Saphos Trains 2026

First two Fellmans trips have been updated to show Blue Peter as the rostered locomotive.

Very unusual for Saphos to publicly put a loco down on their website, I assume this will become the norm for the trips where Standard Class is available and is more enthusiast based.

 

I believe this is to become more the norm as things progress. Certainly encouraging

 

Any more from your sources re whether they intend to run any of their regular series without a diesel?

 

They are trying yes. Quite difficult I understand with some of the trips, like Fellsman where the diesel is necessary to Chester, and ERE where it’s necessary to assist with the shunting, etc.

I’ll try ask for some further info as we head towards the season.

 

Although perhaps with the exception of the purely enthusiast tours the steam content either by design or NR pathing seems to be declining of course from what we were used to in the past, but with even longer days. A lot of the English Riviera Express trips start around 06:00 and finish near midnight, for what to me whilst a pleasant run along the sea wall is not a great deal of steam mileage.

 

I don't understand why the ERE requires a diesel for shunting at Kingswear. The old Torbay Expresses operated by EWS/DBC never did. Has something changed?

 

Whenever I do the ERE after arrival at Kingswear the diesel gets uncoupled and goes off to the sidings just over the level crossing. Then the steam engine pushes the whole rake of coaches backwards by itself into the sidings.

 

Will it not need a diesel out of Paignton to avoid stalling on the climb, as has happened before?, normally a long train. Surely easier to take their own than pay for another one and for the P&DSR to have to find a driver. Added bonus is back up on the run to and from Taunton.

 

And then what brings the stock back out of the same sidings? Coz it ain’t the steam! And rather than paying PDSR to have one of their diesels shunt, LSL put one of their own on.

 

I believe it’s mainly the shunt at Kingswear. Once the steam has put the stock in the long siding, it goes for servicing, then the diesel brings the set back to its platform
Whilst it’s having its tables laid, etc. Gives more time for the steam to turn and service, plus allows for the crew to have a proper break, etc

 

Well that's probably the point - giving more time for servicing and giving the crew a break. The way it used to work was that the steam loco would run round at Kingswear, pull the stock out of the main platform and propel it back into the bay platform. It would then head off to Churston for turning. So no diesel required. The point that Gladiator 5076 raises however is very valid. In the past the DSR has had to provide a loco to rescue a train that has stalled on Goodrington Bank - it's much easier if LSL provide their own diesel.

 

Putting the regulator in the roof helped as well! No problems with the King on the Torbays, but 34067 and 60009 were treated a lot more gently, and unsurprisingly ran into trouble.

 

Around 2018/2019 when the Torbay trains were operated by DB Cargo, the train was worked by a DSR crew between Paignton and Kingswear. One DB C crew worked to Paignton and a different one worked back to Bristol. The DSR crews were happy with the performance of 35028 and felt she performed better than 6023 which was resident there.

Cheers, Neil