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Cath-Ex The Bluebell Railway to Bath Spa 5/10/19

Discussion in 'What's Going On' started by Paul42, Sep 27, 2019.

  1. Jamessquared

    Jamessquared Nat Pres stalwart

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    Certainly by 2014 we were starting charters at Kingscote, with a relief train from Sheffield Park. I was fireman on the relief for the "Braunton" Sheffield Park to Alresford charter that year, firing 847 that resulted in a memorable trip with about 420 tons tare / 450 gross behind the S15.

    The main difference on that one relative to the "Mayflower" / Bath trip was that on that occasion, a class 47 took the charter (with Braunton on the back) as far as East Croydon where it reversed. On this occasion, "Mayflower" led the charter out, so the loco moves on the Bluebell were slightly different, but the basic pattern was similar. Because the diesel that had bought the empty stock in was not being used out on the mainline, 80151 was used to bank the train so that no diesel crew needed to be rostered for what would have been about 30 minutes of duty from Kingscote to East Grinstead and back. So the charter passengers got the added bonus of a steam banker and a 100% steam day.

    I was Running Foreman for the day at Sheffield Park, which amounted to letting "Mayflower" and 80151 out of the yard in the dark before the 7am departure. After which things were quite quiet, with the service loco gone about two or three hours earlier than normal! I think by the end of the day, 80151 had done six round trips to East Grinstead (132 miles) between the early morning relief train; the Bluebell service trains; and the evening relief train - with crew changes and re-coaling during the day, obviously.

    Tom
     
  2. alts1985

    alts1985 Well-Known Member

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    Interesting report thanks for posting, I was travelling to the Brighton match that morning and stopped off at Clapham Junction to watch the tour, the reason for pulling forward was the rear of the charter was blocking a south bound training leaving the adjacent platform, originally the station announced a 10 minute delay to the service train but then someone hit upon the sensible idea of asking the driver of Mayflower to pull forward a few feet which he duly did!
     
  3. CLN_WVR

    CLN_WVR Member

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    A bit late but some shots from Freshford and Sydney Gardens, Bath

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