Vintage Trains 2024

The Cathedrals Express to Salisbury, 7029 Clun Castle, 2nd March 2024.

 

7029 Clun Castle on the Cathedrals Express. Seen at Grateley and Salisbury Station.

 

Here's my footage of Clun Castle showing the perfect combination of Speed, Power and Grace on The Cathedrals Express to Salisbury. My locations were Grateley, Hurstbourne Viaduct and South Stoke. The highlights were the fast run over Hurstbourne Viaduct, and the perfect finale of a 75mph dash on the Great Western Main Line bringing back 1960s vibes minus the overhead wires. I hope you enjoy the video.

 

Having gone out for the Black 5 in the morning (so hopelessly wet and windy I didn't get out of the car ) followed by the A4 at Sandy, wet but better I decided to see the return of the Castle in the promised afternoon sunny spells. Needless to say it was wet and windy at Culham but on getting back to the car the sun found a hole in the cloud and produced a nice rainbow!! The B/W version is probably better

 

You did better than I did John - Arlesey station is only 5 miles away from me and I didn't even bother leaving the house for no. 7 yesterday morning!

 

I only did it because soon all we will have on the ECML south of Peterborough will be Tornado. This was the result, not exactly a masterpiece

 

This thread has not gone to the first page of “What’s going on” .

 

Well after a lot of deliberation given the current issues with other operators, we have taken the plunge and booked 2 tickets on the Great Western 2 day trip to Plymouth. This has likely exhausted our railtour budget for 2024, but this will be the trip of the year if VT are able to deliver on what they promise.
A few years ago many of us dipped into our pockets to help set up Vintage Trains as an independent TOC, it is trips like this that we all had at the back of our minds when we did so - so on that basis it deserves our support.
I must admit I am very much looking forward to this one and will be nice to head West rather than North for a change too.

 

I know it's late but many thanks for all your replies.

 

Off RTT for the trip to Carlisle and back 16.03.24:
https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:U03854/2024-03-16/detailed
https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:U03859/2024-03-16/detailed

 

Hope the tour was financially viable, can't have been many passenger carriages? 6?

 

Ticket email for Saturday came through today. I’m in coach G. Who else is on the tour?

 

Likewise travelling in Coach G, joining at Crewe via a connection from 1S37 -0603 Euston-Glasgow Central arr. Crewe 0751.
Given the removal of the supporting diesel at Carnforth northbound to enable EoME an unassisted run to Carlisle, and likewise the plan to run the Earl unassisted (but again "shadowed") on the return from Carlisle as far as Crewe, I would imagine that there will be a noticeable presence of well-known (to this forum) members of the train-timing fraternity. I look forward to reading the once-traditional comprehensive accounts of locomotive performance that these guys were able to furnish. Totally absorbing stuff!!

 

Yes let's hope so! Boarding at Warrington. I decided to sample the pleasures of first class. It's a long time since I have been in a compartment. Maybe not ideal for milepost spotting though!

 

Might have to pop out and give the old girl a wave through Oxenholme.

I note the peculiar pathing stop at Penrith northbound, seen suggestion elsewhere that its due to her being limited to 20 mph through the station thus losing her path there?

 

Coach F. Stopwatches at the ready!

Yep, I've also booked the Plymouth trip in May.

The lure of unassisted steam. So far, the only steam trips I've booked this year.

Staying couple nights in Brum as didn't fancy stupid o'clock drive from Bristol. Have booked on the Severn Valley on Sunday. More than a tad disappointed to find out the first train out of Snow Hill misses the SVR train at Kiddy by 4 minutes...

 

Good Morning from Tyseley Locomotive Works, we are just preparing to depart with our empty coaching stock to Birmingham New Street behind 47773 for today’s Shap Mountaineer to Carlisle.

Looking forward to welcoming everyone onboard for what is shaping up to be a very exciting day.

For those travelling, the train is formed as follows leaving Birmingham New Street:

47773- First Class (A)- Pullman (D)- Pullman (C)- Buffet (Z)- Tourist (E)- Tourist (F)- Tourist (G)

There are a limited number of seats available in Tourist Class for anyone wanting a pay on the day fare.

Hope everyone has an excellent day and enjoys the main event with 5043’s solo run over Shap.

Joe
Deputy Tour Manager
Vintage Trains

 

Full marks to Vintage for doing this. Unfortunately I can’t get to it as I am still not fit enough for a long drive or for mega long days but I will be with you in spirit and look forward to seeing reports. I can probably use train running logs and images in a mini column fir HR if anyone is kind enough to send them via a PM