The Midlander -28th june - 6233 non stop

As I am savouring the thought of travelling on this, I am wondering if the preferred route south has been confirmed yet ? Maybe V.T. or Ben in particular, could shed any light !
Thanks
Andy

 

Hi all

Im booked on this trip and wouldblikr to know if anyone csn tell me the current non stop record for a steam engine from birminghsm to london?

What should the duchess be aiming to go for? 2 hours non stop?? Will thier be sufficient water on board to travel the distance?

Sent from my SM-T310 using Tapatalk

 

It would also be interesting to know whether the route has been confirmed, i.e. via Weedon, or Northampton ?

 

I believe that REG is in the consist so water should be no problem; according to NR tender is good for 72 miles and REG should take care of the rest.
[REG = Railway Extra Gallons IIRC]

 

Even if the train isn't looped too much, I doubt any records will be set, since it will have to run up the slow line, out of the way of the Pendolinos, etc, in amongst stoppers and freights.

 

times now available:
outward
http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/U50712/2014/06/28/advanced
return
http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/U50711/2014/06/28/advanced

Looking forward to this! Booked on board with 4 other people, great amount of time to explore in the capital!

 

Ah, via Northampton. Would have booked it if I had the money, but I don't feel I'm missing out on too much now its not going via Weedon. However, BNS and steam into Euston were pretty strong incentives, though. No matter, can't do everything, and I have to get on with planning some archival research sessions for the following week.

 

Timed for 60mph ? That can't be right !

 

Northbound departure from New street as well. Im guessing the 47 will be on the back from Tys or will the Duchess take the train on her own from Tyseley?? 6233 will certainly make some noise coming round the Soho loop.

 

I half expected it as the WCML and Vermin are a different kettle of fish to FGW on their home patch, I booked it regardless as it's a Duchess out of New St (about time too).

 

When was the last time a duchess hauled a charter out of birmingham??

Vt are really good at doing non stop trips, anytime vt advertise non stop , they commit thier promise.

Are thier any inclines along the route?

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Soho Bank, just after new street !

 

At the risk of splitting hairs, and purely in the spirit of avoiding myths developing, we came up with the REG designation purely as a bit of fun one day as a Range Extension GUV. Hope this settles that one!

Regards
Bob

 

I believe not too long ago, the Caledonian Sleeper stalled here when on a diversion, not well known but can be a tricky one, otherwise Camden on the return start out of Euston is the main one.

Also believe given Tornado went through non stop, this is the first westbound steam departure from New St in pres ?.

 

Contrary to what you think may have been NR's attitude, there is actually a very valid reason for the route etc.

Let me start by saying that we never set out with any expectation that we would be pathed via Weedon, there is (as far as I know) no white space between the pendo's using that route, and much as I love the Stanier Pacifics, I have to concede that Pendo's do tend to be a little bit faster. That therefore posed something of a challenge to the train planners to try and meet the hopes of at least trying to run non stop. Northampton is the most obvious challenge, but there are deeply hidden issues with Birmingham in general and New street in particular. New Street is a building site and is regularly losing one or other of the platforms, with consequent increased pressure on those remaining in use. It therefore becomes even more difficult to actually arrange station dwell time in New Street. The planners at MK have actually taken a keen interest in this one, and it seems to me that they have taken it as something of a challenge to see what could be fitted in with existing WTT paths, without of course compromising them. Consequently the path offered via Soho and the Grand Junction is a viable attempt to find a slot through New Street at an appropriate time which will then get the train through to Coventry via the Grand Junction without being stopped by other services. The path does work on paper, but of course on the day should it not work, it will have everything to do with the inability of the full time trains to run on time and nothing whatsoever to do with disinterest from the planners at MK. All I can say is that the train plan shows it passing through Northampton with no dwell time. When it comes to the crunch it is all about happenstance, we have been immensely lucky in past attempts at such runs; where delays have occurred to full time trains which have been to our benefit, and we can only hope that we are similarly lucky next Saturday.

Whatever, I am personally very grateful for the thought and effort which the planners have put in to try and pull something out of the bag on this one, if they were really as dour and uncaring as some post them, I am sure that several months ago, the answer would have been "can't be done".

We shall just have to hold our breath and hope
Regards
bob

 

I agree entirely, and Bob's point re unforeseen circumstances working to "The Midlander's" benefit on the day is a very valid one. Remember the Cheltenham Flyer after all, which when the timings were published elicited a similar collective groan as we've seen here. The reality was v different and so it might prove here. It's a fingers and everything else crossed scenario basically, and a case of remembering that a Duchess, or indeed steam of any kind out of New Street was a dream only a few years ago, not to mention a non stop run up to Euston. Keep all that in mind and it seems to me, nobody travelling should feel too disappointed when they alight at Euston, regardless of what happens en route

 

Fair point, but I assume there will be no TOC bod with a laptop on this train looking for on the days gaps ?, I'll enjoy it regardless mind.