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Royal Duchy 2019

Discussion in 'What's Going On' started by 1020 Shireman, Jul 28, 2019.

  1. 60044

    60044 Member

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    6233 went past my house house this morning going up Porton Bank seemingly not working much and with a diesel on the front. Was this an ecs positioning move back to Southall?
     
  2. 1020 Shireman

    1020 Shireman Part of the furniture Friend

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  3. 1020 Shireman

    1020 Shireman Part of the furniture Friend

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    Can't let a Royal Duchy with the Duchess go totally unreported.

    Royal Duchy 1st September 2019


    I'm not doing repeat long reports on the final two trains of the 2019 Duchy Series as it's the same locomotive; so this and the final one will be restricted to the performance over the banks and over a few other sections. On the banks and elsewhere I've used the descriptors, r after the number for rising gradients; f for falling gradients.

    Outward:

    Andy Taylor was our driver; Simon Scott of the PRCLT our fireman. The 0844 XC Plymouth was running so no chance of a 60 by Flax Bourton; summit passed at 51. After our Yatton pick, we got to 70 by Uphill Jn. Ran in the low 70s to Highbridge then high 60s to Cogload Jn before the easing for our Taunton stop. Elapsed time for the 32 1/2 miles from Yatton to Taunton was 33m 3.4s. So no even time.

    Decent restart and 35.7 on 322r at mp164; 50.4 on 724r at mp165; 56.2 on 369r at Victory LC; 58.2 on 222r at Bradford and Tone LC; max of 59.8 on level at Wellington; 52.9 at mp171 3/4 at end of mile of 90r; 49.7 at mp171 3/4, end of 3/4m 86r; 48.8 at mp173, 1/2m into the steepest 80r; then 48.8 into Whiteball Tunnel on the 80r. Out of the tunnel and 51.9 at mp174, end of 203r, the summit. A decent climb. Elapsed time from Taunton to the tunnel: 13m 7s.

    Following the PAD-PNZ from Exeter so Exminster, mp198 3/4, lev, only passed at 62.5. Slow run to and around the sea wall; Star Cross, lev, 52; Dawlish Warren, 320f, 47; Dawlish, lev, 48.5; Teignmouth, lev, 49.8. Newton Abbot approach: mp213, lev, 50.6; then on greens: station, mp214, lev, 56.4; mp214 1/4, 259r, 58.1; mp215, lev, 57.6; Aller, mp215 1/4, lev, 59.3; then max speed, mp215 1/2, 502r/247f, 62.1 onto Dainton. Mp216, 98r/57r, 56.3; mp216 1/4, 57r, 52; mp216 1/2, 57r, 48.8; mp216 3/4, 71r/46r, 45.2; mp217, 46r/56r, 41; mp217 1/2, 41r/49r/36r, 31.5 - slip; mp217 3/4, 36r/44r, 26; into Dainton Tunnel, 84r, 25.5. A good climb spoiled at a key moment by a slip. Time from NA: 4m 43.34s.

    Cautious run to Totnes Approach; mp220 1/2, 227r/120d, 20.6; then accelerated to the station on greens: mp221, 205r/78d, 36.5; mp222, 254f/lev, 54.7; Totnes, lev, 60.5; mp223, 66r, 58.5; mp223 1/2, end of 3/4m 66r, 53.5 then a slip; mp224, 47r, 44.9 then a slip; mp224 1/2, 47r/50r, 32.2; mp224 3/4, 50r/56r, 26.4 after a slip close to rail greaser; mp225, 46r/57r, 21.9 after 2 short slips; min at Tigley, mp225 1/2, 52r, 18.2. mp226, eased to 90r, 24.9; mp226 1/2, 90r, 28.1; mp227, 95r/65r, 28.5; mp227 1/2. A climb spoiled by the slips. Elapsed time from Mp233 to 227, 8m 3.12s; to mp227 1/2, 9m 1.51s.

