The Great Britain XVI - 13/04/24 to 21/04/24

After the 3Z46 stock arrives at Swansea station this morning, there is an 0Z46 light engine move back to Landore
Realtime Trains | 0Z46 0843 Swansea to Landore T.M.D. | 21/04/2024

Is there any possibility that the final day of the GB tour could be diesel free? <BJ>

 

Unsure about a tail gunner, but it's 44871 up front alone.

 

There is a 60mph move from Landore to Carnforth on Monday. Suggesting a steam loco move.

 

Interesting times at Swansea.

 

Here's my footage of the two Ian Riley masterpieces tackling the Welsh Marches and The Heart of Wales Lines respectively following yesterday's Great Britain XVI. I filmed them at Leebotwood on the outskirts of Church Stretton and of course, Knucklas Viaduct climbing up the 1 in 60 gradient to Llandrindod Wells. I hope you enjoy the video.

 

The pitiful state of the signal box at Llandrindod is a shame may as well remove it, interesting to join a large group of farmers on their quads assembled on Garthfach to watch the start from Llanwrtyd and the subsequent climb all the way up to Sugar Loaf with an older farmer reminiscing about stopping freights at the signal box to allow farm lads to cab ride down to Llandovery and return on a later freight, double track then.

 

During the break at Kyle last Wednesday while nearly everyone else is relaxing in the sunshine the redoubtable Dave Clarke, aka Screwdriver, is hard at work cleaning the train windows - one of the unsung heroes of so many WCR operations

Peter

 

Swansea - Paddington, final day, reported as 44871 + load 10 + 47.802. <BJ>

 

Another one from Wednesday's trip to Kyle - Driver Mick Kelly at Strathcarron before treating us to a rousing climb up out of Glen Carron to Luib summit near Achnasheen, just one of many highlights from the last few days.

Peter

 

Pretty much guarantees a shove up Sapperton.

 

Correct!

 

Well, here we are on the final section of nearly 2000 miles. Despite my sceptism I’ve really enjoyed it. I’ve been surprised at the amount I could hear the locos and that’s because they have been worked hard or very hard even when there has been an assistance from the dl. The exception was Tangmere’s sections but the Black 5s have been outstanding in performance. To think in the year 2024 RTC have taken a steam hauled train from London via Dover to Kyle is an incredible achievement. I’m not ignoring all the issues but the pluses have outweighed the minuses for the two of us and there’s a good possibility we’d look positively at GB17 should there be one.

 

Different view at Abington as 44871 & 45407 depart .

 

I think West Coast have done well considering all the crap they keep getting chucked at them albeit a lot of it is of their own doing to pull this tour out of the fire .

 

The crap is well and truly deserved!

 

Pleased you've had a good time and interested to read your remarks. In the end it's the opinions of passengers like yourself that matter and not those of axe grinding linesiders.

 

Quite right.