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RTC Atlantic Coast Express - 23/05/26

Discussion in 'What's Going On' started by Big Al, May 17, 2026.

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  1. meiga

    meiga New Member

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    35028 Clan Line at Norton Fitzwarren with the return Atlantic Coast Express. 35028-Clan-Line-at-Norton-Fitzwarren-with-the-return-Atlantic-Coast-Express.jpg
     
    meiga, May 23, 2026 at 8:40 PM
    #41
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  2. Chris_Sav

    Chris_Sav Member

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    Lengthy stop at Salisbury, still there
     
    Chris_Sav, May 23, 2026 at 8:58 PM
    #42
  3. The Gricing Owl

    The Gricing Owl Well-Known Member Friend

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    And 1L74 left on time nearly ten minutes ago. . . . . . . .

    But 35028 has now left, 43 late.

    Bryan
     
    Last edited: May 23, 2026 at 9:10 PM
    The Gricing Owl, May 23, 2026 at 9:02 PM
    #43
  4. Deepgreen

    Deepgreen Well-Known Member Friend

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    Time is being bled away all over - what a shame to end a day like this. Now around 45 late, with about 15 further minutes lost at Salisbury.
     
    Deepgreen, May 23, 2026 at 9:15 PM
    #44
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  5. Deepgreen

    Deepgreen Well-Known Member Friend

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    BTW, is anyone else experiencing this web site being very slow? All other sites I am using are fine, just NP refuses to respond for ages.
     
    Deepgreen, May 23, 2026 at 9:20 PM
    #45
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  6. The Gricing Owl

    The Gricing Owl Well-Known Member Friend

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    Yes, I've been struggling all day to get on. And then slow to make and edit posts.

    Now on the racing stretch, BAS-WOK and staying on the up fast line - - - -but now checked to cross to the up slow at Winchfield!

    Bryan
     
    Last edited: May 23, 2026 at 10:03 PM
    The Gricing Owl, May 23, 2026 at 9:53 PM
    #46
  7. horace

    horace Member

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    horace, May 23, 2026 at 10:34 PM
    #47
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  8. Romsey

    Romsey Part of the furniture

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    The whole Bristol - Salisbury - Portsmouth service was suffering from poor timekeeping today. First of all heavy and disorganised passenger loadings, for an example two hen parties and a stag party alighting from one train at Bath about lunchtime. The trains from Bristol on weekday evenings often seem to loose time. Then trains were being cautioned due to defective equipment at the warning light fitted footpath crossings at Limpley Stoke.
    The 1822 from Bristol lost 15 minutes to Westbury following stopping services plus the cautioning.

    Cheers, Neil
     
    Romsey, May 23, 2026 at 10:47 PM
    #48
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  9. The Gricing Owl

    The Gricing Owl Well-Known Member Friend

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    And finally a checked run in from Earlsfield/Clapham Junction - no surprise there over such an incredibly busy part of the Big Railway. But that can be so very frustrating for people on the train eyeing up their onward connection to get home.

    Bryan
     
    The Gricing Owl, May 23, 2026 at 10:56 PM
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  10. TheModster

    TheModster Member

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    A top day had filming this fine machine to Devon and back. Clan Line seen at Earlsfield, Monxton, Hontion Tunnel, Pinhoe, Pugham Farm (Tiverton), Upton Scudamore & Surbiton:
     
    TheModster, May 24, 2026 at 12:18 AM
    #50
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  11. Hemerdon

    Hemerdon Member Friend

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    A short clip of Clan Line at Tiverton Parkway yesterday.....
     
    Hemerdon, May 24, 2026 at 7:32 AM
    #51
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  12. Chailey Stowe

    Chailey Stowe New Member

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    Far from the only video you’ll see from the ACE but if you fancy some more 35028 action ☺️

     
    Chailey Stowe, May 24, 2026 at 9:18 AM
    #52
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  13. Big Al

    Big Al Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Moderator

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    Many thanks for all the clips. Living in a sealed unit at the back of a train all day doesn't give you much opportunity to know what on earth is going on up front so any external view is welcome. The couple on the table where I was remarked just twice that they could hear the engine working, and you can guess where that was!

