The Royal Wessex 5th Sept 2015

From the details GFG has provided (and I suspect he is still very much "in the know"!), it sounds as though the incident was reported and hence correctly dealt with. This is very important. Is the buffer stop of the type designed to move back to absorb energy if struck?

Steven

 

With all due respect*, you will see I was quoting everything purportedly from another source all of which I said was unqualified, So Sir, before you start having a pop at me personally it might well have been a good idea to present your facts in a manner pointing what you know, rather than this "But thanks for sharing your personal insight into "all the evidence". Keep up the good work..." crap.

On second thoughts, cancel that due respect. You'll get none from me with an attitude like that

 

Well said. IMHO.

 

Yup, pretty clear there was an interface incidence.

 

Well,thanks for sharing some interesting info.

But really,why all the sarcasm? Just nasty and completely unnecessary.

 

Maidenbower (Crawley), Preston Park (Brighton) and Fareham Viaduct yesterday...



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Very nice. Although I think more than few of us would appreciate the weather forecast at 3.12 being removed until December!

 

We thought Railtrack were bad and they were. Network Rail offered a new beginning and much hope for the future. Sadly that has not transpired and, if anything, NR are proving to be an even worse shambles. Reality I guess, is that most of the Railtrack bods, simply transferred to the "new" company and it has been "business (debacles)s usual".

 

Steady on chaps. Geekfinder provided a clear description of what happened so as to quash any rumours. I think his was a balanced response and sarcasm is fine, as that's what happens every day on all sorts of forums. Come on guys, we are grown up adults and should be able to take it.

 

You sound surprised. Just the same as any of the branding changes on the modern railway - there will be some changes at the top, but most staff will just transfer over.

Whether this is good or bad is for others to judge.

 

Aren't those modern electrics noisy!
The one on the right in the Preston Park clip in making a hell of a whining racket, totally drowns out Tangmere.
And they say steam is noisy!

 

I was always under the understandering that if you hit buffer stops, thats a crash and the train should be caped

 

I think you may be right. That said, if Tangmere gently pressed itself against the buffer stops rather that clatter them, if would be a "minor" incident. I seem to recall another such incident (was it Brighton?) when a locomotive did the same thing. It later returned to Victoria with its train without further action being taken.

 

That clip was on quite a lot of zoom taken from high up on Highcroft Villas and the electric headed out of shot then directly under me but yes the 377's have a loud wine to them!

Yes speaking as someone who works in retail and is already selling mince pies I agree!

 

The Control were not aware of said incident until 1800

 

Did this incident with the buffer stops have any input in the decision not to allow Tangmere to complete the journey to Three Bridges ?

 

Does anyone have any factual info' on whether it will also impact on the next run of the DCE?

 

I seem to recall we were aware there would be a shortened return path, before the buffer incident.

 

When charter companies start PAYING THEIR WAY and not hiding behind the delay minute cap for example (IIRC around £5000 rather with NR absorbing the rest) rather than the 10s of thousands regular TOCs and FOCs are liable for to you will have a point.

As for the ORR they recognise the reality of the situation - that steam charter operations pail into insignificance compared to regular TOC / FOC issues as unsurprisingly these are a much higher priority (safety excepted), particularly where bad performance results in political pressure at Westminster.

Yes NR is guilty of some pretty basic planning / gauging errors with regard to charters - but again it comes back to how many resources NR feel able to throw at something that is from a financial and political point of view, a tiny but resource heavy part of its business.

Charter enthusiasts need to recognise that as attractive as it may be, the operation of steam charters is a pain in the arse on the modern railway and no amount of wailing will make any difference to that. Instead of continued NR bashing it would be better to take time to saviour what you have because as ERTMS WITHOUT line side signals is rolled out on places like the southern half of the ECML over the next decade steam locomotives will find the territory they can operate over without a diesel pilot steadily reducing.

 

There was due to be a T3 possession on the Down Poplar and Down Poplar Goods line from Acton Wells toward Acton West which prevented movements from the Southern, Anglia and Midland lines to the Western. Tangmere came back from the other end via Reading.