    Then into Marley Tunnel, lev, at 37. Gentle climb to Wrangaton; Aish Emergency Crossover, 123r/243r, 53; mp231, 400r, 53.8; Wrangaton Tunnel, 199r/119r, 52.8; Mp232, summit, 470r/120d, 55.7. Arrival at Plymouth in 72m 18.95s.

    The Return

    Bill Monteith was our driver; Nigel Barber our fireman.

    Cautious start from mp281 3/4 on the lev/84r. mp280 3/4, 84r/109r, 28.5 then a slip. Mp280, on 109r/62r, TPWS stop. Slip on restart. Mp279 1/2, 62r, 11; Treverrin Tunnel, 64r/85r/62f, in 14.2; out 40.5. Lostwithiel, lev, 43.8. mp277 1/4, lev/160r, 42.3. mp276, 389r, 51.4; mp275 1/4, 389r/71r, 51. Brownqueen Tunnel, mp275, 71r, 51.5. Bodmin Parkway, lev/65r, 44.7. Climbing to Doublebois there are many short steep sections so I've grouped them.

    Starts at mp273 1/2, lev/148r, 46; mp273 1/4 to mp272 1/4, Pendalake Viaduct, 80r/81d/94r/69r, 45.3; then to mp271, Derrycombe viaduct, 58r/68r/426r/58r, 39.8. to mp270, 3/4m 70r/ then short 265f, 37.7. mp269 3/4 to Doublebois Summit, mp268 1/4, short 159r, 36.7, then 1 1/2m 90r, 39.8. A good climb.

    There are no further significant gradients for the remainder of the run to Plymouth North Road.

    Gentle start from Plymouth North Road. One slip felt. Into Mutley Tunnel at 6.2 after 4m 13.72s. an improvement on previous runs. Mp245 1/4, 72f/83f, 33.3; Lipson Jn, mp244 35c, still on 83f, 59; mp244 to mp243, lev/740d/lev, 59.3. Low 60s to mp242, 660r/111r, 63.6. on 41r, mp241 3/4, 62.6; mp241 1/2, 59.3. then 47r, mp241 1/4, 54.1; mp241, 47r/42r start, 50.2. Excellent so far...

    On 42r: mp240 3/4, 45.2; mp240 1/2, 41.8; mp240 1/4, 38.1; mp240, 34.1; mp239 3/4, 30.9. Easing to 75r: mp239 1/2, 31.4. then serious easing to 630r, mp239 1/4, 39.6. Elapsed time from North Road to mp 239 1/4, 12m 14.33s. From the start of the climb, mp242 1/4, 4m 3.1s.

    My GPS gave a minimum of 30.9 on the bank. An excellent climb, though fellow timer Bill Long's GPS showed just over 30. Probable minimum somewhere in between. Still, not many locomotives top the mighty Hemerdon at 30+.

    On to Totnes and then the other mighty bank, Dainton Eastbound with a very tricky final steep 1/2 mile around tight reverse curves. Through Totnes at 59; passed mp222, lev, 54.8. Here the approach to the bank starts with 3/4m of gentle gradients: lev/254r/118r/lev/153r to mp221 1/4, 48.7. mp221, 153r/78r, 49 and onto the bank proper. Mp220 after 3/4m of 78r/205r/120r/227r/86r, 51.5. an excellent approach. Then a mile of mixed gradients to mp219, lev/206r/76r/105r, 48.7; leading onto the seriously steep mile and a bit to the tunnel: mp218 3/4, 55r, 44.8; mp218 1/2, 65r/38r, 39.2; mp218 1/4, 38r, 32; mp218, 43r/37r, 26.3 with a slip; Dainton Tunnel, 130r, 26.8. Again, as westbound, a potentially excellent climb spoiled by a slip at a key moment. Elapsed time from Totnes to the tunnel, 6m 11s.

    Looking at the elapsed time from Plymouth, 36m 22.2s as we left Dainton Tunnel, thoughts turned to a possible sub 60mins to Exeter, done only twice before. We passed mp217, 23 and a bit miles from EXD in 37m 21.3s. probably unlikely as it would take an even time run from there.

