If you register, you can do a lot more. And become an active part of our growing community. You'll have access to hidden forums, and enjoy the ability of replying and starting conversations.

UKRailtours: Railtours using the LU 4TC - Summer 2019

Discussion in 'What's Going On' started by Paul.Uni, Feb 6, 2019.

  1. AnthonyTrains2017

    AnthonyTrains2017 Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Sep 28, 2014
    Messages:
    2,237
    Likes Received:
    918
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    I like that’s shot greatly.
     
  2. Gladiator 5076

    Gladiator 5076 Part of the furniture

    Joined:
    Oct 2, 2015
    Messages:
    6,078
    Likes Received:
    4,893
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Swanage
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    Under a sunny Purbeck sky climbing up to Afflington Bridge[. Can those more "in the know" tell me the purpose of the Class 73 on this tour as the Class 33 led both ways. Was it just for the ECS moves?ATTACH=full]46179[/ATTACH]
     

    Attached Files:

    Last edited: Aug 19, 2019
  3. Paul.Uni

    Paul.Uni Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Aug 28, 2008
    Messages:
    1,284
    Likes Received:
    584
    Yep, the 73 was on the rear on Saturday and Sunday for the ECS to/from Eastleigh both days and around Westbury on Saturday.

    I believe that the 33 and 4TC have arrived at West Ruislip depot for the Quainton Road trips on Sunday and BH Monday.
     
  4. buzby2

    buzby2 Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Mar 26, 2009
    Messages:
    1,624
    Likes Received:
    534
    Location:
    Swanage
  5. Paul.Uni

    Paul.Uni Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Aug 28, 2008
    Messages:
    1,284
    Likes Received:
    584
    Timings for this weekends Quainton Road railtours are now on Real Time Trains. Please note that the trips to/from Watford are shown as going to/from Rickmansworth on RTT.

    Sunday 25 August
    ECS West Ruislip - Marylebone http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/U53208/2019/08/25/advanced
    Marylebone - Quainton Road http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/U53209/2019/08/25/advanced
    Quainton Road - Rickmansworth http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/U53210/2019/08/25/advanced
    Rickmansworth - Quainton Road http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/U53211/2019/08/25/advanced
    Quainton Road - Marylebone http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/U53212/2019/08/25/advanced
    ECS Marylebone - Marylebone (via Wembley) http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/U53213/2019/08/25/advanced

    Monday 26 August
    ECS Marylebone - Marylebone (via Wembley) http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/U53214/2019/08/26/advanced
    Marylebone - Quainton Road http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/U53215/2019/08/26/advanced
    Quainton Road - Rickmansworth http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/U53216/2019/08/26/advanced
    Rickmansworth - Quainton Road http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/U53217/2019/08/26/advanced
    Quainton Road - Marylebone http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/U53218/2019/08/26/advanced
    ECS Marylebone - West Ruislip http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/U53219/2019/08/26/advanced
    ECS West Ruislip http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/U53220/2019/08/26/advanced
     
  6. buzby2

    buzby2 Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Mar 26, 2009
    Messages:
    1,624
    Likes Received:
    534
    Location:
    Swanage
    D6515 returning to Swanage: http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/R04831/2019/08/27/advanced
    Not sure if it's bringing the 4TC back to Eastleigh Arlington, for it to be stabled there, or whether this is a light engine movement to Swanage with the 4TC remaining at West Ruislip depot.
    EDIT
    Light Engine move only apparently.
     
    Last edited: Sep 1, 2019
  7. Where's Mazeppa?

