RTC Atlantic Coast Express - 23/05/26

That looks like a nice long day behind Clan Line @Big Al and I obviously hope it goes well.

But not for me these days. A very long day, confined in what I imagine will be MK2 stock, and I suppose the best timings RTC could get for a train they call the Atlantic Coast Express.

Slow line from Woking to Bas with a presumed water stop at Winchfield is a shame, but I assume there won't be a helper on the back. Unless fire risk rears its head again.

Best section seems to be Bas-Sals and return. A chance of an even time start to stop on the down?

Anyway it's 35028 out of Waterloo in 2026 so that has to be good.

For me, I shall go back to my pre-asteroid dinosaur days with my timing log of the best down ACE run I ever timed. 35028 of course! No helper and no water stop at Winchfield - passed at just under 80 mph.

Bryan

 

There will be a Diesel on the back, required with the MK2 coaches. I don't expect it to do much though.

 

I wouldn't describe a 7AM departure and a 10PM return as "marathon" to be honest. That's a fairly civilised length railtour. I've done ones which were 5AM departure, back at 1AM!

 

Shorter than a CME from Euston and looking at the timings for the Swanage Belle this week a similar length on that for the support crew who of course have to go to and from Southall.

 

I think that's the difference between marathon and ultra marathon, quite honestly.

 

I would say 07:00 to 22:00 would now be regarded a "standard length" railtour.

 

I'm aware. That doesn't stop it also being a marathon.

 

A marathon or not is irrelevant, the stock may be wrong and there will be no stops to drop off any through coaches on the way but let’s just be grateful that in the 21st century a Merchant Navy will depart Waterloo on a journey where two thirds of the trip will be on the route of the original train. Apart from the Belmond Pullman back from Dover when the engine carries the Golden Arrow Regalia this must be unique. Well done RTC and everyone else involved in planning it.

 

Yes it is a long day for the support crew what with prep and disposal, but if you compare scheduled times this will be 18 hours 15 minutes, and yesterday the Swanage Belle was 18 hours 1 minute so hardly something unique.

 

Yes John, it's great that a Merchant Navy Pacific is heading to the W of E out of Waterloo again. And of course I support it and hope all goes really well - see my earlier post repeated above.

But it's not up to the schedule of just a few years back when @Wayne and colleagues, plus all those involved in setting up and running those trips, were at times able to run like the real Atlantic Coast Express. Albeit with the 75 mph limit.

From such as the Woking-Salisbury start to stop, and also Basingstoke-Salisbury start to stop, despite the 75 mph limit and a heavier load than in the 1960s, and the need to build up speed from the re-starts mentioned above, when the trains were able to run inside the real ACE pass to stop schedules. MK1 rolling stock and no diesel on the rear. To me that earned the right to call those trains the Atlantic Coast Express. Although I'm not sure that headboard was carried!

Those wonderful days in the few years up to 2019, and of course the 1960s when I travelled on and timed the real ACE many times were, back then and remain, very, very special memories for me. So I do have a tinge of sadness that a train with a diesel on the back, a schedule that sees slow line running between the Woking and Basingstoke stops and a water stop at Winchfield is given the name Atlantic Coast Express. 'West of England Express' would have been more appropriate at the very best.

Will my views be shared by anyone on the train? Of course not, not a single person. And of course things change - nothing on planet earth stays the same for ever.

But there is opportunity for decent running Bas-Sals, and Sal-Waterloo (with two stops ) on the return. And all being well I shall follow progress on RTT Advanced either side of a family lunch here that day.

And if it turns out I miss something special on one or more of the sections I have mentioned - so be it. With certain vulnerabilities I am very reluctant to travel in MK2 stock - and a diesel on the rear always adds uncertainty. Plus the heat forecast.

By the way, I first joined the MNLPS in 1967. And with a few gaps when I was gricing in Germany and then South Africa, I am still a member today. Sort of putting my money where my mouth is!

Bryan - dinosaurs have a massive soft spot for the real ACE - B