Dartmouth Express 19th October

Does anybody know where the steam section will actually be? The RTC website says from Bristol in the first para of the blurb and then in the third para it says Westbury. I have just spoken to the office and they said something along the lines of 'oh yes see what you mean-must be Westbury'.

Trouble is that it will be DL from Poole and probably t & t 47s so it may well have a DL on the back throughout anyway. Where can I find a pure steam trip within reasonably easy reach? Vintage Trains again I suppose. They can usually be relied on.

Don

 

Torbay Express, Royal Duchy, Weymouth Seaside, etc. all have no diesels under normal circumstances.

 

Coming from Poole, Westbury would certainly be more logical.

 

But that's pre leaf fall and all those start from Bristol, whereas both these trips are DL as far as Westbury/Bristol. The danger is the DL will be left on the train. Both now 5029

Don

 

Big Al

I would love to be positive about this but just look at the number of trips this year which have either been cancelled, run to a different itinerary or run with DL assistance.

However as I am desperate for some more main line steam haulage to boost my meagre total for this year and since also we can have pure steam on the water on this trip we are going to book.

Just hope you are right about the lack of DL.

Looks like 5029 will be up front from Bristol and take the train all the way back to Westbury.

For us of course its also just a short drive down the road to Soton Central to join the train.

Don

 

Looks like there might be changes with the 19th Oct trip as 5029 is no longer listed for this on the Icons of steam website. UKsteam now says it could be either 5029, 34046 or 70000.

 

No times seem to be published yet either.

 

Short of chucking a gallon of petrol on any sparks, I think w are fine for fires this week looking at the weather.

 

Just got the e-tickets for this. Engine shown as 70000 which is the least good option for us but quite acceptable as long as there's no DL assistance. Load 9 plus support coach. Earlier start but still no detailed times.

Don

 

Hope it's repaired after the FTR failure before the ill-fated Stratford trip the other week.
Don't think we ever heard what the issue was.

 

Load 10 shoulden't cause a problem to a class 7 on that route, even in Autumn as it's heavily used and sees RHTT trains, Goodrington bank is probably the biggest issue but that's off NR.

Only reason I could forsee the diesel being left on the back would be for heating, if you did your looking at a complicated double shunt at Kingswear then taking even more time.

I suspect most already know from the Torbay and Duchy seasons, but photters would do well to avoid Aller Jcn, whole area is a building site and likely to be for some months yet with the much needed Kingskerwell bypass, pretty much Newton Abbott Station to the foot of Dainton is out.

 

RTC website now showing actual times: http://www.railwaytouring.net/uk-day-trips/dartmouth-express

 

By the time it gets there on the return it'll be nearly dark. Departure from Kingswear is 17.30, so about 18.10-15 at Newton Abbot. Sunset is at 18.15. I had hoped it would be the same path as the Torbays that went via Westbury i.e. 16.50 from Kingswear. Sunset along the Teign estuary could be quite pleasant, oh well.

 

Blimey! Crazy timings again from NR. I hope the trip on the 26th doesn't have timings like this otherwise we might not be able to get to Woking in time.

 

Nearly 2 hours Westbury - Eastleigh seems excessive for a diesel leg.

 

That will include changing locos at Westbury.

 

The following week could be perfect with a proposed 1645 dep from Kingswear....and I am at home for half term. Just hope it is a Brit.