CathEx - London and Bristol to Ludlow and Shrewsbury - Nov 29th

Great stuff Matt, that first shot is cracking with the sunshine!

 

Good to see that someone made it to Purton to produce some cracking footage, I would have done, but hit some debris en route, and burst a tyre.

 

Bristol Parkway waiting for diesel to come on front

 

Now 103 mins late departing Bristol Parkway. A long day out for the passengers. <BJ>

 

Not much luck today with Welsh Marches tours, one being yinged to death by a class 67 washing machine and the other getting home Sunday Morning

 

Even longer for anyone who joined at Paddington. It doesn't look like there's a connection anywhere en route for passengers to get back into London, unless 23.10 from Swindon drops more time.

 

Maybe Its becoming a sleeper

23.10 isn't scheduled to stop at Slough.. would be a problem if people had arranged themselves around that...

 

But they might have changed to it at Swindon. It arrived in Swindon after the Cath Ex.

 

Just saw it leave Twyford - the latest tour I have ever been out to see! Still a couple of Black 5's at my local station just had to be seen! Caught the A4 at Didcot earlier as well so I'm a happy chappy!

 

Yes that is exactly what happened. Paddington people caught the service train at Swindon,accompanied by an SD steward. SD had gone through the whole train checking exactly where everyone needed to get to. People were told that if they needed to get taxis from Paddington to send the receipt to SD.

It was a brake problem,reportedly,that meant we left Shrewsbury an hour late. The pathing/water stop at Craven Arms loop was shortened but the signaller kept us waiting there for a service train. Being then 90 mins late,we were unable to make up any time after that as even when the diesel came on the front at Bristol Parkway we were still restricted to 60mph. Still,a good trip with the Riley fives. The outward sector ran early for most of the trip,and the gradients were flattened in great style.

 

Footage of the 5's on the Marches yesterday from Ashlet Hill above Church Stretton and Church Stretton station. Also includes a shot of 345 on Compass Tours' 'Festive St Nicholas Explorer' at Burscough Bridge.

 

Here's my video of the Cathedrals Express at Purton and Llanvihangel:

 

Was it?
The signalman at Sutton Bridge Jnc actually said the delay was due to a problem with the steam engines - but that did seem odd as from where we were stood it was possible to see the smoke from them over at Abbey Foregate Jnc, which was occasionally moving around - which would imply the 'problem' didn't prevent them moving.

Of course if it was a braking issue then there are an awful lot more connections and waggly bits on the rolling stock than on the locos, so the probability would be for a rolling stock problem. The danger is when Chinese whispers get cast in stone. There was also muttering at Sutton Bridge about having to wait until a diesel arrived with the steamers suffering problems - something I personally didn't take seriously (and hadn't been suggested by the signalman) as I suspect it was based on people making assumptions of their own rather than hearing further info from elsewhere.

The previous week I understand the station staff at Shrewsbury said the reason for the delay was 'a large metal object on the line', their explanation later changed to a diesel with a broken air line in the Chester area causing the delay. On the forum afterwards we learnt that servicing the locos over ran which accounted for the late departure, and then having missed the alloted path it snowballed thereafter - no mention of failed locos around Chester at all.

I've learnt to take reasons for delays with a good pinch of salt unless it comes pretty direct from the loco operator, train operator, or someone lineside stood watching what is happening. I don't doubt everything heard has a grain of truth about it, the problem is working out how much.

Interesting comment (before you deleted it).
I noticed on RTT that the loco movements to/from Coton Hill and out of the yard around the triangle and back were all cancelled with the comment, "This service was cancelled throughout due to a problem with the track (IS).". There didn't seem to be any other movements listed on RTT for alternative arrangements for taking the ECS elsewhere or turning the locos, which added to the puzzle whilst stood waiting.

 

Another thread concerning a SD trip which makes for depressing reading. I really feel for SD and their passengers on this one. It's not the first time it has happened to them and sadly it probably won't be the last time. I have been on two of their trips operated by WCRC which got back very late or didn't get back to the start point at all. One of these trips was very late due to the WCRC Class 37 on the rear having serious brake problems on the outward run. The 37 was dumped at the destination but sadly on the much delayed return run the steam loco (34067) also failed. SD handled the situation well on both occasions but they really shouldn't have to sort things out like this on what seems to now be a regular occurrence.
Yesterday the carriages seemed to be the problem. I also heard reports that the Class 47 on the rear of the RTC trip failed. Seems to be a maintenance problem somewhere.
As someone else mentioned previously the carriages need maintenance too. I will post again what I said in the SD MHR - Bluebell railtour thread:
"The bad bits:
The SD carriages are still sh*t. The coach we were in had lights which didn't want to work. When someone asked if they could be fixed the reply from the WCRC member of staff wasn't very polite. He also added that the carriages should have been scrapped long ago!"

 

Here are my two clips from yesterday. The roar of the two fives on Llanfihangel will live long in the memory! Thanks to all concerned. Note that the first clip at Purton was shot from the right side of the fence despite possibly appearing otherwise (but it did involve a lot of bramble scratches!)
https://www.youtube.com/edit?o=U&video_id=T1O7WUusZbQ

 

The double duo, seen emerging through the mist, then followed by a fine show at Abergavenny.

 

And a still at Purton too.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/iswise/15886991446/