RTC Cotswold Venturer - 23/08/25

Thanks. I had previously been advised in this forum (ages ago, so stuff may have changed) that where a steam loco is required to work minimally throughout the journey (as opposed to the diesel only being required to assist at times), the diesel must be tucked behind the tender. Obviously it's better for shunting to have it at the rear. A third loco must have been required at Victoria for the Belmond the other day. Good to have it cleared up.

 

A video still of this morning's heavily diverted Golden Arrow on the outward run up to Sapperton Tunnel. May not have been on the power, but the video's turned out quite nicely, so I'm happy

 

The moral of that is do not believe everything that you read on NP. Not all of it is accurate or informed.

Peter

 

So more Golden Valley than Arrow...

 

Quite - should I believe your post? (Only joking!).

 

Ayyy!

 

My short sequence from Hailey Farm, on the outward run up to Sapperton Tunnel. I had gone out in the naive hope of getting anything on the return climb into the tunnel at t'other end, but it wasn't to be. The shot was slightly out of focus, anyways, so no matter. Still, I hope you enjoy my small offering

 

My Shots from yesterday, Seen at Virginia Water, Sunningdale, Coates Foot Crossing, Standish Junction and Cholsey, Enjoy

 

I do like the antepenultimate shot. But I am left just wondering about seeing the state of some of the vegetation Clan Line was passing at the time, with the diesel semingly not working.

Bryan - bring on the rains, dinosaurs need fresh grass to graze on - B

 

"Antepenultimate" - not seen used often enough!

 

I was going to use prepenultimate, but checked and found the correct word!

It's the first time I've ever used it. I shall now have to find a way to get it into my BR SR Steam Loco memoirs book!

Bryan

 

The first time I heard the word was on a BBC local radio cricket coverage of a game involving Essex. By sheer coincidence, the commentator in question is an avid steam fan who travels all around the UK to take photos!

 

As in 'the final arrival at Waterloo on 9 July was 35030 with the xxxx. The one before the one before that was ????.

 

Here's my footage of 35028 Clan Line and the Golden Arrow in unfamiliar territory up Sapperton Bank in both directions hauling The Cotswold Venturer. I filmed Clan Line at two foot crossings at Thames Head on the outward leg and Frampton Mansell on the return leg. I hope you enjoy it.

 

35030 on the 14.07 Weymouth on 9 July 1967 was the ultimate steam loco hauled arrival at Waterloo.
34021 on the circa 11.00 Southampton Docks Ocean Liner Express on 9 July 1967 was the penultimate Waterloo arrival.
35023 on the 15.55 Weymouth Quay Channel Islands Boat Train on 8 July was the antepenultimate Waterloo arrival.

Bryan

 

ISTR that the late Jimmy Young used the word, albeit slightly abbreviated, every day on his Radio 2 show - the "antipenult"

Mark

 

That brings back some memories! On 9 July 1967, aged 12 I was hanging around Waterloo with a friend, the arrival of 34021 partly made up for disappointment of the final run of the Bournemouth Belle being diesel hauled. 34021's crew kindly allowed a crowd of people on the footplate and even let us ride from the buffer stops to the starting signal at the country end. The driver said (I think) that, after turning, she was to proceed directly to Salisbury that afternoon for scrapping. The only other steam working we had seen was earlier that morning with 73029 which made a fine sight hammering through Raynes Park with a Fratton/Clapham Junction ECS working.

 

You should also try to get the word “preantepenultimate” into your memoirs.

 

Perhaps the goal should be to get one word to take up a whole line...