CathEx to Cornwall, 17th & 20th Sept

And there was me thinking ROG were going to take over the railtour market!!!

 

The biggest farce in losing trust must be locomotives that can't run because the NR computer says they don't exist.

 

Quite, it beggars belief an operator is unable to check the database themselves at any time as with MOTs for example. That way operators would be able to take responsibility and manage accordingly.

 

35018 was originally the rostered loco for this trip and I think 6201 has only been down for it in the last few months at most. Proposing a loco that has never run in preservation, with no back up advertised is hardly likely to entice people to book.With only a single loco being advertised and no indication of load,could have also put people off booking.

The trip was originally due to go via the Surrey hills which would have added about an hour and a half to the journey, and would have meant an earlier start or latter finish, more likely the later, and/ or shorter breaks. For those in standard it would reduce the time available for lunch and dinner.

 

Maybe lots of potential travellers were at St James Park to witness the mighty Plymouth Argyle thumping Exeter City and staying top of the table!!

 

Lots of empty seats there as well by the look of things. <BJ>

 

We're going to do the St Austell-Exeter leg if the 0524 150 clatterer makes it from BTM on time. Should get there at 0915. Time for breakfast with a bit of luck.

 

I'm still finding my feet on here..would someone please advise me whether Lizzie will be coming through Teignmouth facing the right way and not diesel pulled? Apologies if I seem a bit dim to you all Elaine.

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Lizzie will be at the head of the train as you say the 'right way around'. The diesel that towed it back to Penzance after turning at Laira has a separate path back to Exeter and shouldn't be in the consist.

 

Aha many thanks for replying, I'm hoping to get some decent shots of her tmrw as I just missed her on Saturday after travelling down to Plymouth from Wirral.

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Lizzy is due to pass through Teignmouth at 13:51 running smokebox first. There will be a diesel at the back of the train from Exeter to London.

Hope this helps. <BJ>

 

Many thanks BJ

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Oh, ye of little faith. Of course it made it on time.

Lizzy departed from St. Austell on time and arrived at Plymouth 8 mins early. Looks like a good spirited run today. <BJ>

 

5 late leaving Plymouth to 35 early approaching Exeter. Plymouth-Exeter in about 64 minutes according to RTT. Not the best, but a superb run nonetheless.

James

 

Anyone know if it's still going to leave Exeter at 15:31?

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Yes superb run got her coming out of Teignmouth station along sea front

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Stormed up Brewham and looked good leaving Westbury

 

Note that the 400 ft tall chimney at the former Westbury Cement Works has disappeared from the skyline.

The demolition of the 50 year old structure occured on Sunday morning.

A very good tour from Steam Dreams on this occasion on both the outward and return legs.

I'm always glad to give credit where it is due and Steam Dreams performed well. Well done. Keep it up. <BJ>

 

Cathedrals Express to Cornwall, St Austell to Exeter St David's, 20th September 2016
After getting up at just after 0300 hrs and driving to Bristol, oh joy, a newly refurbished GWR Green liveried 150 unit arrived at Platform 5 for the 3 hours 50 minutes journey from Bristol Temple Meads to St Austell. Ah, the roar of the engines, the vibration through the seats and tables... remarkably Mrs S managed to get a bit of sleep! Much to our surprise, it got us there dead on time at 0915 so we had plenty of time to speak to someone from Steam Dreams and get a loan to pay for a couple of 'hop on' tickets to Exeter St David's. Easier for us to get home from there and the Class 47 was due to rejoin the train in any case. Lizzie drew in on time but as chance would have it the sole standard class Carriage was on the back. Still there was a milepost side table available. Mike Hedderly was on board and will no doubt include a full report with timings in a future Steam Railway.

Doublebois, x2
We were looking forward to seeing the difference it would make charging through rather than starting from Par. Lizzie duly blasted through the Station at 52, and unlike the Duchys, made short work of the 2 miles climb over 1 in 84/109/62 grades to charge into Treverrin Tunnel at 43. (Speeds in the mid 20s or less are more common on the Duchy.

