Vintage Trains - Pannier Rambler - 8 Nov 14

In a repeat of the highly successful Pannier Rambler in 2012 (yes it was 2 years ago!) we are planning on the following "jaunt" with our two mainline Panniers (L94 aka 7752 & 9600) on Saturday 8th November.

Note: It was listed on 15th Nov in our brochure but it had to be brought forward a week.

We plan to depart from Tyseley Warwick Road at approx 09:15 with the Panniers top and tailing the train. We reverse direction for the run to Stratford-upon-Avon along the North Warwick line. After a short photo stop at Stratford, we reverse again back along the North Warwick line, through Birmingham’s Snow Hill Tunnels, whistling past our friends at Kidderminster and onwards to our next break at Worcester Shrub Hill.

After a few hours to explore the town or enjoy some of the excellent local ales, we reverse again, through the new station under construction at Bromsgrove and up the punishing Lickey incline. We hope to continue up the West Suburban Line, past Five Ways and through Birmingham New Street, but this portion of the route has yet to be confirmed. Whether we grace New St with our presence, or we pass through Moseley and reverse at Landor Street Junction, we return to Tyseley Warwick Road before 20:00.

Further details and to book online visit: www.tyseleylocoworks.co.uk/tours/tr_2014_1115.htm

 

On a day when I seem to be doing little else than processing transfers, credit notes and refunds for the Merseyside Streak, I have received some very good news.

Our requested route is confirmed for the Pannier Rambler scheduled for Saturday 8th November; I can confirm that we are attacking the Lickey, up the West Surburban line through University & Five Ways and into Birmingham New Street.

We have a few seats left in all classes except Enthusiast.

http://www.tyseleylocoworks.co.uk/tours/tr_2014_1115.htm

Ticket Office - 0121-708-4960
Email - tickets@vintagetrains.co.uk

 

Ben,

Will it just be the panniers attacking the Lickey or is the 47 coming along to add to the weight?

Thanks

Andrew

 

Panniers only with 9 vehicles. Top-and-tailed from Tyseley to Stratford, then DH throughout the rest of the day.

 

Like last time. Not on this one but would reccomend having been on the last one.

 

Thanks Ben,

Really looking forward to this trip !

 

Would recommend this too. Would of been on the second one as well, but the change of dates meant it clashing with CVR AGM.

 

Looking forward to it, finally get to scratch Kings Norton - New St for steam, not had a pannier since L94's Stratford test run either.

 

Timings on RTT

 

Me and my dad are booked on this one for his birthday (and of course I couldn't let him go all by himself!) Very much looking forward to it.

Could someone posted the rtt links as I can't seem to find them I'm afraid

 

Nothing showing for Spring road on the 8th. Looking forward to a bit of noise up to snow hill in the morning. Plus the long climb to Earlswood. Then of course the Lickey and up the west suburban.

 

http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/U53333/2014/11/08/advanced
http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/U53334/2014/11/08/advanced
http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/U53337/2014/11/08/advanced

 

RTT often doesn't show passing times at some of the smaller shacks if not stopping, search for a bigger station it passes through then lookout the nearest timing point once you have the timings page up.

For anyone traveling, remember to add "Tyseley Standard Time" (IE 10 mins beforehand), to the departure times on RTT.

One for the trackbashers, is Tyseley up and down through sidings the loops between the TLW site and the Diesel stabling roads on the higher level ?.

 

Oh, does that mean the ascent of Lickey will be in the dark?

I would suggest that Vintage Trains:-

Retime the ascent of Lickey so that the linesiders can get daylight photographs.

OR

Provide sufficient lighting on the trackside to make night photography OK.

And for either of the above make sure that a local field is opened to act as a car park for the photographers.

Free to those who use the car park. But that goes without saying really.

Not totally essential, but some clearance of any lineside vegetation would also help

Oh, and one final point. Please make sure the locos are not fired until they get close to the bulk of the photographers on the climb to ensure decent smoke effects for them. Using just slack at that point would be even better as it should give more smoke.

 

Wot - no run-pasts?
Could you please advise what height of stepladders will be provided?
And something on the local field to stop my shoes getting muddy would be nice too.

 

Yes, yes, I can't remember it all!

But I did forget the most important part of my requests to Vintage Trains.

Could you please ask the passengers to sit down on the climb and not stand up near the windows. A whole row of faces at the windows totally spoils the photographs from the lineside.

 

Passengers? You didn't tell me there were going to be PASSENGERS!

To recreate the truly authentic shot of a GWR branch line train, the carriages need to be empty. Maybe they could de-train at the bottom of the Lickey (@RalphW will like that word)? I'm sure Vintage Trains can sort this.

 

Becoming serious, does that mean you are on this one Ralph?

It's one that, just for the noise of them climbing Lickey, that I would like to have been on. July 9th 2012 is my last steam event, ( a great day on Bulleid hauled train from and back to Waterloo), and I am getting withdrawal symptoms. But so far as my Short-eared owl Book, 2014 is turning out to be a breakthrough year for field work and I just have to make that a priority.