Non - Stop BRISTOLIAN 17/4/2010!

Now we can all get ready to make the same fuss over the times for the Beltane Express on 1st May. Have got my tickets booked so will let you in on the secret once I know it :typing:

Unless they ban me for posting this of course.

 

Well a shunt release loco of sorts will be needed at Paddington...

 

Yeah did consider that, although what WCRC locos are already at Southall? Anyway, I'm booked on Fridays jaunt to Slough so we'll see. Looking forward to it.

 

Many thanks for these.

 

Not all WCRC machines are Dual Braked, in addition it appears 47580 is heading to Bristol light on Saturday so presumably a bit of shunting is going on at either end.

 

Can anyone with local knowledge confirm what the shot at Lower Basildon just east of Goring is like around midday ?, maps and fotopic suggest the sun angle should be ok but Reading - Didcot is something less than well known to me.

 

Hi

The sun will make a westbound shot backlit at Basildon (from the bridge I assume) around midday - if it's on the slow lines you'll have sun on the side of the loco. If it's on the fast, disaster, as there is no room to get sun side and you will be totally against the light.

STEVE

 

Cheers, i saw a phot of 5029 from the location last week where lighting appeared ok, and timings are not vastly different to 5043

 

I believe that the A1 Trust tried this sort of thing and ended up with Joe public all over the railway and in the way of HST's and things. Maybe that is why there is a close down on publicity to non passengers.

 

If it's on the slow lines, you'll get a reasonable shot at Basildon as long as you don't mind the smokebox in shadow (but thats true of most locations on the GWML east Swindon at that time of day). The trick is picking a spot where you can get a decent shot on either fast or slow to cover all the bases.

I can't make it out for the westbound run on Saturday, but I think Manor Farm at Chosey might be quite busy.

STEVE

 

Much appreciated info Steve, will probably go further West now as finding something to fill the time either side of it is proving problematic, Chosley are not running and Didcot is still fresh in the mind.

 

Well the likelyhood is the Water Carrier will reveal itself on the positioning move tomorrow, any last minute best on it's indentity ?.

 

The stretch between Challow and Swindon has some excellent spots, and no relief line so no risk of getting bowled

Check out Baulking, Uffington, Bourton. You can get a good look at many of the spots with street view on Google maps.
(Like this: http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=Wantage&daddr=&hl=en&geocode=FYEtEwMdtz7q_ymBsB9OVUtxSDFqST9Syo7t3g&mra=mr&sll=51.600533,-1.457062&sspn=0.351864,1.040268&ie=UTF8&ll=51.588696,-1.647263&spn=0,0.260067&z=13&layer=c&cbll=51.588375,-1.647164&panoid=yomoP8fBLbkZVP-PgzbG1Q&cbp=12,140.36,,0,12.01)

Good luck anyway, may see you there somewhere!

 

I'd heard a great rumour in the pub earlier, that during a possession tonight, Network Rail are laying 15" gauge rails 'gauntletted' inside the standard gauge, straight down the GWML. I believe the plan is to borrow a Romney Pacific to run just ahead of the tour, with a train of tanker wagons equipped with hoses, to refill the tender.

According to the gen groups, No.1 "Green Goddess" is the machine expected to appear. It's chime whistle should sound great, under the overall roof at Temple Meads...

Well folks, you heard it here first...

 

Just a thought. Don't suppose you've got access to info regarding where this will be on the relief and/or main lines.

 

Given that First Great Western are advertising the train as The first non-stop steam hauled express since the early 1960s then I would
have thought that they would do everything in their power to make sure that any local trains don't hamper the progress of the train. <BJ>

 

I think that they have reduced the coal capacity and added a water tank to the place once occupied by the coal.

 

I heard they'd gone the whole hog and coverted her to oil firing as per the post war years. They'll be towing a bogie oil tanker leaving the whole tender capacity for water.

 

There's a prolonged stop at Hinksey on both Friday and Sunday runs. IIRC this is where tours normally take water so maybe the water carrier isn't being used/isn't in the rake on these runs. There is a water carrier at Southall by the way, 60019's second tender.
How about that tagged on behind 5043?

 

This option has already been discussed, I think it has been ruled out as it is air braked although it has a vac through pipe. Something about "swingers" was mentioned. I am also not sure if it only has a Buckeye coupling on the "engine" end.