We passed Lostwithiel at 43; reached 49 at the foot of the 1 1/2 miles of 1 in 389; started the short 1 in 71 section at 54 falling to 50; made good use of the 1/2 mile of 1 in 142 down/level(55) onto 1/2 mile of 1 in 65; mid point MP274 on Bodmin Parkway platform(51); slowest(50). The crew took advantage of the 1/4 mile of 1 in 81 to regain the lost speed(55). Then: end of 1/4 mile of 1 in 94(54); end of 1 mile of 1 in 69/68 over Pendalake and Clinnick Viaducts(45); end of 1/4 mile at 1 in 58 over Derrycombe Viaduct(42); end of 3/4 miles of 1 in 70 over Draw Wood and West Largin Viaducts(40). This is often referred to as the 'first summit' going east.

After a short respite of 1 in 265 down(42): End of 1 in 159 over East Largin Viaduct(41); end of 1 1/2 miles of 1 in 90 (Westwood Viaduct the midpoint)(39); Doublebois summit itself(37.8). This was a little slower than most Duchys.

Other bits
There's a short 1/2 mile of 1 in 79 after Liskeard, met at 47 and topped at 42. Station speeds on the downgrades were: Menheniot(63); St German's(54) already slowing for Saltash and the crossing of the Tamar. Once over the river there's a wicked bank of almost a mile of 1 in 68 between Keyham(29) and Dockyard (26) followed by 1/4 mile of 1 in 76 into Devenport(28) that ensured a bit of noise from the front before we drifted into North Road on time.

Hemerdon
A request had been made to control to hold the train for a further 5 minutes after the Paddington left to ensure no adverse signals affected the climb of Hemerdon. As usual a big pacific had trouble getting out of the station. With a number of slips, it took 4mins 10.5secs to cover the less than half mile into Mutley Tunnel(12.6). Once out of Mutley the serious charge to the base of Hemerdon began. It's downgrade or level over the 3 1/4 miles to the foot of the 1 in 41. We had no trouble hearing Lizzie from the 9th coach as we passed Lipson Jn(56); Laira Jn(59); Tavistock Yard(63) and Plympton(62). Our speed fell rapidly over the first half mile of 1 in 41 to 44 (at the 1 in 47 gradient post), then to 40 at the end of the 1/2 mile of 1 in 47 that led onto the 1 1/4 miles of 1 in 42. Lizzie dug in but speed fell rapidly over the first half mile to 23.6 at MP240 1/4; then to 19.6 at MP240 and to a minimum GPS speed of 16.7 at MP239 3/4. We passed the 1 in 51 gradient post at 17.4, then the summit just after the 1 in 89 gradient post at MP239 1/2 at 20.7.

Dainton Eastbound
We passed Totnes with 6412 and her train in the SDR's Riverside station at 59. Surprisingly our speed had dropped to 52 as we hit the reverse curves on the approaches to Dainton Tunnel. It's a very mixed picture of lesser and short sharp gradients, including short bits of 1 in 78, 86 and 76 on tight curves (min 46) for just over 2 miles from MP221. The grades eased and we came off the 1/4 mile or so of 1 in 105 near MP219 at almost 53. The next 1/4 mile of 1 in 55 saw that fall to 45, and it's from here that the bank really steepens and where the curves are tightest. The next half mile of mainly 1 in 38 to MP218 1/4 saw a rapid fall in speed to 33. As the noise from the front got louder, over the final 1/4 mile of 1 in 43/37, our speed only fell to just under 30 before picking up a little to 30.7 into the tunnel.

Onward to Exeter
Unsurprisingly, as we'd been allowed 61 minutes from Plymouth, we were early into Newton Abbot, 21 mins ahead of the dreaded Paignton-Exmouth stopper. A good bit of weekday train regulation let us have the road through to Exeter rather than make us wait for our booked path. Station speeds were: Newton Abbot 48; Teignmouth 57; Dawlish 56; Dawlish Warren 59; Starcross 67; Site of Exminster Box 59 and we rolled into Platform 6 at Exeter in 66mins 20secs from Plymouth.

We didn't really expect Lizzie to match the Duchess over the banks but it was a most enjoyable 92 and a bit miles behind the old girl.

We got a Cross Country from Exeter and were back in Bristol by 1525. We had a spot of dinner in the Knight's Templar at Bristol to save Mrs S having to cook when we got home. All in all Mrs S thought it was worth the early start too, so all is well in the Shireman household!