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RTC 2022

Discussion in 'What's Going On' started by 1020 Shireman, Nov 12, 2021.

  1. Gladiator 5076

    Gladiator 5076 Part of the furniture

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    July 9th for The End of Southern Steam of course. This one looks, as usual for this tour, that it will have a diesel involved due to the Yeovil-Weymouth section.
     
  2. Big Al

    Big Al Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Moderator

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    I know that it's a sign of the times but I have been in and out of Weymouth with steam more times than I would care to remember. But sadly it has turned into a place where for many reasons steam, other than with a diesel to assist, is just not a workable option any more. Yet, ironically, it is a destination that is about as close to the sea as you can get - Minehead excepted.
     
  3. Gladiator 5076

    Gladiator 5076 Part of the furniture

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    I think you are probably right Al, according to Google 0.1 mile from Weymouth Station to the Jubilee Clock, and 0.2 mile Swanage Station to the Swanage Seafront.
     
  4. Where's Mazeppa?

    Where's Mazeppa? Member

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    How about Margate - to which I travelled as a destination in 2021 for Pathfinder's Man of Kent outing with Clan Line (with, mercifully, no diesel assistance), and also the seaside destination for Bahamas back in July, en route to Faversham, with RTC's Kentish Belle. By my reckoning, looking at Ordnance Survey, we are talking about maybe less than and certainly no more than about 150 metres from the station to the beach itself. So, a possible contender for this interesting distinction, perhaps?
     
  5. 5944

    5944 Resident of Nat Pres

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    Good shout. Margate station is very close to the beach. The main downside is that it's in Margate.
     
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  6. jsm8b

    jsm8b Part of the furniture

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    If the destination has to be close to the sea (rather than a beach) then Jacobite passengers have only to cross the road outside the station at Mallaig to be by the sea. However rare though it is to get there by steam Kyle of Lochalsh is on it's own pier.
     
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  7. Butler Henderson

    Butler Henderson New Member

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    I know it's a very rare steam destination, but Cleethorpes beats them all. There can't be anywhere closer
     
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  8. RalphW

    RalphW Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Administrator Friend

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    Holyhead station is right on the quayside, :rolleyes: can't get much closer to the sea.
     
  9. D1002

    D1002 Resident of Nat Pres

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    Dawlish is the closest I can think of to the sea. OK not the terminus for any main line tours but several pass through there every year.
    You don’t get much closer than this;).

    B940669E-8AF4-4F7C-A511-12E50041C9A2.jpeg
     
    Last edited: Dec 30, 2021
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  10. dublo6231

    dublo6231 Member

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    Harbouring thoughts of the "Dawlish Donkey" - I'd say Dawlish is the only station where the tide can literally break over you...
     
  11. dublo6231

    dublo6231 Member

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    Beaten to it by seconds - literally! I'm sure I've seen pics with steam being battered by the waves along that section as well
     
  12. LittleRedTrain

    LittleRedTrain Member

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    Isn't Portsmouth Harbour Station actually on a pier over the sea?
    That has certainly seen main line steam recently.
     
  13. 5098

    5098 Well-Known Member

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    I think you mean Dawlish, not Dawlish Warren.
     
  14. D1002

    D1002 Resident of Nat Pres

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    Corrected.
     
  15. jsm8b

    jsm8b Part of the furniture

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    Certainly on the harbour, but doesn't look like it's over water. On the other hand across the Solent Ryde Pier Head certainly is ( we can only dream of steam there though ).
     
  16. 30567

    30567 Part of the furniture Friend

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    DSC02332.JPG

    Where's this?
     
  17. Big Al

    Big Al Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Moderator

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    I'm beginning to wish I'd never suggested that Weymouth was the obvious seaside destination with its station closest to the beach that used to see main line steam regularly and now, sadly, seems destined to have to settle for 'accompanied' steam!

    As for Stranraer, that really is the best example I can think of where the journey is definitely the reason for travelling rather than the destination! The climb out of Girvan is just something else.

    But do we digress?
     
    Last edited: Dec 30, 2021
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  18. martin1656

    martin1656 Nat Pres stalwart Friend

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    In this day and age, not every destination has the advantage of an triangle, turntable, or even a siding to run round, so there will be have to be a degree of Accompanied steam, for operational reasons. At least with Weymouth there are options either run via Yeovil and have a diesel hauled leg to Weymouth whilst the steam engine is serviced and turned for an chimney first run out of Weymouth, or run diesel hauled to Southampton with steam at rear, where a reversal can be done .
     
  19. John Petley

    John Petley Part of the furniture

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    ....or alternatively use 31806 between Weymouth and Southampton, as RTC plans to do next summer.
     
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  20. Gladiator 5076

    Gladiator 5076 Part of the furniture

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    That only works if you go direct not via Yeovil, so it just becomes another DCE not a special tour.
    You could use the U between Yeovil and Weymouth per the attached taken at Melbury Bubb. But of course you would then have to turn both locos at Yeovil Junction so probably not practical really. Plus it would need to be available along with steam crews.
     

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