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Atlantic Coast Express UKRT/MNLPS 23/09/17

Discussion in 'What's Going On' started by Where's Mazeppa?, Sep 14, 2017.

  1. IamDaniel

    IamDaniel Member

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    I'm booked onto this tour - heck, I phoned on Thursday afternoon asking when timings were likely to come out - but haven't got any of these emails. Is anyone else in the same boat?

    As others have said, it's not ideal - I was really looking forward to a quick start out of Waterloo instead of a trundle around Staines. But Clan Line without a diesel on the back isn't something I can turn my nose up at.

    Any reason why this isn't on RTT yet? Looking on there, there's a Dover train that's due to leave P2 a few minutes before the charter - I'm guessing it'll need to be re-platformed to accomodate the tour?

    Finally, with 60009's tour to York (leaving at 6.30am or so) and the Pullmans with Royal Scot, that makes three steam trips out of Victoria in one day - when was the last time that happened?!
     
  2. 30567

    30567 Part of the furniture Friend

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    Probably depends on your email and filters. Try spam, junk, promotions or whatever else you've got.
     
  3. IamDaniel

    IamDaniel Member

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    Yes, tried all the folders. Nothing in there at all.
     
  4. gricerdon

    gricerdon Guest

    How did you book?
     
  5. IamDaniel

    IamDaniel Member

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    Booked over the phone for the first date, had confirmation email, email about the change in date and a new confirmation email once I confirmed I could make the new date.

    I've booked many times with UKRT but haven't had this problem before, which is odd. It's not the end of the world, as I've got all the info I need, but I thought I'd flag it up incase anyone else is in the same boat as me.
     
  6. IamDaniel

    IamDaniel Member

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    Just phoned UKRT and someone there seemed to think the times won't be published on RTT "at Network Rail's request."

    Seems a bit odd to me...
     
  7. alastair

    alastair Well-Known Member

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    Agreed, that makes no sense at all. Even the Flying Scotsman trips earlier this year which NR were "reported" as trying to keep quiet about to discourage trespass were, I am fairly sure, all on RTT. In fact, apart from steam Royal Train workings, I think the only steam trip where times were kept really secret was the Top Gear trip with Tornado and that was back in 2009 before RTT was around?
     
  8. youngpete

    youngpete New Member

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    Ticket arrived this morning.
     
  9. Gladiator 5076

    Gladiator 5076 Part of the furniture

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    A cynic may say that NR do not want it published as they have not timed it yet so there is nothing to publish!
     
  10. Big Al

    Big Al Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Moderator

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    Even in jest that comment is rather silly. It only needs to go 'live' on the day itself and the crew need detailed timings up front including any restrictions at least 24 hours ahead so that they plan and also coordinate how relief crews join the train etc. It's called a Special Traffic Notice and is an internal document for the eyes of the Train Operating Company.
     
  11. 30567

    30567 Part of the furniture Friend

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    Plus given the confirmed timings on the UKRT site (compare with what they were saying this time last week about the Border Raider) I should think with a few educated guesses about the location of water stops and the running of other trains it should be possible to predict within a quarter of an hour or so what the schedule is at any chosen point.

    We have to hope 60009 gets out of P2 at Victoria on time at 0631. Although then again I suppose a bit of lateness at Woking might not come amiss !
     
  12. Gladiator 5076

    Gladiator 5076 Part of the furniture

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    Yes it was meant as a jest comment, although RTC wanted to do this basic itinerary at the end of October which was subsequently cancelled. There was a rumour that may have been pathing related, but could have been just that, a rumour!
     
  13. Where's Mazeppa?

    Where's Mazeppa? Member

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    From what we know of what has been published so far, the path westward from Basingstoke looks remarkably similar to that of the Tornado/ "Devon Belle" excursion that ran on 2nd April 2016. The return departure time from EXD is also identical, so that may be a reasonable indicator of timings of the return leg through to the left turn at Fairwood Junction for the Melksham Deviation. So the educated guesses about intermediate timings stand a decent chance of being fairly accurate.

    Whatever the circumstances surrounding the non-appearance of timings on RTT, I do hope that they become available in time for the final cut of the tour brochure.....its a nice-to-have feature that I find particularly useful on the day.
     
  14. IamDaniel

    IamDaniel Member

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  15. 6026 King John

    6026 King John Well-Known Member

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    No water stop till Salisbury on the outward run? Thats a bit surprising considering its going via Staines isn't it?
     
  16. Romsey

    Romsey Part of the furniture

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    Not really, when 35028 used to work the VSOE Victoria to Bath via Salisbury, the first water stop was Salisbury.

    Cheers, Neil
     
  17. Big Al

    Big Al Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Moderator

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    Haven't done the maths on this but at a guess, had Clan Line gone all the way to Willesden to be united with its coaches and then been pulled back to Waterloo for a departure down the Windsor Line via Staines, that option would probably have triggered a water stop before Salisbury. Even as it stands, that's quite a while in steam without a top up. Lucky that The Lane is at Victoria.
     
  18. 6026 King John

    6026 King John Well-Known Member

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    My thinking was that on the famous 9th July run about 5 years ago, Clan Line stopped for water at Overton even though it had run down the main line from Waterloo. However on that occasion I think it had gone from the Lane to Willesden to pick up the stock. Anyway I'm sure DBC know what they are doing!
     
  19. Arun Valley

    Arun Valley New Member

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    The hard copies of RealTimeTrains pages are very useful. As a result of the quoted post l have put together my own (in the style of RTT) templates for the Out and Return trains - which are attached below (as PDFs) and may be of use. I have had an attempt at adding mileage that may (or not) be correct and also inserted the times from RTT as these are now available.

    Going off at a tangent: if anyone want something to 'kill' the time from Reading back into London (or just fancies having a crack) l have put together a loosely themed cryptic crossword. This is the third attachment (PDF) and is my first attempt of putting one together.

    Hope all those travelling this Saturday have a good day.

    Cheers!
    -SC-
     

    Attached Files:

  20. 1020 Shireman

    1020 Shireman Part of the furniture Friend

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    Be hard to stay awake from Reading with those timings.
     

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