    Through Newton Abbot, 20 miles and a bit out, in 40m 30s, at 58.7; passed mp212 at 67; mp211 at 65.5; then slowed for Teignmouth, 55. Roughly 14 mins left to cover 15 miles. No great expectancy with the mandatory slow run through the tunnels, 50/48; then around the sea wall, Dawlish, 51; Dawlish Warren, 62.3. Then we were treated to some serious noise and acceleration on the level: Starcross, mp204 1/2, 72.1; mp200, 73.2; mp199, 73.2; Exminster, 73; mp197, 71 in 56m 41s. All hope of a sub 60m now gone but a 61/2 was still possible. Passed mp196 at 67 before braking for St Thomas approach, 23, only a mile and a bit away, but now 59m 8s gone. That mile and a bit took us over 4 minutes to cover and we came to a stand in 63m 46.18s.

    More water to be taken and with a slow water stop we were allowed to leave in between IETs. So no room for a slow eastbound climb to Whiteball. Sub 22 mins is good. Not a rapid restart and only 30 at Cowley Bridge, already taken 4m 25.5s to cover just over a mile. Then 620r to mp191 1/4, passed at 44.3; bit of level, 47.1 at mp190 3/4; then Stoke Canon LC on 217r, 51.6. Much noisier now. End of 217r at mp189 3/4, 51.7. then 3/4m 685f/271f/500d to mp189, 56.1. 6233 in full fight now. After 1 1/2m 343r/435r, 62.2; 1 1/4m+ 243r/219r, 64.5. Then well used respite, 3/4m 313d/534d/lev to Hele and Bradnich LX, 69. 1/2m 292r to mp185, 70. Then 3 1/2m averaging 400r ish to Cullompton, all in low 70s, passed at 72. Steepening for 1 1/2m at 155r, 67.9; then mile+ at ave. 300f to mp179, min 64.3, left at 69.4. Really being worked hard now. 1m at 216r, mp177 3/4 passed at 69.7; on 405r through Tiverton Parkway at 69.3; then 3/4m 242r, 1/4m 162r, to mp176 1/2, passed at 69.3.

    That took us onto the 2 miles at 115r. We roared past mp176 at 66.7; mp175 at 63.2; mp174 3/4, 62.6; mp174 1/2, 61.3. Easing to 212r at mp174 1/4, 60.2; mp174 passed at 61.6, then we roared into the tunnel at 63.3. Elapsed time from Exeter St Davids to Whiteball Tunnel, 23m 7.56s.

    We bowled down the bank through Wellington, 69; over Bradford and Tone LC, 74; Victory LC, 73, before drifting into Taunton. Time elapsed from Exeter St Davids was 34m 57.5s.

    Least said the better about the return to Yatton behind the 2136 TAU-BRI all stations as we didn't manage to get to 60 at Flax Bourton. We arrived at Temple Meads 6 mins down at 2250.

    In summary:

    Outward:

    Whiteball Westbound: Good.

    Dainton Westbound: looked really good until the slip.

    Rattery: really spoiled by the slips.

    Return:

    Doublebois: Good.

    Hemerdon: Excellent.

    Dainton Eastbound: Very good, spoiled at the last by a slip.

    Whiteball Eastbound: OK.

    Many thanks to RTC for running the Royal Duchy. The train was full which was really good to see. Many thanks to: the PRCLT for bringing 6233 back again to tackle the big banks; and to their support crew who had another long and hard day out; to WCR for their train management on the day; for the provision of the usual excellent footplate crews; and for provision of the stock. And thanks as always to Network Rail for finding paths to run mainline steam in the South West in 2019 .Despite the ever increasing number of service trains we still basically have uninterrupted climbs of the banks.

