Z48 - 10th May 2014 - A Tribute to The Great Western Railtour

If you are a Great Western (BR-W) fan....be it steam or diesel traction....you will want to keep May 10th free in your calendar.

Details in this month's Steam Railway with tickets on sale through Vintage Trains in January.

I am afraid 7029 "Clun Castle" will not be ready, but do not fret, we have an alternate double-chimney that will fit the bill.

 

Don't suppose you've considered swapping the plates over for a day ?, looking forward to seeing what your keeping under wraps.

 

A 14xx with a double Kylchap?

 

The memories will come flooding back. In 1964 I was in my first year at Taunton station as a telegraph boy before going into West Station Signal Box, delivering telegrams to the Station Master, Locomotive Shed Master, etc. I remember a colleague saying the 4079 had failed and a Hall had taken over at Westbury. To say we, including my brother, were disappointed was a massive understatement and I was told that 7025 which was the standby locomotive just for this incident, would replace the hall at Taunton. Capel Dewi Hall rolled in to platform 5 having produced a magnificent sprint of over 80mph from Westbury on to be told that Pendennis Castle was doing 96mph when she melted her fire bars!

All of that disappointed was forgotten as Clun Castle stormed through Taunton on her way to Bristol at 82mph. Magnificent and she was to go on to create a record between Plymouth and Bristol. The disappointment returned when it was later learned that the Castle which took over for the final run up to Paddington failed to reach 100mph which was what the day was all about to celebrate City of Truro 100mph run of 1904.

Maybe Vintage Trains can seek special dispensation to run its train next year at 90mph. If 60019 Bittern can do it, so can the Earl of Mount Edgecumbe, that's for sure!

 

1 Tour and two trains !

 

Well, all is revealed in the new Steam Railway which has just dropped through my letterbox.

So, since I have obtained it by legitimate means (subscriber), I assume I am free to reveal that it is:

D1015 Solihull - Plymouth
5043 Plymouth - Bristol on a fast schedule, non-stop thanks to REG
5043 onwards to Didcot, but then having to turn left to Oxford rather than on to London
47773 Oxford to Solihull
With an alternative route home, with some of the coaches, from Plymouth for DH bashers.

Further details not yet on the website - come on Ben, now SR is out!

What an exciting day it will be!

Peter, on the next to last grey damp Mamnchester morning of 2013 - a Happy New Year to all!
http://pjhtransportpix.zenfolio.com

 

The water carrier over the Devon Banks ?, that's going to be some limited load!.

 

Load lightened by taking off the Standard coaches at Plymouth, to go back with the Western.

Only classes on the steam return are Premier Dining £200, Club Class £150 and first Class Compartment £800 for 6.

The Western has Standard £75 and enthusiast £90.

Exclusive, eh?

Peter, in a still grey and wet, and now also windy, Manchester
http://pjhtransportpix.zenfolio.com

 

The 1st Class compartments are £1000 for 6 including refreshments.

We are taking 8 vehicles behind 5043 over the banks. 6 Passenger, 1 Support and REG the Guv.

If you think the tickets are expensive, you should see the costs for running it!

 

Any chance that the costs include getting the Earl approved for a tad more than 75mph Ben? I haven't forgotten the lightning-quick acceleration out of Whiteball on his last return from Plymouth, after a storming climb from Exeter with 9 on - such a shame the brake had to go in hard long before we reached Wellington......

I wouldn't miss this trip for the world - thrilled to have booked my tickets today, and I've been busy re-reading Ian Allan's autobiography this evening for the great man's thoughts on his original 1964 Great Western Railtour (only load 7 for 4079 and 7029 back in the day - it's good to know that the Earl will have a bit more of a load to make him bark a bit!). Can't wait.....

David

 

Will it be possible to join the train at Plymouth (having come by service train from London) and get off at Oxford?

 

Good to have your call yesterday, Ben, and to know my ticket is booked for this very special trip.

I didn't mean to be sniffy about the prices - honest! I'm sure most of us recognise what an exceptional run this will be, and don't mind paying the going rate. I admire the ambition and imagination at Vintage Trains, and ride with you as often as I can.

Happy New Year- it should be a great one!

Peter, on a bright but damp Manchester morning
http://pjhtransportpix.zenfolio.com/

 

Steam on the mainline is about nostalgia for a dying tradition. It would be better to write, "....it's good to know that she will have a bit more of a load to make her bark a bit!".

 

Booked on-line at the beginning of the week - wouldn't want to miss this tour not after last years great run with the Cheltenham Flyer...fingers crossed that all is ok come the day.

 

Got a question to ask, how come 5043 is only running on the return journey from Plymouth? Wouldn't it be more better if it was D1015 running Solihull-Bristol then 5043 takes over to Plymouth and then return having D1015 take over at Oxford? I'd say it would be more value an worth for money if I was passenger travelling on this train.

 

The two trains run as one to Plymouth before splitting, no way will 5043 (or any other steamer for that matter), take that load single headed over the banks.

 

Because that is the tour we are offering? And no-one who has booked on the train so far has complained about value for money.

There is only so much you can ask a loco and the crew that looks after it to do in one day...not to mention all the other people involved. We are looking at approx 7:00am from Solihull and 22:45 return as it is! How much longer do you want to be sitting on the train?

Oh wait...you are not traveling on it!

I'm sorry to sound defensive but these arm-chair experts really get my back up.

 

Just for clarification.....5043 will have 8 vehicles in tow. 6 x passenger, 1 x support and 1 x REG.

 

Sorry, should have made clearer what I meant, that being the load D1015 takes to Plymouth first, seeing as someone asked why 5043 coulden't come on at Bristol on the outward leg, presumably what arrives at Plymouth will be into double figures before splitting ?.