RTC 2025

There were three MNs allocated to Stewarts Lane, 35001/15/27/28 among them through the 50s. I believe the down Night Ferry was one of their duties.

In the up direction, there were two (or more) paths depending on the arrival of the boat. The main path was via Paddock Wood, fine. Bur the second path if the boat was late was via Maidstone East, not RA for an MN. Therefore in the up direction it was rostered for a D1/E1 and a Light Pacific.

Edit @Johnb--- I believe it was rostered for the E1 and WC/BB regardless of which route was actually used.

 

That makes sense.

 

I am fairly sure I can recall it coming through Bromley South on the up just with an unrebuilt MN on the front. But also saw it with a 4-4-0 doubleheading a Bulleid (can't remember if a MN of WC/BB)

Brother @gricerdon may be able to add to this. He may even have a photo of it!

Bryan

 

Nice. A question came to mind with the night shot - the other day '28 displayed a single, central headlight as it returned from Portsmouth through Redhill, but here it has the two outer ones lit - is this random, or some sort of nod towards historical headcodes?

 

All I can find for left and right buffer beam discs/lights on the Southern Email Group for the Central Division list is this:



Bryan

 

Only that I once saw it with a blue MN

Don

 

47.812 + 44871 have worked the 5Z23 Southall to Bristol Kingsland Road. 12 coaches. <BJ>

 

Sounds like 44871 failed to call at Abergavenny.

 

Yep, three passengers had to make their way to Hereford. Apparently they were not amused, as expected

 

Seen leaving All Stretton running 16 minutes down...

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...passing Leaton...

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...then less than an hour later being chased down by a pair of type 3s

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44871 climbing out of the Dee Valley at Cefn Mawr with the Christmas Cheshireman.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/90397953@N02/54940006065/in/photostream/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/90397953@N02/54939897468/in/photostream/

 

With the western end of Wenlock Edge as a backdrop, 44871 is getting a move-on at Bushmoor................




...............and passing Leaton Crossing on the last leg to Chester.




Cheerz,

Alan

 

Even then, that didn’t look possible. Looked as if 44871 and POB left the stock in the centre road and watered in the bay platform.

 

Here's my footage of 44871 roaring along the Welsh Marches Line with the Christmas Cheshireman. I filmed at Patchway, Tram Inn and Dinmore. I hope you enjoy it.

 

Lol - I arrived a bit late to risk going over to the footcrossing, but did briefly consider it for the diesels.
...would have been a lot quieter where you were than getting deafened by the level crossing siren..

 

Indeed Ian, the drive up thro' Dorrington was a crawl and it was close to being a no-go; however, having finally reached Bomere Heath, a quick check on RT showed that I might just make it across the field by the cricket ground.
As I got to the foot-crossing, I could hear the train coming in the distance, and what a sound!! Well worth the panic-drive for that Black Five sound track........

It was dismal and mizz for most of the morning, but as I drove home the sun appeared and shone for the next couple of hours........... sigh.......

Cheerz,

Alan

 

My shots of the Chester Christmas specials through the gloom at Stokesay.
Nice to see that recent heavy rain has restored the pond. But the bird life has not yet returned.

 

Indeed - I hung left at Meole and decided to head to Leaton via Montford Bridge as having less chance of hold ups. I pulled up a couple of minutes after it should have left the station and looked at RTT to find it hadn't left yet - phew - but then the siren started for the crossing which gave a mild panic! Fortunately it was the preceding service train that had left at the time the charter should have done!

It sounded magnificent climbing out of Shrewsbury this evening stood quietly on my own at Kempseye - the slow sharp crisp bark as it left the station and gradually started to build speed pulling away from sutton bridge. The 47 on the back was on little more than tick-over and certainly wasn't giving much in the way of assistance. Hearing the pace quicken as it passed the golf course and headed off towards Bayston Hill was lovely.

 

Three from Shropshire; raising the ghosts of the last of the Birkenhead Paddington trains ?
1) A misty and hazy approach to All Stretton, the hills barely appearing through low cloud.
2) I didn't have any trouble getting north of Shrewsbury, the late running Cardiff Manchester held up both the special and the following Cardiff - Holyhead which then added some time to the steam at Shrewsbury. At Rednal I was happy to see the sun appear, and all looked good for another attempt after the water stop. If there was one it wasn't lengthy as by the time I crossed the Dee having been delayed by an incident near the Llangollen turning there was white exhaust adding to the mist over the valley.
3) The return at Chirk. 44871 left Chester on time, TfW didn't. At Chirk the inversion came and went, the sky cleared to allow some colouring of the clouds, frustratingly in the 8 minutes late added by TfW the colour diminished and so did the light, but some spectacle - c'mon feel the noise.

 

Good to see the Stokesay pond with water again, I was talking with the farmer at All Stretton while waiting and interestingly he was saying that despite the recent rain the ground hasn't much moisture and the water table is still low.