    Where's Mazeppa? Member

    Joined:
    Aug 7, 2013
    Messages:
    485
    Likes Received:
    494
    Gender:
    Male
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    A belated commentary on yet another great day out with UKRT that has had to wait for the duration of a week’s holiday since de-training at Woking last Saturday evening. But in the event, it was such an interesting and varied outing that I thought it would be worth compiling an account of the day for posterity, and maybe for any 33 + 4TC enthusiasts or even potentially any bus enthusiasts who might be interested. The short season of high summer trips with the 4TC set is now over following the two Bank Holiday visits to Quainton Road, and I wonder if the outing I am about to describe has been the very best of this interesting bunch of UKRT excursions

    By Routemaster to the Lost Village of Imber Saturday 17th August

    As 33012/ D6515 hove into view on the Down Slow line approaching Platform 5 at Woking, I wonder how many regular SWR customers waiting for the arrival of their service trains might have been mildly amused/ amazed to hear the announcement of a service to Warminster “with bus connections to the (uninhabited) village of Imber, and also to (the local settlements of) Chitterne, Tilshead, the Lavingtons, and (the delightfully named) Brazen Bottom”.

    A punctual arrival and departure saw an immediate switch to the Down Fast line, and that might have heralded some interesting running given a clear road to the next stop at Basingstoke. I had already decided that I would only keep a skeleton set of notes of the day’s running (start, stop, and passing times at intermediate stations), and that looked to be a good decision as we were checked around 31m 20c by the preceding 1T21 09.09 Waterloo - Portsmouth Harbour service which, according to RT enjoyed only a three and a half minute headway at its Farnborough call. So Farnborough Main (8.91 miles), was passed in 11m 32s. I anticipated that 1T21 would call the shots on the quality of running to our booked final pick-up point at Basingstoke, but clearly it had started to show a clean pair of heels after its Farnborough call and I noted pass-to-pass average speeds of 66.3 from the start of a recovery at Farnborough to Fleet, and then flying averages of 76.9 onward to Winchfield, and as the pace quickened 78.5 mph to Hook, 17.9 miles passed in 18m55s. No chance at this stage of an even time run, but it was time to take a cursory glance at some GPS readings, the first of which recorded an 83 mph Vmax at around MP 44m 60c.

    After which we slowed for a checked run into Basingstoke, reached in 25m 22s for the 23.4 miles from Woking (55.3 mph). With the raucous rasp of the 33’s Sulzer, together with the marginal NVH refinement of the 4TC’s ride, I looked forward to the possibility of a more lively onward run over the more testing 35.9 undulating miles to Salisbury. And so it proved. Despite a slight check (from 40 to 37 mph) at Houndmills UB, speed thereafter progressively rose from 52 at Worting (R/R) to 57 at Battledown, 67 at Oakley, and then rapidly increasing down the I in 550 to Overton, 7.8 miles, passed at 80 mph in 8m49s. With speeds ranging up to 84 mph down through Whitchurch, 83 at Hurstbourne Viaduct, and only a slight pull-back to 81 mph up the short 1.3 miles of 1 in 275 to MP 62m40 c. we continued at 83 rising to a maximum of 85 mph on the 1 in 178 descent to Andover, passed at 81 in 16m 40s for the 18.6 miles from Basingstoke.

    The rising 1.3 miles of 1 in 220 saw speed drop off slightly but steadily to 77 mph at the site of the former Red Post Junction signal box. An immediate recovery to 82 in the dip before MP69 preceded 4.25 miles of the climb at 1 in 264 steepening to 1 in 165 to Grateley Summit at MP73 20c, passed at 70.5 mph with an attrition of speed up the bank of around 11.5 mph – the sternest test of Class 33 performance for the day given the load and duration of the climb. A decent spin over the ensuing eight downhill miles at 1 in 735/ 245/ 140/ 169 once again saw speeds rising to a maximum of 85 mph before braking for the Laverstock North/ Tunnel Junctions. We arrived at Salisbury in 33m 22s start to stop - an average of 64.5 mph and no less than 12E against the gentle 45 minute schedule. Perhaps the Worting-Laverstock North pass-to-pass time of 25m 48s over the 32.0 miles – 74.4 mph average, gives the best impression of the pace of our progress over this section.

