If you register, you can do a lot more. And become an active part of our growing community. You'll have access to hidden forums, and enjoy the ability of replying and starting conversations.

2019 'West Somerset Steam Express'

Discussion in 'What's Going On' started by free2grice, Jul 23, 2019.

  1. 1020 Shireman

    1020 Shireman Part of the furniture Friend

    Joined:
    Jul 31, 2013
    Messages:
    2,836
    Likes Received:
    2,677
    Gender:
    Male
    Occupation:
    Relaxingly retired
    Location:
    Deep in the country
    Must have been a different train. 6233 only crested the summit at 44.6.
     
  2. Gladiator 5076

    Gladiator 5076 Part of the furniture

    Joined:
    Oct 2, 2015
    Messages:
    6,074
    Likes Received:
    4,889
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Swanage
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    I assume so but did not bother to watch the cam, but that is where it has been when I have stewarded previous trips.
    This was the WSR timetable, it was a couple of minutes late through Williton on the way back and of course those on the last train from BL had nearly an hour at Williton to wait for the charter to pass.
    http://cgibin.wsr.org.uk/cgi-bin/r-tt.cgi?date=20190817
     
  3. free2grice

    free2grice Part of the furniture Friend

    Joined:
    Sep 19, 2005
    Messages:
    5,281
    Likes Received:
    2,648
    Gender:
    Male
    Occupation:
    Retired Rolls-Royce engineer
    Location:
    Bath Green Park / Mangotsfield
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    I thought you would have been a bit happier today as the train didn't have a diesel at the rear.

    The trip is not all about breaking records. Cheer up and try to enjoy yourself. :) <BJ>
     
  4. LMarsh1987

    LMarsh1987 Part of the furniture Friend

    Joined:
    Jun 19, 2013
    Messages:
    2,882
    Likes Received:
    3,588
    Gender:
    Male
    Occupation:
    TBC
    Location:
    Birmingham & Arley
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    Probably the most shackled loco on the mainline, its reigns rarely loosened. Its still a favourite of many regardless.
     
    banana patch likes this.
  5. 1020 Shireman

    1020 Shireman Part of the furniture Friend

    Joined:
    Jul 31, 2013
    Messages:
    2,836
    Likes Received:
    2,677
    Gender:
    Male
    Occupation:
    Relaxingly retired
    Location:
    Deep in the country
    Very true. To be honest that wouldn't have been good for a Class 7 with load 11.
     
  6. Hemerdon

    Hemerdon Member Friend

    Joined:
    Apr 14, 2006
    Messages:
    759
    Likes Received:
    688
    Gender:
    Male
    Occupation:
    Retired
    Location:
    Hemerdon Bank, Plymouth
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    My video of The West Somerset Steam Express, taken at Cogload Junction (out and back) and on the WSR.

     
    CLN_WVR likes this.
  7. Steve Franklin

    Steve Franklin New Member

    Joined:
    Jun 14, 2015
    Messages:
    99
    Likes Received:
    553
    Gender:
    Male
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
  8. free2grice

    free2grice Part of the furniture Friend

    Joined:
    Sep 19, 2005
    Messages:
    5,281
    Likes Received:
    2,648
    Gender:
    Male
    Occupation:
    Retired Rolls-Royce engineer
    Location:
    Bath Green Park / Mangotsfield
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    It's certainly a favourite of mine. The train yesterday comprised of a crimson Coronation class hauling 11 maroon coaches. It looked really good.
    The sound of the engine on the return at Cole was amazing. I could hear it all the way from Castle Cary. A superb day out. <BJ>
     
  9. gricerdon

    gricerdon Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Mar 10, 2018
    Messages:
    1,572
    Likes Received:
    726
    Gender:
    Male
    Occupation:
    Gricer and Grandad
    Location:
    Wallers Ash
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    Yes but if that’s how the loco owners want it then fair enough. Still a great shame that all that power is restrained as performance wise it would rival Clan Line and Tornado
     
  10. MellishR

    MellishR Resident of Nat Pres Friend

    Joined:
    Apr 16, 2009
    Messages:
    8,065
    Likes Received:
    5,160
    RTT does now show a more plausible time of 85 minutes from Minehead to Norton Fitzwarren, though it still doesn't show a stop there to change locos.
     
