Vintage Trains 2026

Thanks both. Original E mail was only provisional times but now got an E Mail from VT confirming actual as 13.30

 

Hope you enjoy your trip tomorrow, very much looking forward to mine.
The timings look identical to RTT on 14th February.

 

Seen a short while ago through Danzey - absolutely brilliant, working well and looking great!

I think the platform staff provision, either organised by West Mids or VT, is overkill. I get that demand is expected to be busy but they're just contracted security as opposed to railway employees. I've seen far more people out for LSL circulars than what turned up for this with no security present.

It's a bit silly really.

 

Class 47 appears to be leading to Stratford for some reason, no explanation given on train.

 

How does this affect not running around at Snow Hill ? I purchased a ticket tonight as I thought it was a bargain for 45+ miles of scotsman haulage, not so much now.

 

Catching a bit of unexpected sun emerging from Wood End Tunnel

 

Sorry, Martin. My mistake.

 

You may well still get your 45 miles, nobody has been able to give me an explanation beyond 'operational reasons'. Given the shocking path down behind the all stations stopper, in the event didn't miss much!
Scotsman is in place at the front for the return, hopefully can be opened up a bit for the return.

 

It's the same for final the return. I captured you at Stratford Parkway and it was all very pedestrian from the front end, obviously trying not to gain on the service in front. Another problem is the long sections between signals. I think it may just be too busy to run around on a Saturday night at Snow Hill.

 

Top speed of 44mph on return, hope you improve on that, majority of running low 30's.
More of a 'Shakespeare Saunter' than express.

 

My shot of 60103 charging through Wood End with the return leg of today's 1st "Shakespeare Express" excursion.

 

Confirmed by at least two railwaymen, the view tender first is not good enough. Unable to see signals on last Saturdays workings so no tender first running. That was the "operational problem"

 

Well some footplatemen in Aviemore would agree with that..
Thanks for the explanation.

 

So nothing to do with being limited to 45mph when the tender is leading?

Peter

 

I also heard this during the week. Also safety concerns regarding the driver not being able to have clear sight of most platforms when tender first due to most of them being wrong side when tender first. Crowded platforms, lack of sight, etc and throw in the signals issue. Makes perfect sense.

 

Trust me, on the timings today 45mph was an aspiration, not a limit!!

 

Exiting Wood End Tunnel.