Steam Dreams 2024

As is so depressingly often the case. I assumed it was a fast run, but I can't imagine it leaving from anything other than p19. I know steam used to leave the lower numbered platforms in the early days of SD, but when was the last time any other platform than 19 was used?

 

The Garden of England Lunchtime Tour, 70000 Britannia, 23rd July 2024.
Filmed at Newington:

 

I chose Paddock Wood today as I wanted to check station area locations to try and get 35028 racing through on the British Pullman in sunshine at some stage.

A slightly over-height bridge parapet and not having my stool to stand on meant I had to photograph from the North side of the train and not the South side. Not that had much impact on a dull, warm and, to me at least, rather humid afternoon.

Meaning I had no expectation of anything other than a record shot of 70000 leaving after the water stop.

Bryan - and anyway I like Buddleia bushes when in flower - B

PS Note the rusty up fast line.

 

Yes, when IS that fast line coming back into use?

 

I'm sure we ran through on the fast line with the Belmond last Thursday.

 

RTT had you booked through the UM - presumably Up Main. And the actual times suggest you used that, rather than the very slow run through the patform line at Paddock Wood that would certainly have shown up in the times.

Bryan B

 

Yes I thought we did as we were doing near enough our maximum permitted speed around there.

 

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/zq40LE8FCIo

 

Good to see the Brit back on the GOE & SSE. Captured at South Darenth, Selling, Aylesham, Westenhanger and Hildenborough bank for the GOE, and then Reigate for the SSE, making a fine soundtrack having been signal checked by the level crossing:

 

Very nice as usual. I was on the bridge a little further west of Reigate station (I live nearby) and the poor light was made up for by the good effort when the signal cleared (the crossing at Reigate is usually left open for road use until quite late as it is a very busy 'A' road). Had I known it would be late enough for the Reigate to Victoria train to go first, I would have gone to the platform to get a long sweeping run-past shot.

 

My film from last evening, with a little bonus at the very end for 'The Gricing Owl'!

 

And very nice twoo, starting with a local buzzard and ending with a local owl. What better way to run a nice steam loco sequence.

And that lengthy going away sequence - such an emotive shot bringing back memories of the times many of us have stood on a platform and watched/listened to a steam loco heading off into the night.

The location I remember best was at Brockenhurst. Having got off the 21.20 Waterloo-Bournemouth train, and (providing its late running didn't mean rushing over the short - not long- footbridge to the up platform) watching and then listening to the pacific tackling the grade towards Lymington Junction with few other noises to disturb the experience. And as, midnight passed, wandering over to the up platform to wait the up mail train for a fitful sleep, interspersed with dreams of that Bulleid climbing the grade into the deep void of darkness of a New Forest night.

Bryan B

 

Yes, the dull weather was made up for by the lack of wind - just a very gentle easterly which carried the sound back very well. My father made several reel-to-reel tape recordings of steam in the 1960s with some lovely long sequences. 'The Modster' was on the platform and caught the volcanic smoke eruption as the train neared the station as well. 8K video does allow good still frame extraction as well (albeit with a high ISO in this case).

 

Presumably 70000 on the front today as per the SD website? That is if anyone has been out to see it.

I'm probably going to give it a miss, as I'm still a bit tired after my trip to Swanage on Saturday for 31806, and because I've got a lot of SR steam loco stuff I want to clear this week.

Bryan B

 

It is Britannia. There’s a picture of it at Victoria on Facebook.

 

The Garden of England Lunchtime Tour, 70000 Britannia, 6th August 2024.
Filmed at Knockholt:

 

That was going rather nicely, even if some of the effort was by the diesel.

 

Another top show from the Brit, captured at Sole Street, Canterbury & Pluckley, before heading through a busy Chilworth in the evening:

 

My film from Tuesday at Gomshall, with an actual visible sunset for a change! The sound was far-carrying, so there is a long run-in before the train appears - I thought it was worth it.

 

350’s on 2K15 have failed leaving 46100 at the head of 1Z46 a little bit stuck…