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CathEx PAD to SAV 18th October

Discussion in 'What's Going On' started by mrKnowwun, Oct 12, 2015.

  1. mrKnowwun

    mrKnowwun Part of the furniture

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    Times available on the SD web site

    http://www.steamdreams.com/executables/GT410WebContent.exe?ActionCode=Timings
     
  2. Big Al

    Big Al Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Moderator

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    I am assured that this is a pure steam trip so it will be interesting to see how the B1 fares over Saunderton. Going for the ride to find out.
     
  3. LMarsh1987

    LMarsh1987 Part of the furniture Friend

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    This should be 100 % steam only. I don't think I've ever seen a box on the back, when a tour heads to Stratford
     
  4. 1020 Shireman

    1020 Shireman Part of the furniture Friend

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    Hope you're right Al 'cos we've booked it too. Should be a good day out provided the Engineering Works between Banbury and Leamington Spa has been cleared (Due to reopen 1225).
     
  5. Big Al

    Big Al Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Moderator

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    I hope I don't regret this post as the B1 has not passed its FTR exam yet! However, this Sunday's trip may be a shining example of how every steam charter should work.
    • The trip has been advertised for some time and with the same locomotive.
    • NR is happy as it's the first named loco on the outline proposal for the charter and the B1 has already covered most of the route recently.
    • NR therefore has no problem with gauging and is able to provide timings over a week in advance.
    • SD gets all the timings and related stock movements nicely ahead of when they would like to send out the tickets.
    • For people for whom details like the locomotive and any diesel presence are important, like me, SD has the information to hand and can provide details on the phone. And RTT data now confirms what they said - i.e. the diesel returns to Southall after the train leaves Paddington.
    • A few spaces are available on the trip so a booking is made with a degree of confidence.
    So thanks to all the partners in this - NR, David Buck, WCRC, SD. Can you now all please try and make certain that you do the same every time, not once in a blue moon?
     
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  6. mrKnowwun

    mrKnowwun Part of the furniture

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    Well thats put the kibosh on it. Sods law says the best steam tours are the ones that have no real upfront expectation.
     
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  7. KentYeti

    KentYeti Guest

    So that's how you spell kibosh. :)

    And I hope that word is no where near the train all day tomorrow, so have a good day out guys.
     
  8. Big Al

    Big Al Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Moderator

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    Paddington 1045. 61306 plus 10 plus Ray Churchill. And we have Ray Poole coming back.:):):)
     
  9. mrKnowwun

    mrKnowwun Part of the furniture

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    Large crowd gathering at Saunderton
     
  10. jon5051

    jon5051 Member

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    Seen approaching Beaconsfield this morning. Quite a crowd there too.

    [​IMG]
     
  11. Big Al

    Big Al Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Moderator

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    Nicely judged run to SAV. 49 over Saunderton without pushing too hard. Typical professional Churchill stuff.

    Question. Why do people stand inside their homes waving at a steam train as it goes by? Makes you feel a bit like royalty!
     
  12. Big Al

    Big Al Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Moderator

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    For info, loco is being serviced at Tyseley.
     
  13. mrKnowwun

    mrKnowwun Part of the furniture

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    Through a crowded Saunderton, whistle shrieking

    Edit, in view of the current interest in suffragettes a little snippet from history:

    In March 1913 suffragettes attacked Saunderton station, burning down the main building. Placards reading "Votes for Women" and "Burning to get the Vote" were left on the platform. They may have chosen Saunderton Station because it is near Benjamin Disraeli's birthplace at Bradenham Manor

     
    Last edited: Oct 18, 2015
  14. D1002

    D1002 Resident of Nat Pres

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    Filmed at Saunderton Lee:

     
  15. Big Al

    Big Al Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Moderator

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    An excellent day with Steam Dreams and the B1. Nothing all that quick as the schedule didn't require it but there were some some noisy interludes such as up Saunderton - min of 49. We had a pathing stop up Hatton so that put paid to anything there. Coming back, the climb through Fosse Road out of Leamington was good at a steady 41/42. All a bit subdued around Princes Risborough and down towards Wycombe. However the departure from Gerrards Cross was deafening through the 350 yard 'Tesco Tunnel' and we were well up to 60 by Denham. A few minutes early back into Paddington after the trundle down from Ruislip.

    Once again, the 'at table' service in Standard was excellent with free drinks all day, attentive staff and Marcus Robertson handling the announcements in his usual professional and friendly manner. And, as promised, a day of pure steam.
     
  16. Southofthethames

    Southofthethames New Member

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    Three shots of 61306 as it passes Ickenham Green, Middlesex, just before the Buckinghamshire border
    61306 Ickenham Cropped 1.jpg 61306 Ickenham Cropped 2.jpg 61306 Ickenham Cropped 3.jpg
     
  17. Paul42

    Paul42 Part of the furniture

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  18. Where's Mazeppa?

    Where's Mazeppa? Member

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    A handful of images here from the southbound Cathex return pathing stop on the up main at Leamington Spa General, as Mayflower sat on the centre road for around 20 minutes to allow the passage of Cross-Country and Chiltern services.

    No great claims here for photographic excellence or technical proficiency, I'm afraid. But I did just want to capture the flavour of the moment as, from all accounts, an utterly dependable/ "does-what-it-says-on-the-tin" locomotive delivered an equally no-frills performance on the day.

    On departure for Banbury, Mayflower's initially gentle exhaust note, morphing into a soft staccato beat, and then augmented by a rasping echo back from the buildings adjacent to the main line, was an acoustic joy to savour. Absolutely unmissable! Wish I'd booked, and, if this tour happens again any-time soon in this format, with this locomotive and this itinerary, I will!!
     

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    Last edited: Oct 21, 2015
  19. david1984

    david1984 Resident of Nat Pres

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