Steam Dreams 2022

What a not-so direct route from London to Bath! And given that the SD website had Staines and Ascot as pickups, I don't think they were expecting that either.

If there is a loco swap, originally I would've said it would be 70000, as she is the only other LSL loco at the WSR currently. However , 34046 hasn't been able to move to Southall because of the steam ban (the SSE 2 days before was due to have 34046 but is now having 45231, if steam is allowed by then) so 34046 is also still at the WSR. I'm inclined to believe that 45231 will do the outward and 34046 will do the return as she was the originally advertised engine.

 

Having just watched the weather on the BBC South news no rain at all forecast (other than possibly a thunderstorm today) through to next Friday. Would not be too hopeful for steam.

 

The Sunset Steam Express 2 days before that I mentioned is now diesel hauled (I'm booked on it and stated this in the dedicated SSE thread) so I would say the Bath trip will follow suit.

 

News about the Canterbury trip on Thursday and the afternoon circular tour from Steam Dreams website:

"Owing to an increased fire risk beside the tracks due to limited rainfall following a prolonged, unprecedented period of dry weather and extreme heat, Network Rail have reinstated a steam ban extending across this week including the date of our trip, on the 11th August.
We can confirm that our trip will still go ahead as planned on Thursday with our vintage carriages and with the same level of service as if we were hauled by steam but with a vintage diesel locomotive instead, likely to be a Class 47".

 

Update on the SD blog confirming that the Christmas trips and beyond will be using the Saphos rake of coaches. They don't say "the Saphos rake" in so many words, but the language used and the images make it clear it's the Saphos rake.

https://steamdreamsblog.com/2022/08/02/introducing-our-enhanced-on-board-experiences/

 

Hmm - "vintage carriages" - well, of A vintage but Mk2 a/c coaches are probably not what most people would understand by the word!

 

Not the slightest chance of a thunderstorm today anywhere in England. Nothing until Monday at the earliest and then fingers crossed for the desperately-needed rain.

 

Is Tuesday's run to Portsmouth cancelled? No indication to that effect on the web site but the lack of discussion here makes me wonder. Plenty of rain recently in Surrey and Hampshire should have allowed the lifting of the steam ban, surely? Apologies if it's mentioned elsewhere, but as it's ostensibly an SD run, this seemed the best thread to check.

 

Ah - many thanks. I would have expected at least a post or two about this by now, considering the dearth of steam in the south lately, so this confirmation is appreciated. Edit - RTT has the return starting at 75mph max. - I had thought that 45231 was a 60mph loco - has it changed, or has the loco? I know that RTT's max. speeds for timing are often lower than the maximum permitted but not the other way round?

 

Well, still no comments about tomorrow's run - after such an absence of steam in the area I would have thought there would be at least a few, not least in response to my query about the RTT return 75mph timings. Oh well, I'll assume it is still 45231, despite its 75mph return timing. Good luck to all involved.

 

Fair enough, but these things have generated much interest previously, including immediately post-C19, when things were surely even worse. Perhaps you are right and the general malaise has had the effect you suppose.

 

Other trips have been generating a fair amount of discussion. A 75 mph path for what was planned to have a 60 mph loco does seem worthy of comment.

 

Perhaps because it is showing as cancelled on the Steam Dreams website?

 

That's a bit late. Checked this morning and was still shown as running. Quoted from the timings page: "last minute resourcing issues resulting in lack of available crew in the Southern Region" - is this maybe another issue the move to LSL has made, no crews to sign the route?

Got to feel for the passengers who at short notice aren't travelling, and Steam Dreams who are obviously not having the best of times with the move to LSL under no fault of their own.

 

I hadn't checked today - what another mess-up by/on behalf of LSL. They have pretty thoroughly ruined the reputation of the SD brand.

 

Which is why I would have thought that "photographic returns" would be a draw for this run. Clearly not, and as it's cancelled at the eleventh hour, it's academic anyway. I still wonder about the 75/60mph RTT data, but so be it...