Steam Dreams 2021

Could be, but do the various companies not discuss this when putting their plans together? It makes you wonder. Another full train (according to SD's site) aborted - doesn't do the industry's reputation any good.

 

Thank you. Apparently there was someone here on Tuesday asking for me. If it was one of you guys then sorry I wasn't around but had a few areas to patrol for this trip.

 

I would not necessarily expect the tour companies to talk, but the loco owner and the TOC would surely not accept two trips back to back unless they were happy and able to resource it. But these of course would have been planned in a Covid world so a simple error is not beyond the realms of possibity.

 

According to the engineering page of GWR Trains website London Paddington is closed to trains this Sunday morning till 12:00.

 

RRB from Ealing Broadway to Slough all morning so the stock would not be able to exit Southall even if Slough became the start point.
Also no Chiltern trains Marylebone to Oxford, you could not make this stuff up!

 

So SD lets the train fill up, when the engineering works will presumably have been known about for months, and then cancels at the eleventh hour. Poor stuff.

 

And neither does running the support crew into the ground either! Saturday is another long day & doing two trips in two days would be pretty much nye on impossible. It’s funny how the support crew seem to get forgotten in these matters….

 

Couldn't agree more - the two trips should not have been planned like this anyway. There's been a serious oversight somewhere.

 

Tuesday, 28th Sept, 2021. <BJ>

All being well .....

61306 + 45596. 1Z40 08:45 Victoria to Exeter St Davids
https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:U91140/2021-09-28/detailed

WCRC Diesel. 0Z42 08:48 Southall WCRC to Exeter St Davids
https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:U91142/2021-09-28/detailed

WCRC Diesel. 0Z43 16:22 Exeter Riverside to Plymouth
https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:U91144/2021-09-28/detailed

61306 + 45596. 1Z43 17:20 Exeter St Davids to Plymouth
https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:U91146/2021-09-28/detailed

61306 + 45596. 5Z44 18:36 Plymouth to Laira
https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:U91147/2021-09-28/detailed

WCRC Diesel. 1Z45 19:05 Plymouth to Penzance
https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:U91148/2021-09-28/detailed

 

..... and 7 hours on the way back too!

There seem to be a lot of water stops - Ascot, Newbury Racecourse, Bruton (that's a new one on me - don't they normally go via Frome?) and Norton Fitzwarren. Are they only watering one loco at each stop or something? Additionally there is a long stop at Westbury allegedly for staffing reasons by which I assume that means crew change but can they not take water there while they're about it?

I'm sure it's all been carefully planned and that fitting in a double-headed steam train on a route that is only double (as opposed to quadruple) tracked is not easy but the trip really is a bit of a marathon! Good news of course is that it appears it will be shadowed by a diesel rather than having it tagged on at the back. Hope WCRC have more luck finding fuel than I've done this weekend!

 

Yes, I'm assuming one loco watered per stop, at least in some cases. Let's hope they don't arrive to find "Sorry, Out Of Use" on the hose!

 

Double header passed Barnes Bridge on time. Some nice sound from the pair! Bahamas leading. No diesel.

 

37.706 reported leading 33.207 on 0Z42 08:48 Southall Wcr to Exeter St Davids.
Realtime Trains - 0Z42 0848 Southall Wcr to Exeter St Davids

 

Passing Putney - on time.

 

Putting on the power at Barnes Bridge this morning:

 

Froxfield & Bedwyn.

 

Seen crossing the Somerset Levels in the wind and rain. https://www.flickr.com/photos/79185888@N04/51528318940/

 

Super that....

 

Drifting into Taunton, and torrential rain at Whiteball. The Taunton shot was my closest-ever call, as the A38 is, it emerged en route, closed, and the bridge is not accessible from the town. The horrendous weather and roadworks meant a crawl towards the location (we are on holiday in Devon) and, as I walked up to the bridge, I saw another photographer already there get his camera out. I ran, to arrive with five seconds to spare to catch a sequence of shots!