    Seventeen minutes to capture images of 33012 and its nameplate commemorating the life of Lt Jenny Lewis RN, for whom the citation on the nameplate explains (her distinction as) “a Class 33 enthusiast from an early age. Observer on Lynx helicopter attached to HMS Richmond. Lost when it crashed into the sea off the east coast of the USA” (2002). Also a moment to photograph ED 73107 “Tracy”, a passive and for me almost un-noticed participant at the rear of our formation throughout the day. And to note the 4TC’s formation, comprising DTSO’s 76297 and 76234, book-ending TBSK 708254 and TFK 71163. So an all-up trailing load of 148 tons for the 4TC with its full complement of 200 passengers, plus 77 tons of Class 73 dead-weight, making a gross weight of 225 tons in total.

    The Bristol portion of SWR’s Class 159 1V22 Waterloo-Bristol service departed Salisbury at 10.52, just four minutes ahead of our prompt RT departure at 10.56. So perhaps unsurprisingly checks ensued almost immediately after passing Wilton Junction at 39 mph, speed reducing to 22 mph before a brief respite to 56, and then a further check to 30.5 past Wishford. A recovery back to 69 at Wylye LC (9.7 miles/ 13m 38s) preceded a steady run up short, frequent but intermittent rising gradients along the Wylye Valley all the way to the line’s summit at Warminster, with speeds ranging 63-70 mph maximum. With a line speed limit of 75 mph and a brief PSR at Sherringford Viaduct (65) no greater effort was required to ensure a comfortable 1E arrival at Warminster (19.8 miles) in 23m 49s from Salisbury, in readiness for the main event of the day.

    The village and parish of Imber, population Nil, no post code allocated, only a map reference. And virtually nothing left of the former fabric of this Wiltshire village save for St Giles Church. Yet over the past decade, the once-a-year open access enjoyed by the General Public to what is at all other times a secure Army Training area has become a major attraction in the annual calendar – part product of its inaccessibility, part product of a curiosity about this site of a very sad Second World War episode for the former local community , and part product of the almost surreal gathering at a most unexpected location of such a large number of former double decker buses that plied most of their revenue earning mileage on the streets of London, far removed from the wide open spaces of Salisbury Plain.

    A fleet of (repertedly) around 25-27 double-decker buses had been laid on for the day for the ferrying operation from Warminster Station to Imber and thence on to Gore Cross Interchange and beyond to the small communities dotted around but just outside eastern/ southern fringes of the secure military area including, for example, the aforementioned Brazen Bottom; AEC Routemasters were strongly represented in this fleet, supported by a significant presence of the modern Wrightbus reincarnation (not sure if the purists would agree that description, though), plus a smattering of RL’s and also other assorted ex London Transport types from differing periods in the post 1960’s era. The organisation of what amounted to a continuous shuttle service from Warminster station forecourt was expertly handled by a superb team of organisers who, I assume, had been sourced from local bus companies based in the Wiltshire area. The throughput of excursionists boarding at the station and evidence from the crowds thronging Imber village later in the day suggested an attendance of several thousand people, processed in the main through the ferry services offered by the Imberbus network (“Service 23A” , for the record).

    I held back from boarding the first few bus departures for Imber to ensure a ride on the genuine article as described by the UKRT excursion title. After about 30 minutes, AEC Routmastser SNK734F (Destination Chitterne Church via Sack Hill, Imber and Gore Cross) duly obliged by reversing into the forecourt departure bay to do the honours, and to rekindle a few happy memories of visits to London and RM based journeys in my formative years and beyond.

    I thought it would be fun to just keep a simple record of the journey to Imber and so what follows (is this a first for Natpres?) is a summary of the journey as far as St Giles Church in Imber, some 6.53 miles distant to the east of Warminster, on Salisbury Plain itself. The climb to Salisbury Plain starts at the Imber Road overbridge spanning the Salisbury line just south of Warminster Station, 0.37 miles/ 2m 04s. Imber Road then rises through the housing estates on the eastern side of Warminster, to the foot of Sack Hill – a short but severe climb (low gear/ 5-8 mph) leading, with some easing of gradient, to the access point/ checkpoint to the secure military area - the 2.05 miles to this point had consumed 7m 48s. Once through the checkpoint, the next 1.15 miles to the summit of the climb onto Salisbury Plain at Imber Clumps, over more gently ascending gradients, took 3m 15s (cumulatively 11m 03s for 3.2 miles). Now passing though more austere and uncultivated heathland scenery, dotted with the shattered remains of tanks and other military hardware destroyed in training exercises, the gently downhill and level 3.3 miles into Imber took a further 11m 01s with frequent stops and pull-overs to allow the passage of buses in the opposite direction along what is effectively a largely single track road. Overall 22 minutes and 4 seconds for the 6.53 miles (17.8 mph average) against a timetabled 28 minutes.

