THE KENTISH BELLE ARMISTICE DAY (Tangmere now via Bromley)

This is very true indeed at what is about £150 as I understand for every minute that is lost! I agree that a box should have been used in this instance with the fallen leaves. I wonder if this was ever taken into consideration?

 

I wondered how long it would be before the box devotees jumped on the bandwagon. Interesting article by Mike Notely on the subject in the latest Steam Railway.

 

Box devotees? So a 4 hour delay to this train and the knock-on effects to other commuter trains is acceptable is it?

 

To rub salt into the wounds, there was a further (although thankfully brief) unscheduled stoppage at Chelsfield with a brake problem. Now underway again.

 

I thought Tangmere was nicely decked out with the Poppy wreath, the Union Flag and the RAF Ensign. The fog and smoky oldTtangmere combined to make a great atmospheric shot at Knockholt.

She's a bit too light tho, in weather like this you need a Brit, and a Stratford Driver!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hUm6IPA1330

 

Turning into a real nightmare of a day (One sure never to be repeated)

Quote "Further delay. Now problems with not being route cleared Up Fast Bickley Jn to Shortlands Jn. Stands short of Bickley Jn."

 

It's a matter of realism rather than some foolishness about teapots vs boxes. I am sure the fact that the purity of steam was respected is of great consolation to those that had their day out or travel plans disrupted today.

 

Considering it slipped to a stand at this time of year my main question woulden't be if a Diesel was required, more like if NR's RHTT coverage of that route is regular enough, the fact this happened suggests it is not.

 

There is no doubt that the rails were greasy between Walmer and Martin Mill. A RHTT went the other way just before Tangmere was due at Martin Mill, shame it could not have preceeded Tangmere instead.

The train took some 10 minutes to travel about 100 - 150 yards before coming to a halt at Ringwould FC, where the support crew bailed out to hand-sand the rails. You talk about having a diesel on the back - in the 'good old days' when electric stock had real buffers they would have used the following train to bank a loco-hauled train......................!

 

I don't access to the RHTT circuits at home, but if it was a known problem area it would have been treated with sandite in the last 24 hours. Other areas are normally treated with water cannon.

Sandling station had been treated with sandite earlier today judging by the amount of sandite on the railhead. The RHTT circuits are planned as part of the working timetable. Any changes mean not only validating the altered timings and revising the driver and operators diagrams. After any changes, it still needs to treat the entire circuit.

If there is a "need" to revise the RHTT to precede a steam working, then there is justification for any freight operator to have heavy trains assisted in the same way. There just are not enough RHTT formations to do that....

It seems that 34067 climbed to Polhill tunnel OK in the morning through low cloud. The emu I travelled on "picked up" twice departing from Sevenoaks.

Regards, Neil

 

Delay Attribution minute costs vary according to the density of traffic, the time of day, and how "strategic" the route is.
A remote rural branch will be a few pounds per minute but a densely trafficed and sensitive area (Borough Market Jn, Camden Jn, Stratford etc) could be over a thousand pound per minute or greater ....

From one who was on the edge of the delay attribution a few years ago, you really don't want to go there!

Cheers, Neil

 

Yes, quite an error of judgement by someone to allow that to happen.

Last report I read was terminated Bromley South 21.16, near 5 hours late. On a tour that was only supposed to last 6 hours that's staggering!

 

21.59 at Kenny O, booked 17.15.

 

Yes. Just allow that delay to sink in and then ask yourself if diesel assistance on the rear would have been a good thing today.

 

Does anyone know what the load was yesterday?

 

One eye witness report yesterday said that in places on MArtin Mill bank the rail head was black with leaf mulch. If that was the case then I doubt anything would have made a trouble free climb. Also most of the delays seemed to occur after the train had climbed the bank - lost path, extra water stops etc.

 

Support coach + 9 from WCRC's maroon set.

 

Clearly, train lengths need reducing. The only option is for the railtour passengers to pay higher ticket prices, and for lineside photographers who don't want diesel assistance to be taxed by the operators. The train should be max 8 coaches, the photo tax and expensive tickets make up for the reduced number of passengers. And if that isn't enough, the hot air spouted on internet forums will be used to dry the rails.