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RTC 2025

Discussion in 'What's Going On' started by 2857Harry, Sep 7, 2024.

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  1. Big Al

    Big Al Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Moderator

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    There is a certain irony in the fact that a typical Brighton to Victoria service takes about 62 minutes with stops at Haywards Heath and Gatwick. That is four minutes slower than the time I have covered the route twice with steam, non stop of course. So, in theory a steam service could sit ahead of a Gatwick Express and take up very little track space. The stops of the service train would keep it behind steam as the GX takes 30 min to leave Gatwick whilst steam has typically done it in 25/26. All of this counts for nothing, of course, as other services are also in the vicinity but personally, I don't 'buy' the view that something quick on the Brighton main line is impossible. Where there's a will....
     
    Big Al, Nov 11, 2025 at 11:26 AM
    #721
  2. Gunslinger1948

    Gunslinger1948 New Member

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    Suspect its a case of playing safe on the part of NR. Although a steam locomotive could and probably would manage it with ease, with such an intensive service any sort of failure could be immensely disruptive.
    Personally I'd love to see a steam trip through the Thameslink or East London Line tunnels in London, both would have seen steam on freight services well into the 1950s, but it won't happen for much the same reasons.
     
    Gunslinger1948, Nov 11, 2025 at 11:57 AM
    #722
  3. 35B

    35B Nat Pres stalwart

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    I think the chances of steam through Thameslink are sub-zero because of the loading gauge limits there, even if a path could be found.
     
    35B, Nov 11, 2025 at 12:16 PM
    #723
  4. Romsey

    Romsey Part of the furniture

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    Starting from Victoria Eastern and running via Tulse Hill and Crystal Palace probably adds 15 minutes to the Victoria - Haywards Heath journey time. Then there is 10 minutes at Balcombe Tunnel Jn waiting for a path on the two track section. Additional trains should be bid into white space avoiding any alterations to other operators services.

    Cheers, Neil
     
    Romsey, Nov 11, 2025 at 2:47 PM
    #724
  5. Johnb

    Johnb Nat Pres stalwart

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    MNs were barred from the Central Section. As far as I know this will be the first time one of them has visited Eastbourne and Hastings.
     
    Johnb, Nov 11, 2025 at 8:35 PM
    #725
  6. Barrie Childs

    Barrie Childs New Member

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    From an RTC promotional email advertising gift vouchers received this morning:

    Step on board our plush vintage carriages dating back to the 1950s and choose from Standard Class, First Class, or Premier Dining. Enjoy reserved seating, fine dining served at your seat, and the excitement of travelling through iconic landscapes like the Ribblehead Viaduct, England's highest station at Dent and the mighty Three Peaks.

    The accompanying picture is a table laid up in a mk 3 coach. Bit of confusion demonstrated there.
     
    Barrie Childs, Nov 14, 2025 at 11:58 AM
    #726
  7. MellishR

    MellishR Resident of Nat Pres Friend

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    So what's new?
     
    MellishR, Nov 14, 2025 at 12:41 PM
    #727
  8. John Petley

    John Petley Part of the furniture

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    35007 did a run from Litlehampton to Victoria on 18th October 1964 as part of a railtour that also visited Midhurst and Kemp Town. Others may know better but that is the only run my an MN on the Central section that I am aware of in the pre-preservation era. 35028 has run doen the Brighton Line and along the West Sussex coast line on a few occasions in its preservation career and it has also run (LE with support coach) down to East Grinstead, but like you, I can't recall it (or any other MN) visiting Eastbourne or Hastings.
     
    John Petley, Nov 14, 2025 at 1:30 PM
    #728
  9. Beardy

    Beardy New Member

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    Have RTC ever even used a Mk3? I appreciate that your reply was about the regular inaccuracies but would be curious to know if this implies the potential for something new to be used (which does not fit the description although you could loosely interpret it that some of the coaches RTC use date a far back as the 50s), something previously used that I personally was not aware of or someone either internally or externally doing the marketing just grabbing a random picture of a coach from somewhere.
     
    Beardy, Nov 14, 2025 at 4:19 PM
    #729
  10. Gunslinger1948

    Gunslinger1948 New Member

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    I got that email too. Surely the only stock "dating back to the 1950s" are the Mk1s which aren't being used at the moment for reasons we all know about, nor are likely to be (despite occasional optimistic noises from RTC)?
     
    Gunslinger1948, Nov 14, 2025 at 7:11 PM
    #730
  11. torgormaig

    torgormaig Part of the furniture Friend

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    I think you are right, I know of no other occasion that a MN operated over the Brighton main line. But I'm not sure that they were prohibited as such. I think that it was more of a case that the occasion never arose for them to operate over the Central Section - they were being fully utilised on other Sections.

    Peter
     
    torgormaig, Nov 14, 2025 at 10:32 PM
    #731
  12. free2grice

    free2grice Part of the furniture Friend

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    Timings now available for the the 'Christmas Cheshireman' . Saturday, 22nd November, 2025

    Expected to be hauled by Black '5' 44871

    1Z26 0656 Bristol Temple Meads to Hereford
    https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:U69094/2025-11-22/detailed

    5Z27 0952 Hereford to Hereford
    https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:U69095/2025-11-22/detailed

    1Z27 1011 Hereford to Chester
    https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:U69096/2025-11-22/detailed

    5Z28 1317 Chester to Chester
    https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:U69097/2025-11-22/detailed

    5Z29 1329 Chester Middle Yard to Chester Middle Yard
    https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:U69098/2025-11-22/detailed

    1Z28 1545 Chester to Bristol Temple Meads
    https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:U69099/2025-11-22/detailed

    Update: ECS move from Southall to Bristol on Friday, 21/11/25
    Realtime Trains | 5Z23 1038 Southall Wcr to Bristol Kingsland Road | 21/11/2025
     
    Last edited: Nov 16, 2025 at 10:34 AM
    free2grice, Nov 15, 2025 at 8:43 AM
    #732
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  13. neildimmer

    neildimmer Resident of Nat Pres

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    How on earth did 44871 make up 60 minutes between Newark and York??
    Must have been a lot of shovage!!
    It arrived at York just 2 minutes late!!
     
    neildimmer, Nov 15, 2025 at 1:51 PM
    #733
  14. 5944

    5944 Resident of Nat Pres

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    Avoided the booked route via Gainsborough by the looks of it, and the stop at Arksey loop. Plus it wasn't the quickest of paths. About 40 minutes Doncaster to York once you knock out the pathing stop.
     
    5944, Nov 15, 2025 at 2:04 PM
    #734
  15. neildimmer

    neildimmer Resident of Nat Pres

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    Thanks
     
    neildimmer, Nov 15, 2025 at 2:28 PM
    #735
  16. TheModster

    TheModster Member

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    44871 seen at Finsbury Park and Doncaster, including 60007 also out on a run to York:
     
    TheModster, Nov 15, 2025 at 10:51 PM
    #736
    leander and alts1985 like this.
  17. osprey

    osprey Resident of Nat Pres

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    Super.....
     
    osprey, Nov 16, 2025 at 2:33 AM
    #737
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