    Imber village was absolutely heaving with visitors, many/ most heading for St Giles Church, one of only three or four remaining buildings that pre-date the annexation of the village by the War Office in 1943. Nice to see a significant London Transport Museum presence at Imber, showcasing the London General Omnibus Company K424 1921 AEC K-Type open-top omnibus (XC8059) as well as a large and distinctive bus shelter bearing the legend Abinger Hammer – not sure about the origins of this, though. A quick look around the remains of this rather odd village, with its modern breeze block construction house shells designed to support training in urban warfare environments. Then off to a very congested St Giles Church, and a packed lunch consumed in the churchyard, surrounded by tombstones of very long passed-away village residents – a far cry indeed from the normal railtour lunchtime interlude at - say - Spoonies. Time to drink in the normally inaccessible landscape hereabouts of the remote valley in which Imber nestles on the chalk downlands, bathed in the beautiful sunshine that prevailed that Saturday afternoon. And memorable, slightly surreal vistas of red double decker buses scurrying back and forth along the valley’s distant skyline shuttling to and from Gore Cross Interchange.

    Which allowed a little quiet time to reflect on just how much was sacrificed by the villagers with the appropriation of their land and buildings to support military training needs in the Second World War. A two month Notice to Quit. No compensation, no resettlement or any of the civilised forms of assistance that would be automatically assumed for such a displacement in this day and age. One can only imagine the indomitable spirit of the 150 or so inhabitants of Imber who must have acknowledged the Greater Good of wartime needs, and departed from their homes with only the promise of restitution and reinstatement after the war. What a monstrous injustice it must have felt like to learn after the war was over that the promises of the return of their homes would be dishonoured. No redress. Only the judgement of succeeding generations on a sequestration committed by the State on this scale. This Forum isn’t the place to elaborate on thoughts about this whole unhappy episode, but for a balanced account of the way events unfolded I would heartily recommend Michael Portillo’s Channel 5 “Hidden History of Britain” series which aired in 2018 (since repeated very recently), featuring a fascinating and detailed episode on the whole subject of Imber, its history prior to WW2, what happened in 1943, and how things have developed since then as what is in effect now the site of a military training facility.

    Time after lunch to move on and enjoy Salisbury Plain in the sunshine with the benefit of the Imberbus Saturday Day (Rover) Ticket with a visit to one of the outlying sites on the Imberbus network - New Zealand Farm Camp - via a busy Gore Cross interchange. It seemed that everywhere there were dedicated enthusiasts wielding very expensive looking cameras (I hadn’t realised the extent to which such enthusiasm might not just be the preserve of we ferro-equinoliogists. Now I know!!). Then, allowing plenty of time for out-of-course delays, a return to Warminster on board one of the new Wrightbus Routemasters. The plenty-of-time contingency proved to be well judged when, some 3.2 miles from Warminster Station at Imber Clumps, the Routemaster (LTZ 1378) was declared a failure, with its engine cutting out a couple of times and problems restarting it. Without more ado we were all de-bussed, with an impressively speedy rescue and recovery of the entire Routemaster’s passenger complement via following RM (SMK 735F) and RT (JXC 432) operated services. Buses returning to Warminster at this time of the afternoon were fairly busy, but this was an efficient and unfussy operation that ensured that no-one on our bus was delayed by more than 10-15 minutes as a result of the failure.

