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RTC 2024

Discussion in 'What's Going On' started by alastair, Sep 25, 2023.

  1. Deepgreen

    Deepgreen Well-Known Member Friend

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    Very fine work with the drone.
     
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  2. TheModster

    TheModster Member

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    44871 on yesterday's Christmas White Rose, featuring 60007:
     
  3. alts1985

    alts1985 Well-Known Member

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  4. TheModster

    TheModster Member

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    Black 5 44871 on this mornings "Christmas Sussex Belle" captured at Balcombe Viaduct and Wivelsfield:
     
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  5. martin1656

    martin1656 Nat Pres stalwart Friend

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    Saw it leave St Leonards returning to London, To be honest, it didn't look that well loaded, If it runs next year, i wonder if the MK1's will be back, or if it will be mk2's only from now on, and what Loco, will be hauling it, be good to have something other than a black 5 for a change, a rebuilt west country would be nice.
     
  6. Gladiator 5076

    Gladiator 5076 Resident of Nat Pres

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    Would a WC fit down that way these days?
     
  7. martin1656

    martin1656 Nat Pres stalwart Friend

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    Braunton has,
     
  8. LittleRedTrain

    LittleRedTrain Member

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    The first time I attempted to do this trip, back in 2015, it was booked for Tangmere, so unless anything has changed massively, no reason it shouldn't still fit. (Sadly it was cancelled due to an OTMR failure on the loco).

    I was looking at a pre-Christmas steam trip, and it was a choice between doing this one, or Vintage Trains' trip to York next week.
    Given the choice between a relatively short run in Mk2 'coffins' with potentially lots of shoving, or 'fresh-air' Mk2s over a longer route for £5 less, it was a bit of a no-brainer really.

    I'd normally do a least 2-3 tours a year with RTC, but this year it's been none, with all my railtour budget going to VT instead.
    I hope for the sake of all involved that WCRC pull their finger out and we get the Mk1s back sooner rather than later!
     
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  9. Johnb

    Johnb Nat Pres stalwart

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    A Bulleid Pacific is a fairly gauge friendly loco.
     
  10. Mick45305

    Mick45305 Member

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    Which throws Eddystone into the mix as a potential Bulleid for next year, that all hinges on which TOC will be operating it.
     
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  11. Deepgreen

    Deepgreen Well-Known Member Friend

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    115A3129 (3).jpeg Not a single mention of today's Eastbourne run that I can see. The train left Victoria pretty much on time but immediately lost its path and was 20 minutes down by Gatwick. It regained well and the rest of the trip seemed to be better regarding timing. Shot and video from Salfords.

     

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  12. Gladiator 5076

    Gladiator 5076 Resident of Nat Pres

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    Apart from the video at post 644 you mean:)
     
  13. Deepgreen

    Deepgreen Well-Known Member Friend

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    Must have missed that, as I was sure that there was nothing when I posted. Thanks. Just a little surprised about the lack of mentions before the event.
     
  14. Gladiator 5076

    Gladiator 5076 Resident of Nat Pres

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    I have done it a few times with Tangmere, but the last one was 2012. The network has a habit of "shrinking" as shown, for example, by the U that I chased around Dorset & Hampshire in 2021 but is now apparently out of gauge down here.
     
  15. martin1656

    martin1656 Nat Pres stalwart Friend

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    Still hope one day of a couple of terriers then on this working at least they will fit :)
     
  16. jsm8b

    jsm8b Part of the furniture

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  17. Big Al

    Big Al Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Moderator

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  18. gricerdon

    gricerdon Well-Known Member

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    Indeed and then to be pushed along by a DL. In one of my future column I will recount how it used to be
     
  19. free2grice

    free2grice Part of the furniture Friend

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    The answer from Southern Locomotives Ltd. <BJ>

    ''Over the past couple of months we have been finalising our plans to work with the Railway Touring Company in association with West Coast Railways, and we are immensely grateful to the MNLPS, owners of Clan Line in assisting us with this Project. Owing to the dearth of suitable motive power in the south, the plan is for Eddystone to commit primarily to RTC charters which will hopefully see it work all over the former Southern Region and maybe beyond. Further details of our plans and possible itineraries will not be released until later when we are confident that Eddystone will be ready for its first trip in the first half of 2025''
     
  20. Big Al

    Big Al Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Moderator

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    To be fair, the Chester trip is an example of the 'perfect storm' of issues on a modern network at present:
    1. Pathing issues plus the Kilsby bottleneck and the long way round to Rugby.
    2. Stock movement and turning issues that require a shunter to be taken.
    3. Rolling stock that needs power to operate safety features.
    4. Limited availability of locomotives to haul the trains.
    5. The mis-match of train weight with the motive power up front.

    It's not as if these factors have suddenly cropped up so it is sad that the market hasn't planned in advance for the eventuality. But there again maybe it has; it's just that some of the supporting public don't like it.

    Let's hope that the train is full as there are far greater risks at stake here rather than any of the above.
     

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