  11. CLN_WVR

    CLN_WVR Member

    Joined:
    May 11, 2017
    Messages:
    628
    Likes Received:
    751
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Hamsphire-Surrey border
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    A few shots from yesterday - Twyford and Cogload Junction

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]
     
  12. 1020 Shireman

    1020 Shireman Part of the furniture Friend

    Joined:
    Jul 31, 2013
    Messages:
    2,836
    Likes Received:
    2,677
    Gender:
    Male
    Occupation:
    Relaxingly retired
    Location:
    Deep in the country
    The WSSE is one of RTC's trains in the south we haven't done before so we thought we'd give it a go. We really booked it to do another run behind No.9. Not having much luck getting miles behind No.9 this year. Should have had a closer look at the paths. The outward was no doubt all JS and his folk could get. Keeping time was a real doddle but it was still unusual not to see some sparkling running on the GWML between Paddington and Reading followed by easing and gentle running into the stations. 55 max on the GWML to Slough and 53 between Slough and Reading. We were tucked up behind the 0756 Didcot Stopper on the relief. Ironically the open path at 0800 is on the Main, but not if you want to pick up at Slough and you'd really have to go for it. The Theale Water Stop ruined the normal dash to Newbury. Then the hoped for acceleration away and 70+ onward to Newbury didn't happen either, a max of 56. We had a clear road from Newbury, but again nothing like the sparkling runs we normally get on the climb to Savernake. It took until mp63 1/2, 10 1/2 miles out to get to 60; and for a Class 8 to only pass Savernake Summit at 48.3 puts it at the bottom of the table for Class 8 performance; and the load was only 11. Began to wonder if the injectors were playing up. Will put something together later perhaps but can't remember anything all day that bears comparison with 35028 and 60163 with 12 up on the same road.
     
    Last edited: Aug 18, 2019
  13. banana patch

    banana patch Member

    Joined:
    Jul 22, 2011
    Messages:
    221
    Likes Received:
    54
    Yes the Duchess did everything it needed to but no more than that didn't lose time apart from delays
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Aug 19, 2019
  14. 5801

    5801 Member

    Joined:
    Jul 20, 2014
    Messages:
    626
    Likes Received:
    301
    Gender:
    Male
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    Actual times were Minehead depart 1708, BL arrive 1815, depart 1836, and then as shown by RTT.

    The subsequent hiccups in the timings were down to two separate attempts by NR signallers to misroute the train, by sending us up the main rather than into the loop/platform, first at Woodborough and then at Newbury. Not impressive.
     
    Last edited: Aug 18, 2019
  15. RalphW

    RalphW Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Administrator Friend

    Joined:
    Sep 11, 2005
    Messages:
    35,445
    Likes Received:
    9,143
    Gender:
    Male
    Occupation:
    Retired-ish, Part time rail tour steward.
    Location:
    Northwich
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    This doesn't look very shackled. Go to 6.15.
    .
     
    beavis and free2grice like this.
  16. hampstead

    hampstead New Member

    Joined:
    Mar 30, 2009
    Messages:
    155
    Likes Received:
    107

    Decent turn of speed here.
     
  17. 1020 Shireman

    1020 Shireman Part of the furniture Friend

    Joined:
    Jul 31, 2013
    Messages:
    2,836
    Likes Received:
    2,677
    Gender:
    Male
    Occupation:
    Relaxingly retired
    Location:
    Deep in the country
    How do you actually tackle banks like Beattock without close to maximum effort Ralph? No doubt will get shot down yet again, but load 11 or 12 wouldn't have been considered challenging for a semi on Beattock. Sounds good. As you've put these up, give them some meaning. What were the loads and summit speeds?
     
  18. LMarsh1987

    LMarsh1987 Part of the furniture Friend

    Joined:
    Jun 19, 2013
    Messages:
    2,882
    Likes Received:
    3,588
    Gender:
    Male
    Occupation:
    TBC
    Location:
    Birmingham & Arley
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    There's certainly a few occasions where's she's been unleashed notably Hemerdon in 2016. I always remember when the Duchess returned in green and she did her first run over Shap with Gordon Hodgson, and she absolutely stormed over it and was worked hard a week later and then after that Gordon was never seen on her. I remember Steve's video of her blasting away from Crewe on the flat and I thought, wow !
     
    Last edited: Aug 18, 2019
  19. Western Venturer

    Western Venturer Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Mar 13, 2006
    Messages:
    1,542
    Likes Received:
    546
    Gender:
    Male
    Occupation:
    Retired
    Location:
    Sherborne or Molineux
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    I had been working on 6024s tender all day so only one shot of 6233 on the return run..
    Tried a pan shot but not entirely happy with it.. well here it is anyway..

     
  20. AnthonyTrains2017

    AnthonyTrains2017 Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Sep 28, 2014
    Messages:
    2,237
    Likes Received:
    918
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    I like it very much
     

Share This Page