    Just time to look around the centre of the sleepy Saturday afternoon market town before returning to witness the arrival of the 33012 + 4TC + 73 returning from Westbury. Looking at RTT, it appeared that the whole formation had been turned via a movement northwards from Westbury through Trowbridge to Bradford Junction/ reverse, and then south via Hawkeridge Junction along Westbury’s East Loop to Heywood Road Junction/ reverse to complete the turning manoeuvre. One very interesting and welcome feature of the day’s itinerary was the circuitous routing of the return leg from Salisbury to Basingstoke via Romsey, Southampton and Winchester, rather than the direct route via Andover, adding some twenty extra miles of varied Southern England landscapes for our delectation.

    An RT start from Warminster saw a very rapid build-up of speed down the generally falling gradients of the Wylye Valley. Within 3.09 miles (at the A36 overbridge) we were nudging the prevailing line-speed limit, at 74 mph. This momentum was sustained through Upton Lovell (LC), 5.44 miles, passed in 5m 39s, and we just about scraped even time at MP121, 6.53 miles in 6m 34s before slowing for the 65mph PSR at Sherrington Viaduct (61). Recovering back to full line-speed, Wylye (LC) 10.05 miles was passed in 9m 40s at 71, and further to 74 at MP127 before the 50 PSR north of Wishford, observed at 44. Another spurt up to 70 at MP130m 60c, before the Wilton Junction slowing, passing the junction (points) - 17.95miles, in 17m 30s, at 36mph. A decent run to this point with the bonus of superb views over the glorious chalk downland landscapes to be enjoyed hereabouts in the early evening sunshine, and with the harvest in full swing.

    Our speed reduced progressively with a slow approach to the passage of Salisbury station, 19.79 miles, in 21m 02s at 17, further reducing to a minimum of 11 before entering Fisherton Tunnel at 20 and passing Tunnel Junction in 24m 18s from Warminster at 18. From Laverstock South Junction South (24), a further PSR around MP95 (to 35mph, passed at 31) preceded a resumption of more energetic running after a slow build-up to 72 mph at MP91. Aided by the favourable lengthy downgrades at 1 in 220/ 236 along the Test valley, we reeled off the next 6.7 miles to Mottisfont and Dunbridge in 5m 11s (77.6 average), with a maximum of 82 at Dean station, before braking commenced at MP82m 20c in preparation for the passage of Romsey (16) and its 20 PSR junction. To this point, 36.3 miles had consumed 40m 20s, notwithstanding our slow passage through the Salisbury area. A brief spell of faster running over the four miles south of Romsey past Nursling saw speeds rise once again to 69, but progress was to be checked from MP22 on by signals at the approach to Redbridge Junction, ultimately reducing to a 9mph crawl as the passage of the 16.50 Poole-Waterloo service took precedence over the junction, giving a headway of around two-and-a-half minutes once we got going over the junction. In accelerating away from the check, we did manage to touch 52 mph at MP81 before slowing for the Southampton stop. 44.38 miles/ 54m 53s/ 48.5mph average, but 4L as a result of the Redbridge checks.

    After a ten minute pause at Southampton, inserted in the schedule as a crewing stop, we departed RT at 18.09 for our next short 18.8 mile hop to Wallers Ash Up Loop. Not much of merit to report here; a Weymouth-Waterloo service departed immediately ahead of us, and not surprisingly its station calls at Southampton Airport Parkway and Winchester limited the scope for much in the way of fast running for our path as a following service. But then, nor did the 29 minute allowance for this section require much in the way of fast running either. So with frequent intermittent checks to our progress and maxima of only 56 before Swaythling and a short spell of 66 past Shawford, we passed Winchester, 12.7 miles at 47 in 20m 11s. Up the long 1 in 252 through and beyond Winchester, we managed no more than 63 mph at MP 64, before turning off into the Wallers Ash Up Loop to allow the passage of XC service 1E73/ 17.47 Bournemouth-Leeds, and came to rest RT in 29m13s, almost exactly as scheduled.

