No. 46233 'Duchess of Sutherland'. Rugby to Bristol. 3rd Sept.,2015

It may be that The Duchess is not actually OOG anywhere, but that she has not been checked against all the changed and/or suspect structures along the route, and therefore is not proved to be in-gauge everywhere. Or there may be temporary and/or unfinished works that are clear for modern stock but might foul the Duchess. We can't jump to conclusions. Even so, one can still ask why the gauging checks haven't been completed in time...

 

The envelope for the changes around Bath must be known, or why is anything being allowed to run. The Duchess dimensions are known as she was used less than a month ago. If, as you say its a case of not completing a paper exercise in time matching the two up, then why did NR grant a timetable path that close to the engineering works for 46233 in the first place ? They knew when the engineering works were taking place and what was going to be done and how soon afterwards the tour was. The works were completed on schedule. To now say, sorry, we can't certify your loco in time is, frankly, unacceptable.

 

If it is on the much modified section around Bath and possibly Dundas, it may affect the final Torbay Express on the 13th as it's a Bath-Westbury version. Wonder how long they will take to re-gauge and decide what the profile is now? Thought with the need to make more room for the electrification of the line gauging wouldn't be an issue for any steam locomotive.

 

Be so much better to know the actual reasons behind this from someone who knows.

 

Exactly - gauge checking should be part and parcel of granting the timetable path. It might take longer and be more hassle, but at least it could then be relied on. The current mess is not doing anyone any favours, and businesses are going to end up out of pocket

 

Booked on the trip tomorrow, just phoned up Steam Dreams, and said steam is to only be Rugby - Hanwell. What a bloody farce...!

 

I am not at all surprised by this - NR are a shambles of a company who put themselves at the top of the list and everybody else off the bottom.

 

This is so unfortunate. Sometimes I wish communications between NR, Tour company and the locomotive owners was better, or I wonder that.

 

And I want to at least film the steam section for my YouTube channel. Which I Probably won't be able to do, as the letter says 'nothing must be out of windows, body or camera, you may also not stand in the vestibules at the end of the carriages'.

 

We could always use the heads of the pax hanging out the windows as a gauging tool?

 

I'd prefer not to be kicked off the train 200 miles from home

 

I'm sure SD/WCR will have thought of it, but could 34067 be used tomorrow afternoon? Given that went down the B&H and GWML on the 7th March, it's in gauge (or was...!).

She's been in fine voice today on the DCE, aside from the odd shove from the 47 on the back.

James

 

Even if it was logistically feasible with crews etc, the same problem - no steam through or around Bath since the major engineering work, so presumably every steam loco will need to be checked again before they are cleared.

 

Does the same apply to every diesel loco? If not, why not?

 

You'd have to ask someone who knows NR's procedures but I would guess that anything operated by FGW, DBS, Colas, and Freightliner (as the TOC's associated with the majority of the services through Bath) was checked before normal operations resumed in the area a few days ago, otherwise they wouldn't be running yet

 

NR should bear the full cost of refunding every single passenger in full. Also for any other out of pocket expenses incurred.
They are quick enough to charge for any delays caused by late running charters.
The pendulum swings both ways & all that!

 

Besides the fact that any and all recent changes to clearances should have been increases, so it probably is only the paperwork that hasn't been done, the worse sin is not bothering to say so until the day before. SD should be making a formal complaint to ORR about NR's incompetence.

 

But the thing is, even Steam Dreams haven't alerted passengers yet, no email etc, lots of other people travelling aboard will probably find out tomorrow morning when boarding.

 

So you mean that unless booked passengers read forums like this & ring to check up, they wouldn't know any different, probably as you say until they board tomorrow.
If so that is a total disgusting unprofessional state of affairs.
It seems with every steam tour another issue crops up for various reasons totally changing plans for the worse.
No wonder my main line steam tour days are long finished.