Steam Dreams 2015

http://smg.photobucket.com/user/corktina/library/Emerald Isle Express 2015

Here you are passing Charleville,Mallow Banteer and Rathmore...boy did I have to motor....!


and a sample

 

461 Galway to Limerick you mean?

 

We're used to seeing and hearing Joe Schmoe refer to a steam locomotive as a train, but that article has a couple of instances of the opposite.

 

dreadful in places isnt it! Luxourious locomotive aka the van... wha??

 

Well done, I was wondering who would be the first to spot my deliberate mistake!

 

too much Guinness

 

Had a new SD leaflet in the post today. It seems they are using a new loco over the summer. 60306 is listed for many trips. The loco is also called Mayflower. :-/ Doesn't anyone check anything these days.
In other news 6201 is rostered for most of their Christmas programme this year.

 

The SD website has now been updated and these trips are no longer listed.

I recieved a leaflet through the post today and a number of trips that they originally proposed to run in April and May have new dates :

Horsham to Bath and Bristol now 22/9
Paddington to Kingswear now now 27/9
Colchester to Carlisle now 8/9
Euston to Carlisle now 5/12

 

I expect they have been busy recently, with late timings, last minute changes to the trips and preparing for their trip to Ireland. They are usually very good with regard proof reading.

6201 has been shown hauling some trips at Chrsitmas for about a month on their website.

 

todays photos added

http://smg.photobucket.com/user/corktina/library/Emerald Isle Express 2015

 

A lot more locals out to see us today - word must have spread!

 

Tipperary in particular I thought

 

i wonder, with the problems caused by West Coast, do Steam Dreams now regret not sticking with DBS? had they remained with DBS, would they have been able to run those tours that were lost?

 

A good question,but we need to remember that SD were disastrously let down by DBS before they switched to WCRC,with tours being cancelled due to "resourcing issues" often at very short notice. I recall reading at the time that DBS had decided they could not or would not operate the kind of tours which SD specialise in, starting from places such as Southend or Horsham for example. Then there is also the "no vacuum brake" and "no double-heading" policy of DBS which would have severely impacted on SD.

So probably SD had no choice about switching to WCRC and sticking with them for now as there was and is no viable alternative operator. DBS put on a great show with steam,but it only happens on a relatively small number of routes where they have crew with the route knowledge,and not that often. This seems to be the limit of what they are able and want to do.

 

SD website updated with full loco allocations up to the end of the year. Rather a lot of Mayflower and no Riley Black Fives for the Christmas trains this year, sadly. No mention of a Southern engine anywhere. I was hoping there might be some news of 35018.

 

Could anyone give the loco assignments for December where there had been steam loco-tba? Having temporary trouble getting into their site.

 

Go to www.uksteam.info

 

Does anyone now with the site being down this night if they are making updates.

 

Check for updates your self!