Weymouth Seaside Express 2013

With sun out and a drying wind the vegetation will be dry by tonight for the return run. Jubilee Sdgs has a lot of dry grass!

 

The Crompton tour underway around 45 late. 33 doing all the work. According to train staff Wessex Control agreed for diesel on the rear but local control objected at the last minute. Needless to say we've lost our path. Another message from staff is that steam crew have been told not to control the train. Reply from a local on board, "don't NR realise how much rain we've had over the past 48 hours?"

 

How do you think we feel? We're on the bloody thing!

 

I detect a pattern. Someone in Control insists, at the 11th hour, that the diesel must not be on the back, becuase that's what the instructions in front of him say, and so it ends up as the pilot-loco, regardless of what may have been agreed between the TOC and other parts of NR the day before. I wonder if it will be coupled inside for the return trip?

 

It's people like you who cause unrest.

Eric the half a bee.

 

So stick the pilot on for the return

 

Most of us on the train don't want it anywhere near the front.

 

50 late at Bath.

 

So what about the heavy rain showers forecast for this afternoon and this evening? Massive overreaction by somebody IMO.

 

I wonder which jobsworth decided that

more than likely related to the guy who put 47580 on the front of 46233 on friday at York



Neil

 

In similar circumstances a few years ago, overnight rain after a very long dry spell rendered the need for a diesel pilot on the Torbay Express with 6024. On that occasion someone in NR control had the common sense to withdrawal the diesel and allow the King to do the tour on its own with complete success.

What a pity that that same person or someone with a similar level of common sense and competence at control was not available to make the right decision.

The passengers must be so upset having had their hopes rightly lifted after the heavy rain.

Shame on NR

 

Reading the last few posts make me think few here know we've had a real heat wave and that virtually all main line steam trains in most parts of England have had advertised diesel assistance for some time now. Or been postponed or cancelled,

It must surely take a few days for a re-assessment of the situation to be made to see what impact the rain has had?

Unless there are those here who will underwrite the full cost of any fires being started by a steam loco taking a train without diesel assistance?

 

Agreed with the Yeti, they're simply being cautious.

 

Its oh so easy for keyboard wizzards.....you go and sit in the Control and see what it feels like when its your call.....

If you make the wrong call....the higher management will be on you like a ton of bricks....and maybe with your P45...

 

5029 being removed at Yeovil.

 

I repeat what I said earlier. Train staff said that Wessex Control agreed for the 33 to be on the rear of the train. We were set ready to go when local control threw us a curve ball.

 

I was at Barton Hill yesterday working on 6024s tender,when I left I said to the 5029 lads that I hope they have a good run and that the diesel willl not feature.As I was walking from Barton Hill to Temple Meads it started raining and continued,some times torrentially, during my journey backk to Sherborne..reading my emails this morning I was amazed and saddened to see that the 33 was on the FRONT! That seems an amazing decision.inside or on the back but not as pilot. I feel sad for those on board.

 

Is that so that she can turn and then run to Weymouth in the normal path for a right-time return departure? I suppose if she's not allowed to assist with powering the train, then she might as well. Let's hope the 33 is actually capable of lifting 9 coaches over Evershot unassisted...

 

Well that's useful to know. The discussion is about a train heading for Weymouth on the south coast. I don't think you appreciate how much rain fell yesterday in the Bristol, Yeovil and Weymouth areas. If you poured petrol over the embankments this morning they wouldn't ignite. The ground is absolutely saturated out there. The decisions made today are a farce. How are the general public ever expected to pay to travel behind steam when situations like this happen. My sympathies to today's passengers. <BJ>