CATHEDRALS EXPRESS, ALRESFORD - ELY ON 7TH JUNE.

Note that there has been another change of motive power for this trip. 60019 had replaced 34046. Now 70000 has replaced 60019 on the SD website.

 

I have a nasty feeling there will be a box on the back of this one,previously the ECS for Ely trips has been taken to and from March. Can anyone better informed than me comment?

Many thanks

 

I don't think I've ever seen a diesel on the back of a tour to Ely before. As it's coming in from the south, the steam loco can take the ECS to March, then turn on the triangle after stabling the stock near the station.

 

There was one on the trip from Lewes last year.

 

70000 coming up the long 1in60 incline through Camberley should be quite a spectacle! I for one am pleased about that loco change :smile:

 

I was also very pleased with the loco change. The section through Camberley should be very interesting as the charter is due to pick up passengers at Camberley. I wonder how 70000 will cope compared to 48151's efforts last year?

 

I take the main reason why a diesel loco could be on the back will be to bring the stock in to Alresford and to help with the outward and return trip over Medstead bank?

 

Any one got their tickets for this run yet? We usually get them by e-mail but they are cutting it a bit fine to send them out especially for those who get them in the post as there won't be any deliveries after tommorrow for three days.

 

I haven't booked on this tour - the cost (Around £100 per person I think) was a bit too steep, but have some timings from the SD website:

Alresford dep 08:35
Alton dep 09:20
Farnham dep 09:42
Camberley dep 09:48
Staines dep 09:53

Return timings are very late, only for the owls really! Arrival at Alton is due to be at 00:01 and Alresford 00:35!

James at SVN - should be out in the morning (Thursday, not Friday!), so will post with videos and photos if I get up to the MHR

 

Thanks for that. They must have just updated the SD site after I posted my previous comment.
I nearly considered catching this trip at Alresford as they had more reasonable timings before. Glad I didn't choose Alresford. That's a bloody long day. I'm getting on with my Father at Aldershot and we don't get back there until after 23.00. Still looking forward to it though. I just have the task of telling my Father what time we get back now! The reply will probably be "Oh for *$%" sake!"

 

UPDATE 17.49 ON 1-06-12:

Tickets have just come through. Looks like another frustrating time was had with NR. The trip has now lost three of it's pick-up points; Camberley, Ascot and Staines. Passengers from these stations will be escorted on service trains to Aldershot and Sunningdale respectively.
With regards to the later return timings road coach alternatives have been arranged from Sunningdale to take passengers back to Alton and Alresford where they will at least get back the same day (an hour ahead of the charter train!) SD tried to leave Ely two hours earlier but there were apparently "no gaps between the service trains despite previous trains having been accomodated".

 

So does the tour finish at Alresford? Seeing as there are coaches being prepped for the tour at Sunningdale, is there a point in letting the Brit return back to the MHR, when (I imagine) quite a few people will alight at Sunningdale and take the coach option? I know you are paying for STEAM haulage, not a disease-al (coach) but if you have to work the following day, I would rather get home at that time of night... I'd be interested to hear your opinions!

James at SVN

 

The charter is going back to Alresford but I can't see many people staying on for that section particularly if there are delays on the return run. I recall that on one trip we went on with MHR Daylight Railtours hauled by 45407 (to the SVR and back) we were late on the return run and were held outside Farnham near the Electric Unit shed for ages where we were passed by several units. We didn't get back to Alton very early on that one! Some people even had their cars clamped in the station car park.

 

Looks like I will be woken up early on Friday then! if the train is 12 coaches long, the loco will be opposite my Son's bedroom, give or take a coach

 

A question to anyone on the tour: Is anyone aware if there will be a stop at Ropley and Medstead? I am looking to capture the tour at Alresford station, Rook Wood (near Ropley) and at 'The Shrave' near Four Marks, while the tour is still on the MHR. I assume the tour does stop at these stations, especially it is expected to take 45 minutes to cover the 10 miles.

I just wonder whether there will be a water stop at Ropley, especially as the Alresford water tower isn't complete yet.

James at SVN

 

The times given are departure times from both stations. I expect some of the time is waiting permission to transfer from the Mid Hants to Network Rail.

 

Thanks, I did think about this. I suppose this could add some 5 or 10 minutes to the timings, dependant on how swift the transfer is and this could mean that there will be no stop at all at Ropley and M4M... Only time will tell!

James at SVN

 

I wouldn't bank on the train stopping at either of the intermediate stations. There'll be no other traffic on the line at that time of day. The train will slow to exchange tokens, but that's all. The small amount of slack in the schedule will be absorbed at Alton, with the handover from MHR to NR. You might manage one shot at Sun Lane Bridge and another on the western edge of Four Marks, but then again, you might not!

 

Thanks for the information Mark, it would be odd for the tour to stop at either station with no traffic around (but stranger things have happened!). You are quite right, Sun Lane and anywhere west of Four Marks will probably be the final plan. **I did think about Bowers Grove Lane or Bighton Hill (Ropley) as well, but Google Maps' figures don't fill me with confidence.**

James at SVN

 

Thanks. What are the outward times for Alton and Sunningdale?