"The Atlantic Coast Express" Sunday 7th.April 2013.

Drivers hours ?, not sure what is allowed or if they have multiple drivers I suppose ?

 

That said, in the UK issues this early in the year are unusual.[/QUOTE]

Unusual yes but maybe things are changing. Two years ago Settle and Carlisle leg of GB dieselised for dry weather, last year the excellent 70000 run must have been touch and go in very dry conditions, this year a dry Feb and Mar except for some snowfalls with frosts every single night ; crocuses now at their best a month late. A few more like this and I'll believe in weather change. Anyway some of the best winter photos and videos for a long time in this years conditions so thanks to those who returned short of a part.

 

Having made the trip over to High Wycombe from Wokingham tonight only to see a smelly at the head of the Marylebone trip with the Castle tucked inside doing nothing, I dread to imagine what lies ahead for tomorrow. My first tour for nearly 3 years and I have absolutely no idea just how far this ship is going to sink. At the moment it seems of Titanic proportions with unexpected diesel traction now likely to be on the front and a programme which is a shadow of what was first advertised.

At least Argyle won today which is the only ray of sunshine for me to dwell on!

Off to my railway now, with 34054 on the Portsmouth Harbour to Cardiff as far as Salisbury where 7909 will take over via Bath to Cardiff and not a diesel in sight! Bliss.

 

Off to my railway now, with 34054 on the Portsmouth Harbour to Cardiff as far as Salisbury where 7909 will take over via Bath to Cardiff and not a diesel in sight! Bliss. -- good to see steam reigns , can I request a County from Salisbury instead of the Modified Hall ........

 

Has been known! I have 3 to choose from and they are 1000 County of Middlesex, 1004 County of Somerset and 1005 County of Devon - all renamed Hornby 00 models! Based around 1960 I have a locomotive allocation of 95 locomotives one of which is 92220 Evening Star which was rostered for the Cardiff - Salisbury duty last week!!

Back to the real world and I am soon off to Waterloo with fingers crossed for the tour.

 

Really hope this goes off ok today... I will be out videoing near Yeovil and Chard then Im going to video the return at Oborne,

Have a good day Nick,remember glass half full and lots of steam milage on offer today...perhaps we should be glad we can say that in 2013...

 

"The Atlantic Coast Express" Sunday 7th.April 2013.

Over Cremorne Bridge / Battersea Railway Bridge at 0856 en route to Waterloo.

 

From reports I've read, it is 34067 with 57601 at the back. No diesel at the front.

If you're on it, hope you have a good day today - I'll be seeing it at Woking and Andover...

James at SVN

 

"The Atlantic Coast Express" Sunday 7th.April 2013.

Yes - 57601 at "front" pulling towards Waterloo. 34067 making stately progress at the rear over the Thames.

 

Re: "The Atlantic Coast Express" Sunday 7th.April 2013.

Thanks for the update.

 

My first ever attempt at Clapham Junction. Knew 34067 and co were passing through Platform 9 so stood at the end of Platform 11 to try and get some kind of decent angle with the sun in the right place. Too much clutter / boxes in this pic and sure others there will have better. But reasonably pleased as a first shot there. May try there again for the VSOE next Friday so any advice on the best platform to choose for a long lens shot would be appreciated - though, of course, don't want this thread to go off topic. Will add more pics later from both CJ and Cremorne Bridge earlier:

Tangmere, The Atlantic Coast Express and The Shard. Just.

 

Why would there be a need for the 33 to be tucked behind Tangmere when it's been confirmed that a diesel is on the back?

Let's hope there's no issues today and all goes well!

 

..

I read a part of the NR rule book which my interpretation reads pushing from behind is not allowed anyone more familiar able to verify ??

14Working :trains with locomotives atboth ends
The person responsible: driver

14.1 When this type of working is permitted
You can operate with locomotives at both ends of the train in the following circumstances:

• if the rear locomotive is providing an electrical train supply(ETS), in which case special instructions are published
• if the rear locomotive has a driver and is not providing traction orETS
• if the traction unit is dead see module TW1 Preparation andmovement of trains: General

If the rear locomotive is manned by a driver, the requirements ofsection 14.2 and 14.3 of this module apply.


14.2 is about braking prior to departure..
14.3 explicitly states..


If you are the driver of the rear locomotive, you must:
not apply traction power or interfere with the braking of thetrain, except in an emergency


My reading this..coupled diesels pushing steam around from the rear isnt allowed ?

source:
http://www.rgsonline.co.uk/Rule_Book...%20Iss%202.pdf

 

What I was getting at was that hopefully NR wouldn't over react, which going by today's info they haven't so the consist was as presumed, diesel at the back and Tangmere on her own at the front.

If a diesel was to be required at the front of the train, the 47/57 would most likely to have been tucked behind 34067 and the 33 would probably have hauled the train into Waterloo.

 

Actually, Ian, its a really good photograph, congrats on that. Pete ps did you go to the boat race ? lol some of those pics better than daily press

 

Thanks Pete. And apologies for going off topic but yes I did. Matt Pinsent (who umpired this year) asked for one of them, which was a bit of a surprise! More pics of Tangmere after a cup of tea.

 

definition of emergency:

I'm not sure stalling on a hill is an emergency, probably an issue, though setting fires probably is. But then the question falls about the responsibility for introducing that risk to health,life, property and the the environment in the first place.. but thats risk mitigation, responsibility and these days restitution...

I suspect NR will not introduce a ban because of the consequence they may face, but allow it by placing the onus for the risk and the consequences onto the operators and shutting the operation as / when the risk occurs...

so maybe they may allow it to be pushed after a fire occurs.. but then insist on a diesel on return.
The risk is, if there appears to be an underlying problem, they will then seek to resolve it. I can see a recurrence of steam setting fires repeatedly as the underlying problem.

Still at least it lets things get done, I am on a steam trip with 2 x 2-10-0s in a couple of weeks in Germany.. if there dry weather the week before.. there's a nationwide steam ban introduced automatically.. they dont distinguish where the dry weather is... in my case that trip only has a short distance in it's borders.. the rest is international...but thats still irrelevent.

 

Re: "The Atlantic Coast Express" Sunday 7th.April 2013.

Here is Tangmere, on the fast down SW main line, at Byfleet Juntion. Its got a 57 on the back. Now call me an old cynic after yesterday shenanigans, Tangmere is trotting along at a fair old lick, about 60mph, but I dont think Tangmere is doing the work. I have seen it working hard at speed, its much noisier and smokier than that.

Tangmere on the fast line, Byfleet - YouTube