The Royal Duchy 2012

Regarding "some steam is banned from DW up loop" I noted the previous day Tornado and Duke of Gloucester routed through Dawlish Warren UP platform. Clearly Oliver Cromwell could have comfortably ran through there too on Sunday. Do we know which classes currently mainline certificated are banned from the UP DW platforms and why The Royal Dutch did not train and detrain there after all.

Bearing in mind it was known for some time the the Brit was on the train, potential passenger, I presume, could have been notified in time that they could get on and get off at DW!

Just a thought.

 

Yes, interesting one that HH. I passed the G&T duo at DW on Saturday as I was on the XC service from NQY to MAN for which the TD was looped, allowing to pass. Surely there aren't significant differences between the dimensions of 70013 and 71000 so yes, it'd be interesting to know why 70013 wasn't allowed to detrain in the up DW platform on Sunday.

 

Yes, that's a fair point actually as the website is looked after by a third party. That said, why hasn't someone at RTC told the Webmaster as you say ? We come back to RTC and communication, which as has been covered previously, is not one of their key talents !

 

Maybe RTC has informed the webmaster but the latter is being somewhat tardy in updating for some reason. Without the facts, who knows?

Edit : seems the website has been updated to some degree Royal Duchy

 

Yes, the "latest news" bit mentioning additional stops at Liskeard and BPW has gone but mention of the Liskeard stop is still included on the page specific to the RD.

 

Could be paperwork as much as anything, IE the likelyhood is a Britt does fit, but no ones yet checked it and confirmed it in writing.

 

Hello All,

A few photos of 70013 'OLIVER CROMWELL' arriving and departing Plymouth Station with the down working of this tour have been added to my web site. I hope you enjoying viewing them.

Link here;

70013 'OLIVER CROMWELL' hauling "The Royal Duchy" at Plymouth. Sunday 29th.July 2012. - Rail Traction Photos by Richard Smith

I must add 'Ollie' sounded superb as I videoed the return working up through my local station, St Budeaux, Ferry Road. She was then making up time to Plymouth, which had been lost because of a few "McDonald's Dodgers" on the track south of Saltash.

 

Mm, that was my inkling but I thought I'd wait for someone else to suggest it. As these timings are now set for the season of RDs I guess this p/u and s/d pattern will remain throughout.

 

All excellent shots I have to say, and certainly stirs my appetite to sample one of these RDs while they're on.

Out of interest, does anyone know yet which loco will be hauling this Sunday's train ?

 

I understand it will be 70013.

James at SVN

 

The gauging for 70013 was done late. Originally all the RD's were originally scheduled for 34067, 70013 was going to be in the Crewe Pool. Late changeover has caused the anomoly. When the Up Dawlish Warren stop was requested the comment was made that there were locos that couldn't use the Up Loop, hence the Dawlish PU. However the restrictions for 70013 & 34067 do not have a prohibition on. There are one or two issues in the timings which I am not 100% happy with, but I think we have to consider the current timings 'set in stone' for this season. I think all would agree that the few minor timing problems are infinately better than the choice you had last year. I think that everybody should be very grateful for the volume and variety of West Country Steam this year. Two years ago it was TE or nothing. You now have TE, Weymouth SE, and RD to choose from. I don't think anybody, 10 years ago, would ever imagine the current level of services. A

 

While I can 100% appreciate the situation here, I can't help feeling this illustrates a lack of flexibility by the powers that be. If its not necessary for 70013 to s/d at Dawlish rather than Dawlish Warren then why does it have to happen that way just because of something historical in the planning process ?

It may be argued its a small point but it surely highlights a system that is inflexible and cannot respond easily to late changes / requests from customers ? This is a legacy left over from BR days I'm sure where systems / processes that were long out of date were perpetuated on the pretext that "well that's the way we've always done it" This simply doesn't wash in the private sector where the need for change is a given, flexibility in individuals is seen as a key talent, and the levels of responsiveness and pro-activity have to be as good as the best to ensure survival. Anything provided beyond that is a bonus.

I totally agree we are extremely luck with west country steam this year, and as a resident of Weston-super-Mare, I feel luckier than many others. We must not let that get in the way of striving for higher standards however, and let bad decisions / outcomes like this pass, a suggestion I see being put forward time and time again on this forum, and usually by the "usual suspects" !

