Vintage Trains 2023

Does anyone know why the Stratford - Snow Hill trains today ran Down the Up line between Moor St and Snow Hill? ( I know it's all bi-di signalled.)

Cheers, Neil

 

They didn't. The signaller left the headcode unchanged for the runaround move in the train describer which upsets things like Real Time Trains.

 

Thanks, just another quirk of the system..
Cheers. Neil

 

Times for the double headed Castles on 10th June.

5Z29 ECS from Tyseley to New Street - https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:U66043/2023-06-10/detailed

1Z29 Birmingham New Street to Hereford - https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:U66044/2023-06-10/detailed

1Z31 Hereford to Gloucester - https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:U66047/2023-06-10/detailed

1Z32 Gloucester to Birmingham New Street - https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:U66049/2023-06-10/detailed

5Z33 ECS back to Tyseley - https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:U66050/2023-06-10/detailed

 

https://twitter.com/Vintage_Trains/status/1664249690517385218

Will be interesting to find out what this is exactly next week.

 

Hopefully a Castle over the Devon Banks.

 

Has 7029 ever been over the border?

 

I don't think so. There was the VT Castle to Scotland trip with 5043 back in 2010(?) that promised so much, but due to fire risk ended up with show pony steam from Carnforth northwards. A bitter disappointment that we never got the much anticipated unassisted Castle vs Beattock encounter.

 

26-28 May 2012. Just about the only time Steam has passed my house when it hasn’t been noticed because of the fact that there was so much diesel assistance. I forgot about it because I was watching the Monaco Grand Prix that afternoon and it passed through during the middle of the race. A shame because I knew it was a once in a lifetime moment. I would love to see 7029 in Scotland but I don’t know how expensive an operation that would be to put on especially given it would be a multi day one. Equally though 5043 and 7029 double heading over the Devon Banks would be interesting given that I believe it’s 9 years since any GWR engine went over the Devon Banks. When was the last time two castles went over the Devon Banks?

 

Not quite what you meant, but two went there on successive days in 2014, 9th and 10th May.
When was the last time (before 4th March this year) when two Castles double-headed anywhere?

 

I don't head off to the west country often but the last one I saw was 7029 & 5051 (Plymouth - Bristol) on 1st Sept 1985, surely it wasn't that one.

 

5029 and 5051 double headed several times over the Devon Banks in 2004. It was slow ascents of Hemerdon, I think due to a bridge clearance restriction at the bottom.
Here’s a couple of my (not very good) videos…….
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=gFh1mbkfckE&list
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Odu0ejqGH-M&list

 

5029 Nunney Castle double headed a train over Dainton in 2014 but not with another Castle, 5029 was accompanied by 34046 Braunton:

 

They made that look easy with 12 on.

 

I have this fantasy about two Castle hauled trains, each with the same number of coaches, departing simultaneously from Bristol Temple Meads and heading up Filton Bank ‘pacing’ each other, until Filton Abbey Wood, where one takes the route towards South Wales, and the other heads towards Bristol Parkway.
In another variant of this fantasy, one train is Castle-hauled, and the other is hauled by a Royal Scot, just to add an element of company rivalry.

Nick M.

 

Speaking of fire risk, I’m getting a bit concerned for next Saturday; we’re booked on it.

 

Likewise. I’d rather they called the trip off than ran it with diesel haulage/shoveage.

Nick M.