    Once the XC service had passed I was hopeful that we could manage a spirited dash over the 12.6 miles (approx.) back to Basingstoke. A short, snappy sprint, with the first 4.5 miles uphill on the uniformly graded 1 in 252 to the entrance to Litchfield Tunnel, thence gentle downgrades to around MP52 and concluding with four miles of 1 in 249 right through to Basingstoke. Regaining the Up Main from the Loop in exactly one minute (at 20mph) we set out with some purpose, achieving 50mph in no more than one and a quarter miles from the restart and blazing on through Micheldever, 2.26 miles, in 3m 58s (57). We dived into Litchfield Tunnel (4.51 miles) in 6m 09s (67), and from that point speed rose steadily to 71(MP55), and then at subsequent mile intervals to 75, 78 and 80. A Vmax of 82 came at 51m 20c, speed then falling to 79 at Battledown Flyover (MP51), and to 71 at Worting Junction. The 5.51 miles of favourable gradients from the north portal of Litchfield Tunnel to Worting Junction (OB) had taken no more than 4m 21s – representing an average speed of 76mph – good, but not quite good enough to get us into an even time position before slowing tor the Basingstoke stop. At MP49m 40c we had managed 11m 15s for the 10.86 miles, and that was as near as we got. A gentle run in to Basingstoke yielded an overall time of 14m 34s for the 12.6 miles start to stop.

    A 2E departure from Basingstoke and a slow line path suggested that we might be vulnerable to checks from the preceding 2L66 18.54 all stations service from Basingstoke to Waterloo, with its slim headway eroded to just three minutes by Farnborough Main. Modest progress was made to Hook, 5.52 miles/ 6.19 minutes, passed at 62 after a maximum of 68 at MP45, sustained at or about this level until checks commenced at the approach to Hook. We were still able to maintain speeds of between 57 and 62 as far as MP39, on the London side of Winchfield (7.94 miles/ 8m 43s) but thereafter checks increased in frequency and severity through Fleet and more especially approaching Farnborough Main (14.51 miles/ 18m 37s) passed at 9 mph. At this point we were switched to the Up Main enabling a short spell of running at 50-60mph with a maximum of 64 at Brookwood (19.78miles/ 25m 10s) before a gentle run over the last two miles into Woking. (23.43miles/ 31m 10s). In truth, something of an anti-climax to end what was otherwise a very absorbing day’s 4TC outing.

    A big vote of thanks all round to train crews, UKRT and its on board team of stewards, and to everyone involved in planning and delivering the truly excellent Imberbus event. A tremendous value-for-money day out, lots of variety, something really different and brilliantly executed. What more could one wish for?

    Particularly pleasurable was a reminiscence provoked by the day’s events of my very first sighting of a main line diesel locomotive from earliest spotting days in the summer of 1960 - a very close stablemate to 33012/ D6515; I cycled to the nearby (and long-closed) station of Ardley (about four miles north of Bicester) to observe the then brand spanking new D6517 on its first foray on the main line – the ex-works delivery path down the Great Western main line from its Birmingham Railway Carriage and Wagon birthplace via Banbury and High Wycombe to its future Southern Region home. A weekly event at that time, I seem to recall, with a dependable path that more or less guaranteed a Friday lunchtime sighting somewhere around 12.30-1.00pm in the Bicester area.

    What was then the shape of the future to come, almost 60 years ago, could have become but a distant memory of times past. But this outing really revived some fond memories of these times. And that reminiscence in particular, and amongst many other things, is something that made this day something rather special.
     
    Last edited: Aug 28, 2019
    beavis, twr12, 30567 and 1 other person like this.
  8. twr12

    twr12 Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Sep 2, 2007
    Messages:
    1,541
    Likes Received:
    698
    Thank you for a milepost by milepost report on the tour to Warminster.
    While 60 year old “modern traction” may not be to the liking of most Nat Pres members, it is great that people do like and care about heritage diesel locos and rolling stock.
    Even better when the heritage traction can keep pace with modern EMUs and DMUs!
     

Share This Page