Saphos Trains 2026

Apparently 60007 Sir Nigel Gresley is booked for the WME on Wednesday apparently, see LE movements, ECs and test runs thread.

 

It is. With a nice little move via the Shrewsbury avoider to Abbey Foregate Jn (reverse) for the class 47 to haul into p4, to get around the A4’s gauging prohibition when running direct.

 

Interesting, thanks.
Would something like that work for Nunney Castle do you think?
It seems odd that they can't simply adjust the platform edging at, presumably, the north end curve where few people get on or off.

 

The A4 ran in to P4 directly from English Bridge Jn on 10th May 2023 with the Welsh Marches Express from Bristol and possibly later in the year too, so something has changed since then as it's now prohibited English Bridge Jn-Shrewsbury station. Running in via Abbey Foregate seems quite a neat solution, as it also avoids taking up paths doing a three sided traverse of the triangle to turn as a subsequent ECS movement and gives more time for servicing at Coton Hill.

 

Thanks for the further explanation, I was mixing up issues, but it does seem odd about this lack of clearances coming up lately.

 

With the freakish and frankly dangerous temperatures forecast on Wednesday there must be some doubt that the WME will run. 38C along the Marches with 39 or even 40 around Bristol possible according to the MO.

 

I'd be shocked if there is steam on it, like you say it may not even run at all.

 

The tour will run diesel hauled. [BJ]

 

I must admit that I’m surprised they have gone ahead with this when the strong message from national rail and TOCs today is ‘do not travel unless absolutely necessary’.

 

It does seem strange that if you are a pax you should not use a TOC to get to your joining station, but presumably if you do not turn up you will use lose your money.

 

But that's because they're running fewer trains than normal. My local bus company First is running fewer buses than normal as well, but that doesn't mean people can't go on coach trips.

 

But the reason the TOC's are running fewer trains is around infrastructure is it not. The TOC message comes across as if it it is (incorrectly of course) some mandatory instruction of essential travel only. I believe the GTR message may have originally said "Do Not Travel" although that seems to be their message for any disruption it seems, and begs the question why they are operating at all.


Seems the replacement traction not fairing well reported elsewhere the 57 has failed and the 47 has issues as well. Reported as 20118/132 and 47712 for the return trip. Personally the obviously needed move to diesel would be further made worse by the inclusion of 20's if that is true.

 

There was a problem yesterday with the empty stock move from Southall to Goodrington. The train pulled into Westbury but then reversed towards Bristol so that the trailing loco would then be hauling the train. [BJ]

 

No there wasn't it was to do with points failures on the way.

 

Coolant issues with the 57 apparently. Today is not normal - it's 30+ degrees along the whole of the route now with a red warning for extreme heat and humidity over part of it. 34 in the Bristol area. It puts a lot of strain on equipment as well as people. It's a train without air conditioning too (apart from one coach....!)

 

Lack of fuel on 47810. 47712 working the return with the 20s on the back to do the ECS tomorrow.

 

Sadly it seems LSL would rather put everything at risk instead of postponing the trip, probably for financial reasons that have likely been lost now in recovering the train.