End Of Southern Steam 9th July

Unlike the SD trip, they've had plenty of warning so the traveling pax can at least amend their plans, not 24 hrs which is a tad late to do anything other than run it., considering that we don't exactly have a lot of alternative motive power down here at the moment, its basically been Tangmere or Clan Line with the occasional Black five thrown in for the best part of six months........................................ the sooner Braunton gets itself down here the better...... and we're still missing Britannia!

As Neil said, this may just turn out to be a blessing in disguise, by the time the tour does run, we might have had some rain by then............................................. I can see boxes being tucked inside the formation becoming mandatory the longer the dry spell goes on................................................

 

I like the headline on their news-page: "End Of Southern Steam Postponed" If only it had been...

Perhaps they'll get a quicker schedule in September? Maybe Braunton will be available? Then again...

 

after the ace was pushed to Exeter and back by a 47 recently because of the fire risk I think it is a blessing in disguise just hope swan age trip goes OK for them I will just enjoy the weather!

 

Not for those of us who right in the thick of it back in 1967.

Normally it's just a single SD run out and back that replicates something from those wonderful days. And very well too over the last few years. A chance to get a decent timings for once with an SR loco, (not this year though). Very popular with us oldies until this year. When a variety of factors have stopped a group booking again to see us all to get together.

I imagine for all else on the train it's just another name for one of many trains that SD run in a year. Something to attract peoples attention. I guess it helps SD's marketing efforts and it helps to keep them solvent and able to keep on running more trips with whatever name they choose.

I can't see anything wrong with that. People do have the choice of booking on it, or not booking on it as the case may be.

Just my view as someone who has enjoyed something rather nice once a year recently.

PS. I am referring to the SD trains run on July 9th, including this years which isn't under the name of the end of SR steam. They have tended to stick fairly closely to the routes still in use in 1967. i.e Waterloo to the Weymouth area, and the West of England line to/from Salisbury, (with some relatively small divergences from that).

 

Thanks for that. We'll just have to watch what happens very carefully now. Supposed to be getting hotter as the weekend progresses, and into next week.

 

While I was picking on this train and you're right to notice that, I feel that the whole movement engages in the pointless nonsense far too regularly. I looked through the last Steam Railway and they're gearing up for another big 'end of steam 1968' issue next month. I mean, really? What is there that wasn't covered last time out (only 5 years ago!)? Or the time before? It's the same old stuff, same old photographs, memories, trains replayed ad nausem. There will come a time when we all move on from it, thank goodness.

 

I've always though that most who come here to Nat Pres, ( a big clue in the name to me at least), are living in the past a bit. Or they wouldn't still have an interest in a form of traction that ended it's days 45 yeas ago. And as long as that continues, and there remains a market for all that goes with it, I can see all these regular celebrations continuing.

Thankfully no one is forced to take part in that manner of celebrating our infatuation, ( and I fully accept that is what it is), with that part of our railway past.

I guess what I saying is that provided there are sufficient of us who don't it think it's pointless nonsense it will continue. Only when demand for it subsides will it end.

So Neil, I reckon you are going to be having to suffer it all for a while longer yet. Sorry! But I do respect your right to have and express a view on it here , and to have the freedom to dislike it as you obviously do. However you choose to express that view.

PS. I have heard it said, heaven forbid, that you don't actually have to buy the products containing such over-hyped celebrations if you don't want to. Or is that purely a myth?

 

It would be nice if end of southern steam was done proper...

I remember a couple of years ago 35028 arrived at Victoria on a VSOE, and 34067 arrived on a separate trip a few minutes later... a couple more like that would be good..

 

And so say all of us!

Oops, sorry.

And so say some of us!

 

Bit hard to opt-out of a subscription for just one issue! I'm just tired of the same old stuff being rolled out every year, steam ended in '68, we don't need to celebrate it as regularly as we do.

 

Since the market it's aimed is largely those who remember 1968 and all that, it makes perfect sense to run these articles. After all, that's what nostalgia's all about. If the preservation movement didn't live in the past, at least partly, then a lot of things would never have got preserved and there wouldn't e much of a heritage movement in railways or any other field.

 

Now I'm confused - UKSteam's timings shows a Waterloo start for Tornado on 9 July, but the heading of the timing page there says Victoria, while RTT says Waterloo. I had thought it had been diverted to Victoria owing to the Hampton Court flower show - has that now been reversed?
Regarding the 'End of Southern Steam' debate - yes, it may be a little OTT to have this every year, but, if it at least gets us a main line (not via Putney, etc.) weekday departure from Waterloo from NR (in theory anyway) then that must be good thing.

 

It was the RTC trip that was going to run out of Victoria, and they stated it was due to the flower show.

 

Why was that I wonder.

Flowers on the line?

The wrong kind of flowers?

Talking of major events with trains ex Waterloo. I remember working in the General offices, sorry, not working, I was a trainee at the time, and watching the 2-Bil units being prepared for Ascot trips over from the Windsor line side.

The Gold Braid Grippers, (TTIs), were rushing along the train slapping FIRST CLASS stickers on most of the second class windows. Presumably someone in the booking office had said, "Quick I've sold vast numbers of first class tickets, you'd better reclassify most of the train. They'll all be pissed by now anyway, so no one will notice".

I imagine those going to Hampton Court only drink tea from china cups with right hand little finger raised into the air.

 

I have a day off tomorrow (I had intended going on the RTC trip) so may head out to see Tornado on the CE. However, with the current bone dry conditions I am wondering if 60163 will actually appear on the front of this train as elsewhere on the forum there is a report that it is now diesel hauled. Any definite info filtering through yet about the motive power? What a disappointing turn of events for this years Anniversary if it is diesel hauled.

 

Not having much luck with their SR Anniversary runs this year: they lost 35028 for the Exeter run and possibly 60163 for tomorrow. I certainly wouldn't want to be a Steam Railtour Promoter at the moment. I wonder if this dry spell will result in the loss of the two remaining 4464 high speed runs?

 

If the heat wave does impact on them , we can only hope they are just postponed and not lost.