Clan Line in 2020

It is, fingers crossed that it runs, 28 has been self isolating since February

 

I wish we could one day see 28 doing what it does best (hauling the pullman) in another part of the country e.g. shap or beattock for example.

 

It's still shown on the British Belmond Pullman web site, with two seats available. There is still a fortnight for decisions to be made about lockdown and non essential travel.
I have not checked RTT, but that may show something as BBP charters are normally uploaded in plenty of time.

Cheers, Neil

 

It won't be to Bristol as on the day of the tour the city will be on tier 3. <BJ>

 

Clan Line's website says a tour round the Chilterns and these times are on RTT...

https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/U55389/2020-12-12/detailed
https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/U55390/2020-12-12/detailed

 

Apologies for getting that wrong. It was the cancelled December 2nd trip that was a Surrey Hills

 

Sadly with all the girders holding up the knitting there are no photo opportunities on the GW mainline

 

It's an interesting point - if a train runs from one tier area to another and back again without embarking passngers en route, does it need to adhere to the more severe tier or is it deemed to be a sealed starting-tier environment?

 

Let's hope it's not Covid-friendly but Covid-compliant!

 

Thanks for the replies. Belmond describes the train's features as including a "steam-hauled locomotive" - I would prefer 'steam locomotive-hauled' for that money!

 

I can't imagine steam being allowed on the fast line - RTT has been wrong quite often about fast/slow line routeings. However, I hope I am wrong!

 

I’m sure it was last time it was on that route. Clan Line has a very good reputation for reliability

 

Why wouldn’t steam be allowed on the fast? Gauging on the slow between Didcot and Reading has been known to be an issue for starters, but Clan Line last year in July reportedly ran better than a mile a minute between Didcot and a location in London including a notorious 75mph charge through Reading.


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Not blaming them.

 

My thinking was that at even at a mile a minute it is half as fast as the other traffic on the fast line so if there is any disruption at all (other trains a few minutes out) then it is likely to be put on the slow to be safer. This excludes any slow line gauging issues of course, so there may be no alternative in this instance. It is also nothing to do with 35028's well-known high reliability; merely allowed maximum speed.

My experience at many locations in the past has been that proposed fast line running has ended up on the slow line for just this reason, or even that it was never actually intended for that particular run in the first place but previous runs' data had inadvertently been used by planners, etc. My mention of RTT being wrong carries no blame, just fact. Clearly whatever data comes into RTT, is used. This doesn't impugn RTT.

Why was 35028's 75mph run through Reading "notorious" - was it in excess of the speed limit there?

 

Clan Line is a very gauge friendly loco and notorious isn’t the right word. I believe they were very surprised to be given the green all the way along the main through Reading (this is ex GWR so it’s main and relief not fast and slow). It’s what happens sometimes when a loco has a proven record for reliability. RTT didn’t get it wrong at all.

 

Not sure about gauge issues eastbound but I have been on a number of trips where locos have either had to pass through some of those stations between Didcot and Reading at either 5 or 10 mph, or in a couple of cases (1 with No 9 I remember) where we crossed to the ML and then back again to avoid the relief line platforms at one station, cannot remember which now. May help the general flow to keep it ML if sufficient gaps exist to following service trains.