    Really grateful to everyone for putting on such a complicated trip with extended steam mileage. And a special thanks to the way that the 'support' of the train was handled on the outbound run, largely it seems, down to instructions from the footplate. On the return it was clearly a different matter in places even though the combined load was easily manageable by a Class 8, as is proved on the Belmond Pullman. Given the rubbish rolling stock deal that the RTC is given by West Coast management this trip was the best that was possible in 2026 and West Coast crews, plus the loco support team, did us all proud, imo.

    The least said the better about train regulation by the Train Signalling Centre at Didcot. You have to ask yourself what on earth was going on in their minds when they allowed the late service from Avonmouth to occupy the platform at Weston we were supposed to have used (rather than P2) even though we arrived outside the station on time. And then we had to follow the wretched thing on its return stopping service to Severn Beach that didn't get to Bristol until ten minutes after we should have been through and into the East Depot Yard. That screwed up our path across to the East Depot where we arrived over twenty late. Despite taking on just the water that was needed for Salisbury and gaining about a quarter of an hour in the process, we were then held for the stopper to Salisbury to go ahead of us that guaranteed a Salisbury arrival about 20 late. And then there was the Avoncliffe infrastructure debacle as mentioned by @Romsey.

    Sorry to go on about train management and it's not an attempt to change the order of the world - i.e. service trains come before everything else - it's just to show how unthinking the decisions are that people in sealed rooms miles from the action take that impacts on people's lives.

    I expect the managing director of the RTC had already planned to remain in London overnight as she will have missed her last train home. So a final thanks to Kelly Osborne for putting on the trips that are worthwhile and staying true to the tradition of Nigel Dobbing, despite having to push water uphill at times with her TOC.
     
    Big Al, May 24, 2026 at 11:23 AM
    #53
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  14. The Gricing Owl

    The Gricing Owl Well-Known Member Friend

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    Great filming from what must have been a very long day. Very many thanks for posting them here.

    Some sequences with the 47 clearly pushing. But approaching Honiton tunnel the 47 did look to be turned off.

    Bryan
     
    The Gricing Owl, May 24, 2026 at 11:29 AM
    #54
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  15. The Gricing Owl

    The Gricing Owl Well-Known Member Friend

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    Thanks for posting, another set of sequences much enjoyed. Very many thanks for posting them here.

    And @Big Al I'd be very interested to know what the Battledown Summit speed was on the down run. From the video I've timed it at 59.5 mph, at just over the top. And no excessive noise from Clan Line. Enough said from me on that!

    Bryan
     
    Last edited: May 24, 2026 at 12:04 PM
    The Gricing Owl, May 24, 2026 at 11:41 AM
    #55
  16. Spamcan81

    Spamcan81 Nat Pres stalwart

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    Sounding good on Honiton.
     
    Spamcan81, May 24, 2026 at 11:49 AM
    #56
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  17. Johnb

    Johnb Nat Pres stalwart

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    It was good and no assistance from the back
     
    Last edited: May 24, 2026 at 12:15 PM
    Johnb, May 24, 2026 at 12:03 PM
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  18. free2grice

    free2grice Part of the furniture Friend

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    That's interesting. I was at Keynsham watching the events unfold on Open Train Times. No sooner had the tour arrived at East Depot, the signallers gave it a green to rejoin the main line. As the loco needed to be serviced, I assume that the crew informed control and the signal returned to red. Surely there are notes for the signallers, explaining the special requirements of a steam charter. <BJ>
     
    free2grice, May 24, 2026 at 12:19 PM
    #58
  19. TheModster

    TheModster Member

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    Thank you Bryan, it was a very long and hot day (nothing compared to what the footplate crew had to deal with mind!) but well worth it. The noise of Clan Line on Honiton and Upton Scudamore was well worth the treck out.
     
    TheModster, May 24, 2026 at 12:26 PM
    #59
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  20. Big Al

    Big Al Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Moderator

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    61.
     
    Big Al, May 24, 2026 at 12:29 PM
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