Cathedrals; Thurs 5 July Lewes-Oxford with Tornado

No times up for this one yet, wonder if there's any news.

 

Steam Dreams - operators of The Cathedrals Express steam train trips

Times here

 

Seems to be stopping at Twyford for a water stop on the return, must be a first. Doesn't seem to be a water stop on the outward journey though.

 

Willesden SWS 11.26 12.10 could this be for water?

 

Sadly I'm going to have to wait until the evening to see her as I'll be working when she's due at Haywards Heath in the morning but she's at Haywards Heath for a good 22 minutes in the evening all being well. I must say 20 minutes is pushing it a bit from Lewes to Haywards Heath.

Any news on the ECS movement to Lewes. Will it be done on Wednesday or the Thursday morning. I think when 70000 did her tour from Lewes to Ely last year she was due down the day before the tour and was to be stabled in Newhaven but something happened which resulted in 70000 going down to Hampden Park and turned there on the day of the tour.

 

Full times now on Uk Steam t0705a.htm including ECS.

 

Yes, 70000 was due to stable overnight at Newhaven Marine but was found to be out of gauge - that's the "something" that happened!

 

It baffles me why the tour company just doesn't start and finish the excursion from Eastbourne rather than Lewes. They had to do similar last year with Britannia. It was out of gauge at Newhaven so they stored it at Three Bridges overnight then was towed down to use the cross-over at Hampden Park before it then ran back up to Lewes to commence the tour. This time its being towed down from Southall all the way to Eastbourne and then running back up to Lewes. Don't get me wrong we're absolutely chuffed to bits to see steam at Eastbourne but it just makes me wonder what the logic is in starting at Lewes when they have to keep faffing about towing it down and then running back up. Surely starting and finishing at Eastbourne would be logistically easier than above. Anyway shouldn't complain as we get so few steam tours in Sussex. My Dad and I are probably going to phot Tornado at either the bridge at Hampden Park level crossing or Willingdon Junction.

 

Its really interesting, this working; water has been taken at Twyford recently (71000) on an outward bound trip when she crossed over from relief to the Up platform where a tanker met her. Assume Tornado will stop in same place ie half way up the platform for a 'splash and dash', because by then she will only have travelled less than 40 miles from Oxford. Not clear what the arrangements are at Oxford, perhaps she sits around with the ECS after watering ???? In any case, a great opportunity for Twyford followers of steam. Needs a quick visit anyway; times 18.13 to 18.22 so follows the 18.07 and 18.10 turbos and has to get out before the 18.28!! Turbo due p3 at 18.17 and that'll give the commuters something to talk about. Could all be very hectic !!

 

I do wish this tour was on a Saturday. I mean when she arrives at Haywards Heath in the morning (I'll also miss the ECS in the morning due to starting work at 6:30am) a lot of us who want to see her will be at work and some of the children who'd want to see her will be in School.

It'll be good to see 60163 in Sussex for the first time as its 2 years of waiting for her to finally get her there (after her failure before the Bluebell's 50th Anniversary Gala)

I agree that there are so few tours this way now. We have 1 Cathedrals Express (we used to have Chichester before SD dropped it) and we have 1 Royal Wessex due this way later in the year. I always thought there could have been a market for a steam hauled tour to Eastbourne Airbourne in August. Would be one way of bringing people in without parking in Eastbourne.

 

Yes it does seem a shame that what steam tours we do get in the East Sussex region always happen during the working week. Fortunately as I work for a water utility company and doing street work in Eastbourne I can quickly go and phot Tornado and then get back to work without the bosses knowing. There's a Sussex Belle at the end of September which again is on Thurs 27th and it is such a pain trying to get time off work for these rare tours in Sussex. I am surprised not one tour company has run a steam excursion down to Eastbourne for the annual airshow, it's arguably the biggest free seafront airshow in the UK and you'd think there would be a large market for this. I've always thought they could do this with Tangmere, as Eastbourne Airbourne is always heavily promoting the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight as part of the airshow. But sadly the tour companies don't seem to show any interest in this :-(

 

I agree about getting time off work. I was orginally going to book Thursday off so I could see her but we have a shut down week at work from next Thursday until a week Monday so took 2 days off then instead.

Still at least she's at Haywards Heath for a about 20 mins on the way back . Hopefully the crew remember to stop at Three Bridges this time as 70000 went straight through last year.

 

We were told on the train that Network Rail told them they could not stop, because there was a service train right behind.Three Bridges is not listed as a pick up/set down on the Steam Dreams website or brochure for this tour.

 

Tweet from Steam Dreams in the last few mins reports technical difficulties with Tornado will mean diesel haulage from Lewes to London followed by Bittern from London onwards. Not sure whether Bitten will return to London only or all the way to Lewes. Very disappointing for many I'm sure.

 

Here we go again! I presume "technical difficulties" means a failed FTR. Isn't this the second time with Tornado is almost as many trips, stuck safety valve last time if I recall.

 

The sheer number of locos. failing their FTRs is reaching epidemic proportions.

 

Disappointing given this is Britain's newest steam locomotive. Let's hope they don't make it "third time unlucky" on 25 July.

 

All credit to Steam dreams for arranging this change of motive power at short notice, however this does almost halve the steam mileage, will they be offering compensation of any sort, one wonders.

 

Had a email now bitten doing this trip not tornado due to minor problems with tornado;


all the best
jane

 

Already discussed, post #14 onwards.