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34067. 'Capital Christmas Express'. 17-11-2012

Discussion in 'What's Going On' started by free2grice, Nov 11, 2012.

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  1. Spamcan81

    Spamcan81 Nat Pres stalwart

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    Since the cause of the stall has yet to be made public, there's only supposition at the moment. Maybe it was due to leaves, maybe it was due to Tangmere but maybe it was neither of these. Until then you can rant as much as you like. I will agree though that if rail head conditions were poor then some insurance on the back end would have been in order.
     
  2. royce6229

    royce6229 Well-Known Member

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    What is the load?
     
  3. mrKnowwun

    mrKnowwun Part of the furniture

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    blimey, conspiracy theories now.
     
  4. johnnew

    johnnew Member

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    Also don't forget how many times tangmere has taken the Dorset Coast Express up there in recent years. Something out of the ordinary is likely which could be anything from faulty dragging brakes through leaves on the line to vandalism. Leaves an obvious first thought I agree BUT I'm happy to await some authoritative statement.
     
  5. mrKnowwun

    mrKnowwun Part of the furniture

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    Not a rant, merely pointing out that a: Tangmere has previous, Its autumn, it was wet, it was a hill, and a nutter pouring oil on the track was probably outside the risk profile.

    Now given that scenario ( we know that was the scenario ) you are the trip planner. What would YOU have done?
     
  6. spicer21

    spicer21 Guest

    Problems directly related to Tangmere herself may not have been the reason for the stall. In fact they almost certainly weren't as look how well she performed on the Devon banks during September. It's not the first time she's fallen foul of poor rail head conditions however, so not unreasonable to have added that into the risk profile when planning this tour I would have thought, and kept the diesel attached for the climb of Parkstone. Last year's tour to Bristol on 24 Novemeber, also hauled by 34067, and which started at Poole, (today's train was booked to pick up there), did have a 47 attached at the rear, so why not this year ?

    Not very consistent, especially, as has been pointed out elsewhere, that last Sunday's train in Kent had a diesel attached throughout. Events like these confuse the non-enthusiast type of passenger, and can't help the cause of main line steam one bit !
     
  7. Spamcan81

    Spamcan81 Nat Pres stalwart

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    Read my earlier reply again and you will see what I suggested should have been done.
     
  8. mrKnowwun

    mrKnowwun Part of the furniture

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    Exactly, so hardly qualifies as a rant now does it, specially as we are in agreement.
     
  9. 6136

    6136 Member

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    Anyone know anything about return times?
     
  10. A1X

    A1X Well-Known Member

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    Just a point on people rounding on Tangmere, I'm not aware that Bulleids ever struggled particularly with Parkstone bank during most weather conditions back in the days of steam. Although that was probably more to do with the fact that that stretch of line, like so many others, wasn't an overgrown jungle back in those days which drop half a tonne of leaves onto the line every autumn. Maybe the fault lies not with the loco or the crew but the penny-pinchers who decided not to bother keeping our linesides under control for the past 50 years? It affects modern traction too, why else do they need to send out all these sandite and RHTT trains?

    As for SWT pinning the blame on Tangmere, maybe trying to avoid their staff getting so much grief (I'm willing to bet Joe Public will be more tolerant of a steam train) and, of course, making sure they don't get any of the fine for the delay minutes pinned on them...

    Anyway, enough of this seriousness. Here are some photos - Steam tours in 2012 - Railway Galleries
     
  11. steamvideosnet

    steamvideosnet Well-Known Member

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    Away from Paddington 18:34.

    Ta TS

    James at SVN
     
  12. 6026 King John

    6026 King John Well-Known Member

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    With what hauling it? Tangmere or diesel?
     
  13. steamvideosnet

    steamvideosnet Well-Known Member

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    Not 100% at the minute, will edit the post if I find out what is hauling it.

    James at SVN
     
  14. Phil K

    Phil K Member

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    Tangmere is on the Front. Diesel on rear
     
  15. steamvideosnet

    steamvideosnet Well-Known Member

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    Question answered! Thanks for posting.

    James at SVN
     
  16. spicer21

    spicer21 Guest

    Out of interest, the tweet highlighted by "Swanny" that mentioned "delays caused by a STEAM train" appears to have been removed from SWT's timeline, (I can only see the earlier ones that merely referred to a "broken down train", so maybe someone thought better of it after reading this ?
     
  17. green five

    green five Resident of Nat Pres

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    Looking at the other ML trip today with 6201, she suffered the same problem near Whalley Viaduct on the S & C. Clearly the conditions were poor all round today.
     
  18. steamvideosnet

    steamvideosnet Well-Known Member

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    Thundered through Shawford at 75(?) 20:16, bang on time!

    Nearly knocked my tripod over!

    James at SVN
     
  19. swanny

    swanny Member

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    Nope, wasn't a 'tweet'. From SW Trains Live train information-line updates, sorry, should have been more specific.
     
  20. green five

    green five Resident of Nat Pres

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