Weymouth Seaside Express - 15th & 29th August

With Nunney's own Choc&Cream support coach, that will look like a proper "inter-regional" summer excursion. Let's hope the weather holds, and the Castle's sanders are working well. The forecast is OK, at the moment...

 

I'd forgotten Evershot. I was on a run a few years back with 6024 with about 10 and a dead 31 on the back. The noise up Evershot was quite something. The problems with the 31 had caused us to visit Westbury to pinch some spares and we were sufficiently late that the plan to change to the box at Pen Mill with the King going to be turned at Yeovil Jn and then drop down to Weymouth for the return run had to be abandoned. I have wondered if the 31 would have managed Evershot alone if the original plan had been followed. Control refused to allow the 31 to single head out of Weymouth so we had to wait for a second to come down from Westbury and then ran back double headed via Southampton. One of those days when the train planners really pulled out all the stops to pull a difficult situation out of the fire.

 

Left Trowbridge approx. 40 mins late. The brakes sounded as if they were dragging a bit.

 

Just got back home from Redford after videoing 5029 on the 1 in 60 up to Evershot tunnel. You could hear the castle for miles and it seemed to be going well but the gradient slowed her down as she approached me and from what I could hear they didnt go into the tunnel very fast.
Off out later for 2 more shots on the way back.Video up tomorrow hopefully

 

Pls can anyone confirm which end of the train the 3 green coaches are. Thanks

 

There was one somewhere in the middle of the train and two on the Bristol end on the way to Weymouth.

 

Just watched video back. Green buffet near middle of train, 2 Mk2 green will be at the front ( apart from support coach) on the way back.

 

Thanks very much guys.

 

Some pics from Claverton near the Pumping Station.

http://michael527.fotopic.net/c1884338.html

Why was it running late out this morning?

 

Can anyone report whether 5029 is running late or was very early this evening.

 

Was late passed me at Newton ST Loe @ 20:25 approx. The light had gone by then.
Brian.

 

Thanks

 

My video of Nunney castles today.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z4anSUUQP-w

Enjoy.

 

Had a great day out with RTC behind Nunney Castle today. Weymouth is a brilliant destination for a summer day out and some good gradients to get the engine barking - something for everyone! Super value too . . . a bargain compared to other offerings from Bristol on a summer Sunday! Hopefully this will become a regular feature of RTC's summer steam offerings . . .

The RTC stewardesses looking as good as ever too!

 

I must have been quite close to you Nick. I was in the field above the tunnel. The crew kept Nunney
running at a steady pace. It was a heavy load for a Castle. Did the class 37 diesel stay at Bristol? <BJ>

 

I was at Redford about a mile from the tunnel.
After that I went to Wyke Champflower,but as it was 40+ late there the sun was right in the lens so I did a going away shot.Pot Lane Berkley was next, I think that will be OK.After that I had to go to Bristol to pick Shirley up so decided to try to get to Pixash Lane which I did with 10mins to spare.Only problem was that the train was running from sigle yellow to single yellow so just crawled past.
I dont know if the 37 did stay in Bristol but it was used to shunt stock so may have been.

 

It was a good day out with Nunney yesterday, with an excellent ascent of the banks. As expected Evershot bank proved the most challenging, not helped by a gauging speed restriction at Yetminster at the foot of the climb. There followed nearly 5 miles of hard slog mostly at 1 in 53 to 1 in 51. The summit was passed at about 14.5mph, after a very brief slip in the tunnel. Steaming was excellent with the engine blowing off at times during the climb, and the sound was just brilliant ! The 9 coach train (no diesel) was slightly over the BR load limit for a Castle and there was nothing much in hand. By contrast Upwey bank (max 1 in 50) seemed much easier with the summit passed at a fraction under 20mph. I thought the firing and steaming was excellent throughout the day. Pity about all the operational delays though, with a 28min late start from Bristol in the morning, and 23 mins late off Weymouth in the evening. The schedule was also rather unrealistic in places. But it was still a good day out, with the first Castle to Weymouth for 45 years, and the very rare unassisted climbs both ways. Nothing beats the sound of a single chimney Castle working flat out (except perhaps a Manor).

David

 

Enjoyable day out yesterday, Thanks to RTC, West Coast, and the Support Crew.

Our late departure from Bristol was partly due to having to move the stock from Platform 15 to 5/6, after it was discovered our original departure platform was not passed for Steam.The sound was Brilliant on the climb of Bincombe from where I was, the front end of the second coach ( the support coach was on the back).

 

When was the last occasion that a Castle class loco ran southbound via Evershot?
I was told yesterday that the last Castle to Weymouth ran via Southampton. <BJ>

 

Thanks everyone for the kind comments. The loco and crews performed superbly and we all really enjoyed our day too.

Bring on the 29th!

Ben, 5029