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The Royal Duchy 2021

Discussion in 'What's Going On' started by LittleRedTrain, Jul 5, 2021.

  1. ashtav0

    ashtav0 New Member

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    According to a usually reliable source the driver did indeed miss the AWS so emergency brakes applied.
     
  2. Hemerdon

    Hemerdon Member Friend

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  3. LMarsh1987

    LMarsh1987 Part of the furniture Friend

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    Can anybody shed any light on what the procedure is after missing an AWS warning ? Do distant signals all turn red ? Trying to understand the crawl and then the swift restart and getaway on Rattery.
     
  4. Spamcan81

    Spamcan81 Nat Pres stalwart

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    Didn't always work though.
     
  5. Big Al

    Big Al Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Moderator

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    My incomplete knowledge is that:
    - the signals continue to function as normal;
    - the system brings the train to a halt;
    - there is a period of time during which the onboard system has to be reset;
    - the crew must contact signalling control to 'discuss' the incident before being given permission to procede.
    E & OE!
     
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  6. LMarsh1987

    LMarsh1987 Part of the furniture Friend

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    Cheers Al, the Rattery sequence was a strange one. They were down to a controlled walking pace and then, as they passed me the loco was opened up as if they got a yellow signal. Video to follow, sometime tomorrow.
     
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  7. free2grice

    free2grice Part of the furniture Friend

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    A report from a friend aboard the train. <BJ>

    Newton Abbot 59 mph 12:40.

    Bahamas now slowly but surely climbing Tigley. Speed now up to 11 mph.

    Into Plymouth at 13:38 after an amazing unassisted climb of Tigley and Rattery from an absolute dead stand.

    Spoke to Bahamas' crew at Plymouth who advised that the were 'thrown a red signal by the signaller' as they passed Totnes. I guess this may have been due to catching up the IET heading to Penzance in front of us.

    I suspect said signaller had no option than to set his signal to red. The sheer physical effort that this required of the steam locomotive crew to get the whole show back on the road on a visibly rising gradients is not to be underestimated. I congratulated them on their incredible and successful effort.

    This is one fantastic loco and extremely competent crew. Really well done.

    Update. Return leg:

    Bahamas dug right in for climb of Hemerdon. Lowest speed on climb 9.1 mph. Over summit approx 11mph. Very good climb with 9 on unassisted.

    45596 slowed to a stop on approach Teignmouth 19:41. Back under way Teignmouth 19:43. Starcross 19:52 at 68mph

    47 772 departs Taunton at 2113 with 1Z92. Your all action roving reporter has now left the train. Thank you for tuning in.
     
    Last edited: Aug 2, 2021
  8. Sidmouth

    Sidmouth Resident of Nat Pres Staff Member Moderator

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    odd and slightly off topic conversation , given apps like traksy which enable you to see where trains are and signals , presumably there is better technology available to crews to see in advance what is in front of them and plan accordingly
     
  9. Johnb

    Johnb Nat Pres stalwart

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    It could have been a TPWS fault, not unknown on steam locomotives. The problem is missing the warning as its volume is designed for the quiet insulated modern cab not the rattling and banging of the steam loco footplate. In such circumstances the train will be brought to a halt by an emergency brake application and the system will have to be reset.
     
    Last edited: Aug 2, 2021
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  10. maureen

    maureen Member

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    Your reliable source is totally wrong how can anyone say what really happened if you are not on the footplate. I was talking to the driver Andy at Plymouth and they were given a red signal as they passed Totnes. It amazes me how some people come on here with assumptions of what happened or claim that a reliable source said what happened, if you are not on the footplate with the crew you could not possibly assume anything, if you want to know what happened to post about correctly speak to the crew if you can.
     
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  11. Big Al

    Big Al Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Moderator

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    Just returning to the signalling for a moment, I remember once being told that signals on the line are controlled by Exeter with their last one on the lower part of Rattery before Plymouth takes over. What used to happen was that Exeter would wait until the preceding train had cleared the final Exeter controlled signal before giving the road to steam. This involved holding the steam on the descent towards Totnes, if necessary. All really sensible as it meant that once the steam had been released it could pick up speed quickly, pass through Totnes at around 60 and climb Rattery in the knowledge that the bank was clear.

    So if the crew was 'thrown a red' that suggests the previous arrangement may have not been used on this occasion and/or the charter got too close to the preceding service. I notice that the gap at Totnes should have been nine minutes and was actually only about five.

    Nevertheless that was quite a piece of work by the crew and Bahamas to produce something quite extraordinary on the bank after Totnes.

    Sorry about my speculation but I think it's slightly more informed than the nonsense trespass/AWS remarks thrown out back up thread that don't play out very well for linesiders or, more to the point, for the footplate crew.
     
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  12. Johnb

    Johnb Nat Pres stalwart

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    I very much doubt that they were ‘thrown a red’. I assume that it’s MAS at Totnes so if they were running down the train ahead they would get double and single yellows first. Only in an emergency would a signal be suddenly changed and at any speed they would be well past it before they could pull up.
     
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  13. Sidmouth

    Sidmouth Resident of Nat Pres Staff Member Moderator

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    there is footage of 5029 with Ray Churchill at the regulator being checked at Totnes and creeping up to a signal on the lower part of the bank having been checked by a preceding HST which I think was down to one power car
     
  14. twr12

    twr12 Well-Known Member

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    Is it progress that a class 5/6 steam loco hauling 8 coaches over the infamous South Devon banks can catch up with the latest super duper train?
     
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  15. AlexGWR1994

    AlexGWR1994 Member

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    My footage of Bahamas tackling Whiteball, slogging up Rattery and roaring away from Hemerdon. I hope you enjoy the video.
     
  16. MellishR

    MellishR Resident of Nat Pres Friend

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    I agree. Regardless of whether it's multiple aspect, semaphore or anything else, surely no signal would ever change from off/clear/yellow/green to on/danger/red except in an emergency or because of a fault; certainly not when merely catching up the train in front. So whatever actually happened either the story has got confused in the telling or there was a signalling fault.
     
  17. LMarsh1987

    LMarsh1987 Part of the furniture Friend

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    Bahamas comes out on top in the face of adversity !
     
  18. Big Al

    Big Al Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Moderator

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    That bit just before Tigley is around 1 in 52 and on a curve. Lucky that it was a dry day at that point as the challenge was quite enough for the crew I think.
     
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  19. KristianGWR

    KristianGWR Member

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    My offering from Beambridge, Rattery, Hemerdon and Pugham Farm. Enjoy! :)
     
  20. NathanP

    NathanP Member

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    A fantastic trip, with an amazing ascent of Rattery from a standing start. All credit to the footplate crew for their hard work. Here's a quick shot I grabbed of Bahamas at Plymouth.

    IMG_0376-RESIZED.JPG
     

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