the timings this one is a real endurance test for the support crew:

Off Southall 1857 tonight, park up for night then trundle round Kent/S London twice tomorrow and back to Southall 0133 Monday morning!

 

And then leaving Southall for Bury at 1030!!!

 

Message posted on SE-Gen says the ECS is being hauled by 47850 (is that the blue one?) with the 5s on the back facing smokebox first. So I guess that the box will stay on the back all day tomorrow and carry out the ECS duties from Tonbridge.

 

I would guess there is too much too-ing and fro-ing at Tonbridge to be a quick "fire up the diesel and haul it backwards" jobbie.

 

Left Sittingbourne on time with 47850 on the rear

 

Will try a see them at Ashford - weather permitting

 

Half an hour held at Redhill according to Realtime, hope it makes up some time or it will be pitch black for piccies coming up out of Dover!

 

Was at Nutfield, next stop down from Redhill on the country end of the UP platform, in a legal position. Seems like the whole town then turned out to watch this, and a number of them (locals clearly - they all knew one another and some had mugs of coffee) gathered at the town end of the UP platform, and then trespassed down the platform slope past the signal. An UP service train driver hooted at them but they ignored him. The next down service train (should have been the one behind the Excursion, which by this time was late and had not appeared) stopped before the down platform and remonstrated with the crowd gathered on the platform slope. A fast up went through, and then the BTP appeared, along with some guy in a hi viz (network rail style but NO NR logo) and spoke to all the people on the platform, taking some names of people who were close to the trespass scene.
After everyone had gone the BTP and faux NR guy wandered up to me (and two other experienced photters) and said the excursion had been terminated due to overrunning engineering works at Tonbridge.

So we were last to leave the scene, and I wandered over to my car, where upon shutting the boot I heard the "Bing Bong - Stand clear, next train not stopping - blah) over the tannoy, so I quickly grabbed the camera and ran back onto the platform to take a hand held shot of the, now, 30 minutes late excursion.

So, either the "engineering works" was a load of old bull to clear the platform of people, or the works had just been cleared.

Anyone know the real reason?

vid to follow

 

There were engineering works between Sevenoaks and Tonbridge that overran. Service trains to Tonbridge had been diverted via East Croydon and Redhill all day, my guess would be that was the cause of the delays.

 

Was going well about 45 minutes down at Penshurst this afternoon. A few pictures at http://www.flickr.com/photos/n_burgess/sets/72157638914966725/

Hope to get out to see them at Tonbridge tonight.

 

Through Ashford at the revised time, shame the light had gone as they were both working hard.

Pleased to report we got a whistle and friendly wave from the lead engine