    There's been a lot of comment on all 3 trains about the time it takes from Taunton to Temple Meads. From EXD we run between the 2036 and 2106 Paddington IETs. The latter is a PAD via BRI due to leave TAU at 2131 non-stop to BRI. Even with a rapid set down there's no chance we'd be allowed out in front of it. If our stop was a set down only, there might be a tight path for us around 2125 as the 2136 has a first stop at Bridgwater at 2147 and is all stations to BRI whereas we are only setting down at Yatton.
     
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  4. 1020 Shireman

    1020 Shireman Part of the furniture Friend

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    Got e-letter and tickets for the 15th, with confirmation if any was needed that 6233 is the motive power. I thought it was the first time a locomotive had done four Duchy's in a row, but I was reminded by Stephen, a regular steward on the trains, that 34067 did four in a row in 2012. Those were the days: 7 Royal Duchys. First 3 in July/Aug with 70013, final 4, all in September, with 34067.
     
  5. free2grice

    free2grice Part of the furniture Friend

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    47.802 + 6233 + 5Z79 Southall to Bristol Kingsland Road.

    Load 9.

    6233 safely tucked up for the night. <BJ>
     
  6. pwsw5054

    pwsw5054 Member

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    Rear tso 4994 (coach g hit by graffiti last night in Bristol)[​IMG]

    Sent from my SM-A530F using Tapatalk
     
  7. free2grice

    free2grice Part of the furniture Friend

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    For photographers, it's the 8th coach (last but one). Looking at the quality of the artwork I'm sure that Banksy wasn't in anyway responsible. <BJ>
     
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  8. Victor

    Victor Nat Pres stalwart Friend

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    People who do vandalism like that should be birched. I know we can't do that but IF they get caught all they'll get is a slap on the wrist. I'm reminded ofthe drunken cretins who thought it was a laugh to wreck years of work at the model railway event. They got away with it and their parents got hit for £500. Scum of the earth.
     
  9. horace

    horace Member

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  10. buseng

    buseng Part of the furniture

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    It's the namby pamby judges & magistrates in this country who are frightened of their own shadows. Plus the money making crooked bent briefs.
     
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  11. dublo6231

    dublo6231 Member

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    At least it looks a good run over the banks for those on-board anyway - hope that the stewards have been able to relocate anyone who had the unfortunate seats where the graffiti occurred.
     
    Last edited: Sep 15, 2019
  12. Fred Kerr

    Fred Kerr Resident of Nat Pres Friend

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    Possibly more appropriate is to scrap "community service" and make the artist(s) return their their "canvases" to their original state with a fixed date for completion of the work- and prison sentences for failure to complete or comply.
     
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  13. Hemerdon

    Hemerdon Member Friend

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  14. Gladiator 5076

    Gladiator 5076 Part of the furniture

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    This really is an insurmountable problem. In Swanage the council have provided a graffiti wall in the skate park. Some of the art is exceptional and at times I have photographed it, much is not however. The council repaint the wall so they can start again, yet this did not stop some scroat tagging a BR Mk1 Buffet coach at Swanage Railway the other week.
     
  15. dublo6231

    dublo6231 Member

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    Let the eastbound assault on Hemerdon commence...
     
  16. RalphW

    RalphW Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Administrator Friend

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    Les certainly does not look happy.
     
  17. Hemerdon

    Hemerdon Member Friend

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    A couple of clips from the outward run of The Royal Duchy with 46233 Duchess of Sutherland, taken at Exeter St Davids and Totnes.
     
  18. lil Bear

    lil Bear Part of the furniture

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    I was originally in one of the seats "tagged", and RYTC were spot on offering to relocate us before we had even sat down. Excellent customer service, and this continued for the whole day.

    One of the most enjoyable tours I've done in a while. The climbs out of Par and Plymouth were well worth the ticket price. Hoping these continue!
     
  19. AnthonyTrains2017

    AnthonyTrains2017 Well-Known Member

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    Graffiti outside, how does that constitute the need for change of seats? Not like you can see it out the window or it spoils the view. Different if the window had been smasked
     
  20. staffordian

    staffordian Well-Known Member

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    If you look at the pictures above, it is clear that the windows had paint on them, so the view out would be affected.
     
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