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The Armistice Steam Express - 11/11/25

Discussion in 'What's Going On' started by buzby2, Nov 2, 2025.

  1. buzby2

    buzby2 Well-Known Member

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    According to SLL, the next scheduled rail tour for 34028 is on 11th November - RTC's The Armistice Steam Express: https://www.railwaytouring.net/ase-11-11-25
    Too early for timings yet.
     
  2. Romsey

    Romsey Part of the furniture

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    I wonder where they will try to take coal as it's getting on for 200 miles round trip on 5 tonnes of coal.
    Cheers, Neil
     
  3. Gladiator 5076

    Gladiator 5076 Resident of Nat Pres

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    Never having been to Sheerness (only as far a the Swale Bridge on a different tour) what is the access like? Outline timings show a break there of 45 mins or so. Of course NR may have other ideas.
     
  4. Bulleid Pacific

    Bulleid Pacific Part of the furniture

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    Fairly level access from memory when 45596 did it a couple of years ago. However, I felt there wasn't a massive amount to detain one beyond looking out for the SS Richard Montgomery and staring across the estuary, so 45 minutes seems about right for a quick leg stretch.
     
  5. Fireline

    Fireline Well-Known Member

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    Access isn't bad, but leave your car on bricks, to save the locals having to do it for you....
     
    Paul42, John Petley, Johnb and 5 others like this.
  6. buzby2

    buzby2 Well-Known Member

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  7. buzby2

    buzby2 Well-Known Member

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    Sunnieboy likes this.
  8. buzby2

    buzby2 Well-Known Member

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    15:25 Seems to have made it to Sheerness-on-Sea and then onto Folkestone West [water stop I think].
    Timings over the legs thus far seem to have been within a few minutes of schedule and a 2 minute early arrival in Folkestone West has helped hopefully. It's departure from there is followed just 4 minutes later by a service train so hope the watering goes without a hitch.
    I wonder if the rear WCRC diesel has been giving coal-saving pushes from time to time or were additional supplies of coal provided en-route?
     
    clinker likes this.
  9. The Gricing Owl

    The Gricing Owl Well-Known Member

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    I think it's best to think of the occasion today rather than anything else.

    And as I usually do (along with very, very many others I am sure) I was on my feet as the BBC coverage of a long 2 minute silence played out this morning, with my also usual out loud comment of 'this is for you and your mates dad' who did the whole of WWII.

    But I have now got a 'photo' of 34028 in main line service. I took my position hoping the loco would be well opened up for the, at times, steep climb to near Borough Green, so the exhaust would be going nicely skywards, revealing the lit carriages and the lights of West Malling station behind the train. Not so, the drifting exhaust covered all but some of the loco! The whole ensemble was moving at a fair old speed.

    Nikon D780, 25,600 ISO, 1/250th sec, f5/6 with my excellent Nikon 28-300 mm lens at 300 mm. 16.28.

    Bryan

    001-34028-West-Malling-on-13.30-Sheerness-11Nov-2025.jpg
     
  10. Johnb

    Johnb Nat Pres stalwart

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    It was 8 early at Addisham so I missed it having chased it from Swale
     
  11. TheModster

    TheModster Member

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    Today's tour captured at Bickley, Swale, Dover seawall, Sandling & Crofton Park:
     
  12. The Gricing Owl

    The Gricing Owl Well-Known Member

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    Nice filming. You did very well at Dover with a large ferry docking along with high tide and a stiff southerly breeze blowing. Just reward for your climb up to the cliff top.

    Bryan
     
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  13. Johnb

    Johnb Nat Pres stalwart

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    Sadly the flatest light possible yesterday but here's my efforts making the best of a bad job. Locations are, South Darenth, Kingsferry Bridge and leaving Folkstone at Cheriton. By the last shot the light was failing fast so no point in going for anything out in the countryside. It seemed to have performed well, I chased it from Kingsferry to Addisham with nine minutes to spare but it was running eight early so just missed it! Driver was Bob Baines, I don't know who was firing.

    1994 34028 passing Soth Darenth 11-11-25.jpg 1995 34028 crossing the Kingsferry Bridge, Swale 11-11-25.jpg 1996 34028 leaving Folkstone past Cheriton 11-11-25.jpg
     
  14. twr12

    twr12 Well-Known Member

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    34028 had sufficient coal for the day.
    The drivers of 47812 only assisted for the initial start out of Victoria and the slippery climb from Ashford onto the Maidstone East line.
     
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  15. alts1985

    alts1985 Well-Known Member

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    Very enjoyable day yesterday following 'Eddystone' to Sheerness-on-Sea, despite the dull conditions throughout the day. Managed five locations, all new ones for me. St George's Road Bickley, working away from the Bromley South pick up, Sheerness-on-Sea, diesel arrival from Festival Field followed by scenes from the station. For the return I joined the crowds at Kingsferry Bridge, Swale, then managed to chase her to Bekesbourne - just - arrving at 2.20pm I checked RTT to see it had updated pass times for the three stations after Canterbury East, I then noticed the time showed now, 2.20pm. I quickly grabbed my camera and ran on the platform to find people still waiting, she passed around 2.25pm 4 early, RTT showed (and still does) a pass time for Canterbury East but must have stopped. Finally its Barming, the gradient is 1 in 100/1 in 135 from Maidstone and with the diesel silent on the rear she works through rather atmospherically in the last of the light. My video and some photos...



    https://www.flickr.com/photos/alts1985/54919662370/in/dateposted-public/
    https://www.flickr.com/photos/alts1985/54919358406/in/dateposted-public/
    https://www.flickr.com/photos/alts1985/54919661695/in/dateposted-public/
    https://www.flickr.com/photos/alts1985/54919606724/in/dateposted-public/
    https://www.flickr.com/photos/alts1985/54918496302/in/dateposted-public/
    https://www.flickr.com/photos/alts1985/54919358131/in/dateposted-public/
     
    Last edited: Nov 12, 2025
    Shep Woolley, YorkyLad, 30910 and 2 others like this.

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