End Of Southern Steam 9th July

Looking on Uk steam info web site and The Railway Touring Company web site 30777 is still been shown has working the return leg of this tour from Exeter to Waterloo. I was under the impression 30777 was out of gauge at Templecombe which is why 30777 didn't work the return leg of The Atlantic Coast Express on 7th April?

Thanks

http://www.railwaytouring.net/uk_day_trips

 

I understand there are still gauging issues on the up line at the A30 bridge near Sherborne for most steam locos.


Cheers, Neil

 

I just worry that day could end up a non event for 100% SR steam freaks like myself. The Exeter trip does not seem to me to be truly representative of the 9th July 1967 end of steam. Regular scheduled main line steam action to Exeter from Salisbury ended some way ahead of 1967, I can't remember exactly when but it could have been Spring 1965? And the steam ACE ended in 1964. Just a few trains remained steam from Waterloo/Basingstoke to and from Salisbury, with occasional unscheduled steam further West if a box failed. And I think it was late summer/early Autumn 1962 when King Arthurs were all finally withdrawn? No doubt such as Big Al will correct me on any of that if I am wrong. But that becomes irrelevant if the Arthur can't work part of the route. And if the train is a normal length it will surely need box help anyway over the grades of that route?

The other 9th July trip does seem to be at risk of the usual London-Swanage timetable. But of course I don't know that for sure, maybe it will race down the main line from Waterloo as in recent years. But box haulage is already planned for part, (hats off to SD for announcing that well in advance), and what may possibly be a risk over planning to use 34046. Although I see SD don't seem to be announcing this as an end of SR steam trip.

If I am not away on a moor trying to find breeding Owls then at present it looks like a day at home reading through all my old 1960s SR timing notes. I'm still finding absolute gems. Like 34102 reaching 98 twice between Basingstoke and Woking on the same run. NOT down Winchfield "bank", (it was hardly that). But before and after Farnborough on level track. Light load yes. But superb running indeed. Clive Groome driving. If he had decided on loco controls a bit earlier, (I was told he was experimenting with control settings), that would have been a certain 100mph plus run. I suspect the loco speedo may have been showing three figures, but I can't remember if I asked!

 

Cheers Neil.


I don't see the point in advertising a loco on a tour that you know had gauging issues. After the loco was only cancelled four months earlier on the same section of the network.

 

If I am available that day and can get a ticket late on it is the SD trip I will go on Al. I have a lot of confidence in Grahame trying to do all he can to make the day a success. My philosophy is always the same these days. One decent start to stop section over a reasonable distance and in a good time etc with no box makes any day a success for me. A very narrow perspective I know, but I just do not want to be on runs that creep from check to check with just short spurts of speed in between. A longing for the old days I agree. But Steam Dreams have often delivered that in recent years. Like last years Earlsfield to Overton even time start to stop, (my fastest time over that section start to stop. LOL!). Then that glorious 1960s style run at over 70 mph on the way back. 50 miles at a 70 mph average wasn't it?

I just wonder if he has 35028 pencilled in just in case 34046 is still a no show? But it is working the next day which may rule it out from a crew and support crew point of view if not for other reasons.

 

Latest Steam Railway says that the RTC train will be hauled by 34067 and probably 70013. 30777 is currently restricted to preserved railways at the moment according to the report in SR.

 

Steam Dream's trip still lists Braunton....

Yeah.

With 70000 at Crewe, and Bittern on display at the NRM, 35028 is on VSOE next day (so they maybe reluctant to take a risk), leaves 60163, maybe they can fit spam sides on it for the day.

 

Braunton's test is on 1st July, according to the Torbay Express people....

 

70013 is now shown on the RTC site as working the return leg.

 

don't suppose we will know what will happen to rtc tour untill next thursday when network rail decide to look into it !

 

As Google would say, oops

 

And UK steam.info now show 60163 on the SD July 9th train!

Oh dear. I do hope Tangy stays reliable, so that one leg of one trip that day keeps the SR flavour.

 

As discussed elsewhere, Clan Line is out-of-gauge for the up-line under the A30 road bridge at Oborne, at the foot of the bank between Sherborne and Milborne Port. (*) If Clan Line cannot fit, even with the previous 5mph speed limit, then it seems to me highly unlikely that any other steam loco can. I suppose a Black 5 might squeeze through, but I wouldn't take any bets. Therefore, it looks like steam on the up-line between Yeovil and Salibury is off the menu for the time being.

That being so, what might WCRC do next Tuesday? The simple solution would be the same as the plan for the Cath.Ex yesterday: steam London-Honiton-Exeter-Westbury; diesel Westbury-Laverstock South; steam Laverstock South-Andover-London. That almost certainly means pulling a DL around all day. If a second steam loco were available at Westbury, then the train could run straight back to London without reversing a second time at Laverstock. However, given 70013's other commitments (London-Melton Mowbray-York one-way 6/7/13; Liverpool-Scarborough return 13/7/13), I can see why RTC and 5305LA might prefer not to have to make 2 long light-engine moves in the same week...

What a shame that the down-line between Templecombe and Yeovil is not reversible, like the up-line...

(*) There's quite a sharp curve under the A30 bridge, with rather more "cant" than in steam days, and the track appears to be shifting towards the up-side wall. A fix of sorts was applied a few years ago, when the SWT DMUs started scraping the stonework, but it obviously wasn't a proper solution.

 

I was looking out of the window of the front passenger coach on an up train hauled by Tangmere some years ago when it actually scraped the Oborne bridge - nothing major, just a small cloud of brick dust in my face as a handle on the top corner of the casing scraped the brickwork on the inside of the curve at this skew arch bridge. It struck me that the 5mph speed restriction may have aggravated the problem as the engine was leaning right over due to the excessive cant on the curve. If it had been going a little faster, the engine would have been more upright and might not have touched the bridge ! After a short stop for inspection, the train continued without further problem.

I understand that the track was tamped subsequently, but it seems possible that the track has now migrated back to its old position. I am told that because of the excessive cant for the relatively low speed of trains past this point, the track is (unusually) moving towards the inside of the curve rather than towards the outside which is the more common situation.

David

 

The only section requiring diesel haulage is for the short distance between Westbury and Laverstock South Jct. (Salisbury). Westbury has DBS locos stabled there seven days a week. There is no need to drag a diesel around for the majority of the day. <BJ>

 

seems to me all the std class passengers will spend all day nearer a diesel loco than a steam loco!