Pembroke Dock Express. 28th June.

No. 70013 Oliver Cromwell
Pembroke Dock Express
Sunday, 28th June.
Confirmed timings from the RYTC website:

08:15 dep Bristol T.M.
09:00 Newport
09:24 Cardiff General
13:15 Carmarthen
13:57 Tenby
14:26-14:48 Pembroke Dock
15:16 Tenby
18:50 Cardiff General
19:09 Newport
19:56 arr Bristol T.M. <BJ>

 

11:57 - 13:15 Carmarthen

 

Latest update on UK steam info suggests steam haulage one way to Pembroke Dock?

 

Seems to be diesel hauled from Camarthen, a shame as I am in Whitland on Sunday.

On the other hand:

Make your minds up. :-k

 

Yes there is a diesel on the back.
Camarthern is a terminus, so the diesel will reverse the whole train out of Carmarthen to Pembroke where there is no turning facility.
So Ollie will then pull the train from Pembroke to Bristol.

 

Full times now on UK steam
http://www.uksteam.info/tours/t09/t0628a.htm

half hour water stop at Whitland, hows that!

 

Make your minds up. :-k[/quote:2atjm4fk]


Oh dear ! It will be diesel hauled from Carmarthen to Pembroke Dock with 70013 at the rear. Then 70013 hauls the return train from Pembroke Dock throughout to Bristol. This arrangement, which is common for steam hauled trains to South West Wales, is necessary because there is nowhere to turn 70013 west of Carmarthen, and insufficient time for the engine to run light from Pembroke Dock back to Carmarthen to be turned.

Incidentally, the return is no longer over Cockett bank as advertised, but is via the Swansea District line both ways.

David

 

For a bit of variety it would be nice to see an occasional tour with steam leading, west from Carmarthen?

All recent ones have had the steam leg in the up direction.

 

It is normal practice for the diesel to be attached at Carmarthen. It is usually waiting on the avoiding line and once the train has arrived in the station platform the diesel comes onto the southern / western end of the train to haul it westwards. On trains to Fishguard the diesel is then normally detached and left behind and follows the train out. Cannot recall what happened last year with the trip to MIlford Haven but do believe the rear diesel was detached there in a similar manner. Of course this train was double headed with a cl67 because of brake problems with the steam loco 71000. There is a loop at Pembroke Dock although I don't know if is operational or not. There is an incoming service train which the steam speacial is due to pass at Tenby so it is unlikely to be detached there. It may well be come off at the Whitland water stop. It is not RTC style to have a diesel on the back for more than is operationally necessary. It would be useful to hear from any with insider information just what is happening.

 

Woot! That'll do me.

 

So..... the question that must be asked........

Anyone know any good spots westest wales to film this train?

 

Well, it absolutely depends on your priorities. Personally I'd make it a nice day out in and around Tenby, with added Ollie.

Start early enough along the M4, or get the 9.04 from Cardiff Central, to be in Tenby a full 2 hours ahead of the diesel-hauled leg. Time for some excellent freshly caught fish & chips and a long walk along the South Beach to Penally station - but driving would be better if your equipment is heavy/bulky. Assuming 70013 is only heading the train on the return leg, it'll take a left-hand curve off one coastal straight. through Penally Stn. and onto the next straight run into Tenby. A road/footpath from the beach crosses the line at the Tenby end of the platform, to make picking your spot easier.

Further towards Pembroke, Lamphey station might be good for filming (and the village has a pub with good grub). Pembroke and Pembroke Dock stations, on the other hand, are the opposite of photogenic. If it's the start from Pembroke Dock you want, a dead-end road called Llanion Cottages leads left from a roundabout (before you get to the big Tesco) to the line, where I think there's a crossing or bridge.

BUT, at all these sites you might have issues with the sun angle in the afternoon. So how about Narbeth station between Whitland Junction and Tenby, where the line rounds a long curve? You'd actually be facing south towards a cutting, to film the returning train emerging from a tunnel, so the sun wouldn't be an issue by mid-afternoon. You can always check it out on your drive down, and if you don't like it, go on to Tenby. (Or go to Tenby or Saundersfoot anyway, for the beach, and come back in time for the filming).

Nearer Carmarthen, you might get some good accelerating just east of Whitland, where the Pembroke & Fishguard lines merge. There's also a minor road bridge and a foot crossing on the straight at Llanllwch just west of Carmarthen.

 

Look at the gradient profile and an O/S map, get there early to choose a spot if you want something to remember either a mile or so east on the 1:50 out of Tenby or further along near the top of the climb towards Narbeth ( the summit is about 2miles west of Narbeth), sadly its more impressive going west so I would favour Tenby, but then I am thinking about the sound. I wouldnt advise Narbeth coming back as the action is all long over by then.

 

Thanks guys, I shall inwardly digest.

Where could I get a gradient profile for this line?
I have the old mainline book by Ian Allen, but it does not include any of the 'branches'.

Looks like Sunday could be wet. :-k

 

Bill, did you get my PM?
PS On today's forecast it looks like today is the worst day for rain. Any cloudbursts in W. Wales on Sunday will be widely scattered and you'd be unlucky to get caught. But take precautions!

 

Just replied,but you'll know that anyway.
Talking of rain, it's darker outside at 10:30am than it was the other night at midnight and it is bucketing down.
Back to the maps/google earth etc.

 

I have a copy of the profile I will mail u a copy if you would like, let me know.

 

Where do you get hold of that kind of thing, Chris?

 

I have quite a large collection of profiles from all sorts of sources, but the Pemboke dock one I got on the train when we rode the epic 80079+80080 run some years ago, it used to be quite common to hand out profiles even on the rare routes.
If anyone wants a copy of the whole route, pm me with your email address and I will sort it out sat afternoon.
A snippet of the route can be found at the bottom of this page.
http://crjennings.com/preserved%20steam ... Index.html

 

That's pure gold for sound freaks and clag hunters, Chris! Don't need it right now myself, but thanks for offering it on the forum.