The Cathedrals Explorer - 2012

But since like 2007, they haven't been run by DBS have they? before WCRC the main choice was only to have EWS/DBS except for some of the smaller groups (FMR, Merlin)
Matt

 

Most of the engines planned for this tour are yet to turn a wheel on the ML this year! I think there may be some changes all round!

 

Erm, West Coast have been around near as long as EWS/DBS have been, so there has always been the choice. It's never been the case that EWS were the main choice.
Also I can remember going out with 45407 to Kyle of Lochalsh back in 2008, it was EWS crews definitely and a memorable run because the engine stalled climbing back to Achnasheen tender first, can remember a rush for sand in the support coach!.
Now I can't think off the top of my head when the exact last run they performed with EWS/DBS was, but I'd put a guess at 2010 unless anybody can enlighten me to last years intinery?

 

The North Briton April 2008 which the TOC was EWS/DBS 45407 was used.

 

Must be a diesel somewhere, no flat crossing at Redhill. Prob 34046 down from Bromley, Sevenoaks to Tonbridge, diesel along to Redhill then 34046 off to Guildford and London. Steam right way up Gomshall Bank for a Ranmore Common shot which is nice, not much runs that way round.

 

Right whatever, I just thought it was Riley's choice not to use DBS.
jonathonag, I understand that WCRC have been around for long, but have only got more work in the last few years... RTC used DBS till 2009 before swapping for WCR...

 

It depends which TOC the tour promoters use.

 

Yes. A bit much expecting 34046 to be ready before it's supposed ML cerificate runs out in 2014.

No, only joking guys, just my way of getting through the day.

Of course I meant it's second ML certificate in 2021.

 

The original Great Britain railtour in 2007 was WCRC operated and RYTC promoted, same again with the West Highlander in 2006.

It's never been a case of WCRC just all of a sudden getting more work recently. WCRC have always had quite a share in the market compared to EWS/DBS....that company having further restricted themselves when making the move to only operate air braked locomotives, allowing WCRC to take a majority.

 

Only a couple of weeks to go now. UKsteam.info is showing quite a few loco changes:
Britannia replaces Braunton on Day 1.
Tornado replaces 4472 KX - Durham, and replaces Tangmere+61994 Perth-Inverness and Inverness-Aberdeen-Edinburgh (these changes were made some months ago).
Bittern will probably replace Union of South Africa on the Durham-Perth, Edinburgh-Stirling and Edinburgh-Hellifield sections.
61994 is still showing for Inverness-Kyle. This will be the first vacuum-braked EWS operation for a few years, I think.
Britannia replaces 44871+45407 on the final day.
The loop around the Home Counties on the last evening is now diesel-hauled.

Has anyone seen any timings yet?

 

Just looking forward toward to a garter Blue A4 pulling the special through the Cumbrians.

 

1Z11 1200 London Victoria to Durham
Location GBTT Arr GBTT Dep WTT Arr WTT Dep Pfm Line Path Eng Pth Perf
London Victoria 1200 2 FL
Grosvenor Bridge Jn pass 1204
Stewarts Lane Jn pass 1207 RVL 12
Longhedge Jn pass 1224 10
Latchmere Jn pass 1237 2
Kensington Olympia 1245 1247 DML
North Pole Jn pass 1252
Mitre Bridge Jn pass 1253 5
Willesden Junction pass 1300 4
Kensal Green Jn pass 1302 5
Gospel Oak pass 1315 4
Junction Road Jn pass 1318
Upper Holloway pass 1320 2 1
Harringay Park Jn pass 1325 12
Harringay pass 1339 SL2
Alexandra Palace pass 1343 5
Potters Bar pass 1400 4 FL
Welwyn Garden City pass 1407
Woolmer Green Jn. pass 1410
Stevenage pass 1413 3
Hitchin pass 1416½
Biggleswade pass 1424 SL
Sandy pass 1428 SL 1
Huntingdon pass 1442 3 SL SL 3
Holme Jn. pass 1455 FL 2
Peterborough pass 1503 DF
Tallington Jn. pass 1511
Stoke Jn. pass 1525
Grantham 1531 1611 GL
Claypole Loop pass 1623
Newark North Gate pass 1628 1
Newark F.C. pass 1629
Retford pass 1645
Ranskill Loop 1650 1717
Loversall Carr Jn pass 1724 WSL
Doncaster Decoy South Jcn pass 1727
Decoy Nth Jn pass 1729 WSL
Bridge Jn pass 1731
Doncaster pass 1733 DF
Shaftholme Jn pass 1737
Temple Hirst Jn. pass 1745
Hambleton North Jn pass 1750
Colton Jn pass 1757 1
York 1803 1815 11
Skelton Jn. (York) pass 1818 FL
Tollerton Jn pass 1826 FL
Thirsk pass 1836 SL 15
Longlands Jn pass 1858
Northallerton pass 1859 1 2
Darlington pass 1914 DML
Ferryhill Sth. Jn. pass 1924
Tursdale Jn pass 1926
Durham 1933 2

 

1Z10 0734 Staines to London Victoria
Location GBTT Arr GBTT Dep WTT Arr WTT Dep Pfm Line Path Eng Pth Perf
Staines 0734 2 5
Virginia Water pass 0749 4 3
Addlestone Jn pass 0759 4
Byfleet & New Haw pass 0805 SL
West Byfleet 0807 0812
Woking pass 0815 5 1
Woking Jn pass 0817 2
Guildford 0827 0830 4
Shalford Jn pass 0832
Shalford pass 0834
Gomshall pass 0841
Dorking West 0849 0852
Betchworth pass 0858
Reigate 0903 0906
Redhill 0912 0929 2B
Godstone pass 0938
Edenbridge 0945 0948
Penshurst 0955 0958
Tonbridge pass 1006 DF
Tonbridge Signal Ad2032 1007 1023
Tonbridge pass 1024 3
Sevenoaks pass 1034 1
Orpington pass 1045 2 FL
Petts Wood Jn pass 1048 UFV
Bickley Jn pass 1050 FL
Bromley South 1055 1058 1 1
Shortlands Jn pass 1102 1
Bellingham pass 1107 4
Nunhead pass 1115 1 1
Crofton Road Jn pass 1119 AL
Denmark Hill pass 1121 1 1
Voltaire Road Jn. pass 1126
Factory Jn pass 1127
Stewarts Lane Jn pass 1128 1
Grosvenor Bridge Jn pass 1131 SL
London Victoria 1134 2

 

Private message sent to Steamage

 

Thanks for the information, chaps. I'll be on the road following this tour.

 

Have you got last years sorted yet then Mark???

 

Yes, at last! DVD and Blu-ray discs of GBIV and Cathedrals Express 2011 now available from the usual place, with a couple of sample on YouTube. ;-) I still have a lot of other 2011 footage to edit and publish though, and I've just discovered that my colleagues have been selling the GBV disc already, though I've not received their footage yet!! An editor's work is never done...

I notice that the Home Countries loop on the first Friday morning is now in the reverse direction, i.e. Staines-Redhill-Tonbridge-Victoria.

 

I have just noticed that, Hackhurst Farm then somewhere around Hilldenborough way it is then!

 

Hackhurst Farm for me in the morning too, weather dependent. Then Digswell viaduct in the afternoon.

 

Just looking at next Friday 18th will Britannia be banking Tornado out of Victoria ?

Brian