RTC 2022

Class 33 gala at the West Somerset this Saturday then!!!

 

Yes there is - the train has been retimed and now arrives in Minehead at 1135

Return trip leaves at the same time but is routed via Bridgewater, Weston Super Mare, Bristol and Bradford on Avon

 

Thanks, at least we'll get a decent amount of time in Minehead then.
Looks like all the water/pathing stops have been removed from the schedule, and a much earlier arrival back at the drop-off points as well.

 

Exactly that - dinner takes longer than breakfast.

Edit - WSR timetable for the day.

https://www.west-somerset-railway.co.uk/timetables/view/180

Charter due Minehead 12.15 - 15.45.

 

RTC website has been updated to confirm that subject to sufficient rainfall that Bahamas will haul the 27th August Cotswold Venturer instead of Clan Line.

 

Time to start the rain dance then!!!

 

The repairs to Clan Line’s thermic siphons will commence this weekend.

 

Some of 55022’s first lot of railtours were advertised as such, first couple of coaches were for the cranks, middle bit was for the normals, last bit was for those wining and dining, throw in some interesting destinations and some reasonable start and finish times… I think VT are trying to do something like this.

 

All very well but the pattern of weather is so unpredictable in this country that you could set aside such a period in August and yet end up with a steam ban, or partial ban in early Summer instead. I once went on a tour in April which was heavily diesel assisted due to fire risk and on the other hand I have been on tours in August that have been pure steam.

So how do you decide when your closed season is?

 

It should also be remembered that loco maintenance is hot and heavy work!

 

..........said the actress to the Archbishop.
(sorry I could not resist it - put it down to the heat)

 

Now there's a comment that I have not heard in years, except from my own lips. Who was the comedian who used that?

 

Sounds a bit like Ken Dodd.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Said_the_actress_to_the_bishop

 

All things considered, it was a good day. Had it been sold at as a diesel hauled tour originally, I think pretty much everyone would have been happy (except maybe the unfortunate couple who just missed the train at Reading, with no service trains to catch it up!).

We had some good fast running with the 33s and the lack of anything else around meant we ran early for most of the trip. I think we may even have caught a couple of signallers out, as a couple of times we stopped at a red in the middle of nowhere with nothing else to be seen on Traksy.

We did arrive at Minehead a bit late, after being stopped outside for 20mins for a platform to become available. Not quite sure what was going on, when we pulled in the service train was in Platform 2, some unexpected shunting perhaps?
Either way, after being sat still in the heat, we were gasping for an ice cream upon arrival and the stall by the WSR entrance did good business!

Although the longer return run was ostensibly to allow extra time for the dinner service, they brought out the starters pretty much as soon as we left the platform at Minehead and dessert was done by Cogload Jn! Still, the different return route at least provided some variety and the section through Bradford-on-Avon is particularly scenic.

No mention on-train of the promised discount/credit, so I'll have to follow up with the office tomorrow. - Now offered by e-mail.

I'm just keeping my fingers crossed that everything goes smoothly next time I try to book a steam tour with my partner and in-laws. (First time we had to cancel as dog got kennel cough, second time cancelled completely due to Crossrail testing preventing a suitable path being found, and this time no steam due to fire risk!)


Just a couple of phone camera record shots of the 33s, didn't bother with the big camera as with no water stops, there'd be limited opportunity to use it.

 

Apparently the ground frame at the end of P2 wouldn't unlock, so the service train had to propel out, run round in P1, then propel back into P2.

 

It was interesting to watch the train at Keynsham as the tour ran wrong line from Bristol East depot to Bathampton Jn.
The section is normally very busy. Thank goodness that it was a strike day