 

Would it be fair to say the gauging issue is probably going back to when the original intention was to use 5029, given GWR Loco's can tend to be on the wide side.

 

Highly likely, but again you'd have thought the systems processes in this day and age would be capable of being amended in response to changed circumstances so as to avoid this anomaly with the Dawlish stop which must have those who aren't regulars on steam specials scratching their heads somewhat.

 

Re: Te Royal Duchy 2012

Oliver Cromwell at Yatton this morning.

The Royal Duchy at Yatton - a set on Flickr

 

Re: Te Royal Duchy 2012

70013 at Whiteball this morning: Great, But Not Western | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

Conditions were atrocious, some very heavy rain in the south-west today.

 

Re: Te Royal Duchy 2012

Took 5 grandchildren down to the Warren (+ their parents) to see 71000 at speed then R.D. arrive.
An engineering train passed followed by the booked HST - 14 late - and finally the C.C voyager. I looked up my notes for the summer of 1963 at the Warren on a July sunday. No passenger train was steam hauled over several hours but a LE provided a 9F..... 49yrs later + TWO consecutive down trains hauled by spotless pacifics.

Any NP member who wants a last minute "one way" tonight : there are a few spare seats! Have a word with Cedric or a steward+ I suspect they will try to help. 70013 seems in good form !!!

Make the most of these R.D.s. They are only a replacement for Weymouth due to the Olympics (as most readers know).
Load 9 + a good loco......

Warning--mini-rant following

I think it better for me not to join in the various RTC themes as I am lucky anough to count Nigel as a friend + am poss a "suspect source/person"--wow,how amazing is that---a suspect or at least being suspicious of being a suspect. (With a real name as well)......This forum can be quite extraordinary. I hope one day it matures into a forum I am proud to belong to. Then I (+many others,some very well placed)will feel safe to post large numbers of ideas/inside info without constantly reading that,essentially, some members would like tour promoters to be sued for the many+heinous crimes they commit..........Not only that,the same tedious opinions posted week after week avidly read by some in TOCs/NR/ORR who are keen to ban/massively reduce mainline running+enjoy reading criticism of steam operation by enthusiasts. Rant over

Anyway, 2 steam each way on the seawall--as Andy says we are very lucky. I will be down on my bike to see their return!!!!

 

Re: Te Royal Duchy 2012

Very pleased to hear 70013 is running well today, and your stats for steam running in 1963 v today in 2012 is very interesting ! I had hoped to travel today but events have seen to it that I will have to travel on one of the other dates. Might be able to do a one way between Taunton and BTM this evening if that's likely to be possible ?

With regards your "rant", (which I can tell is heartfelt), I can totally empathise with the thoughts that the conflicting comments on here are divisive but you can't bury your head in the sand and pretend these conflicting views don't exist.

For one reason or another, certain practices have attracted concern / criticism, and to me it is only healthy that these are aired / discussed. If TOCs / NR / ORR etc want to read this as reason to ban or massively reduce mainline steam, let them try. I think they'll find it'll take an Act of Parliament to make it happen to repeal "open access", and that is not in their gift I'm happy to say !

I would argue that those with the "tedious opinions" are in fact among the most concerned / passionate for the future of the industry. When you care about something and you sense something is wrong you have a duty to speak out about it so if this is being tedious, then I and many others must surely be guilty. Promoters like RTC would do well to take feedback like this seriously in my opinion as I believe it far more likely to be the perceived mis-selling of railtours identified by some members on here that will damage the industry than any comments made on here. In fact I would say that to suggest the organisations named have so little else to do that they pour over this forum for bits of juicy tit bits they can use to wage a war against main line steam is quite frankly ridiculous !

Anyway, that's my rant over, and I hope we can continue to debate like grown ups !

 

Re: Te Royal Duchy 2012

Oliver Cromwell leaving Yatton for Devon and Cornwall.

70013 Oliver Cromwell leaving Yatton with The Royal Duchy - YouTube

 

Re: Te Royal Duchy 2012

some photos of the torbay express and the royal duchy at dawlish warren at royal duchy and torbay express 5-8-12 - keyhamtrain and video at keyhamtrain's channel - YouTube