If you register, you can do a lot more. And become an active part of our growing community. You'll have access to hidden forums, and enjoy the ability of replying and starting conversations.

RTC: End of Southern Steam - 9/07/26

Discussion in 'What's Going On' started by Gladiator 5076, Jun 30, 2026.

Page 3 of 3
  1. green five

    green five Resident of Nat Pres

    Joined:
    Apr 30, 2006
    Messages:
    6,972
    Likes Received:
    3,154
    Gender:
    Male
    Occupation:
    Design Draughtsman
    Location:
    Hampshire
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    Looks like the Bluebell has something special lined up for June next year......
    This arrived in my emails today: Screenshot_20260709-225118.jpg

    Sent from my XQ-BT52 using Tapatalk
     
    green five, Jul 9, 2026 at 10:56 PM
    #41
    John Petley, misspentyouth62, The Gricing Owl and 2 others like this.
  2. TH Railway Videos

    TH Railway Videos Member

    Joined:
    Apr 3, 2016
    Messages:
    384
    Likes Received:
    870
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Bedfordshire
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    1 year short of the Diamond Jubilee since the end, the not quite 150ton headboard carrier (no complaints on that one!) gets to try and show it’s sound whilst getting a push on the return leg back to the Captial
    Seen at Parkstone, Winchester & Woking
     
    Last edited: Jul 10, 2026 at 2:56 PM
    TH Railway Videos, Jul 10, 2026 at 5:39 AM
    #42
    Mick45305, Johnb, banana patch and 1 other person like this.
  3. 2857Harry

    2857Harry Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jun 5, 2023
    Messages:
    1,950
    Likes Received:
    4,446
    Gender:
    Male
    Occupation:
    Conductor/Guard
    Location:
    Kidderminster/Leeds
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    Surely the golden jubilee was 9 years ago, and 1 year short of the diamond?
     
    2857Harry, Jul 10, 2026 at 6:53 AM
    #43
  4. TH Railway Videos

    TH Railway Videos Member

    Joined:
    Apr 3, 2016
    Messages:
    384
    Likes Received:
    870
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Bedfordshire
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    Thanks for the clarification, the early wake up for work got to me!
     
    TH Railway Videos, Jul 10, 2026 at 6:57 AM
    #44
    2857Harry likes this.
  5. Big Al

    Big Al Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Moderator

    Joined:
    May 30, 2009
    Messages:
    23,995
    Likes Received:
    24,799
    Location:
    1016
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    I notice that the 18.20 SWR service from Weymouth to Waterloo was cancelled and started at Dorchester much later where it had terminated outbound. That gave the charter an exit slot from Weymouth and a path home.

    Sometimes, behind the scenes, NR signallers do clever things.
     
    Big Al, Jul 10, 2026 at 9:33 AM
    #45
  6. Gladiator 5076

    Gladiator 5076 Resident of Nat Pres

    Joined:
    Oct 2, 2015
    Messages:
    9,819
    Likes Received:
    8,353
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Swanage
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    Are they rules every other TOC seems to have diesels at the back.
     
    Gladiator 5076, Jul 10, 2026 at 10:43 AM
    #46
  7. Deepgreen

    Deepgreen Well-Known Member Friend

    Joined:
    Jul 30, 2010
    Messages:
    2,383
    Likes Received:
    1,717
    Gender:
    Male
    Occupation:
    Early retirement! (Ex-Business Improvement, LU).
    Location:
    Gomshall, Surrey
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    Well, not THAT clever, really - just filling an empty slot is not rocket science, unless signallers these days are expected to be just automatons... I have heard no reports of air-con failure for the passengers, so that must be a relief. Surprised to hear talk, though, of some effort from '28 at times - why? Why would the risk be taken of line-side fire when '28 just taking its own weight plus a coach or two would still give the 47 plenty of scope to keep time. Much though I love to see steam working on the main line, I can't see why such risks would be taken which just increases the chance of problems/further steam restrictions.
     
    Deepgreen, Jul 10, 2026 at 10:53 AM
    #47
    The Gricing Owl and Devonbelle like this.
  8. Gladiator 5076

    Gladiator 5076 Resident of Nat Pres

    Joined:
    Oct 2, 2015
    Messages:
    9,819
    Likes Received:
    8,353
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Swanage
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    The whole line was in its usual meltdown yesterday afternoon with some signalling issue (again!) I was told. Although RTT lists a host of reasons culminating in a track circuit failure.
    You only have to look at the service through Dorchester to see that. Trains turned around short all over the place.
    Whilst I was just south to Dorchester Junction waiting to photograph the tour I should have seen at least 4 trains go both in and out of Weymouth, I actually saw two go in and one come out. One of those was over an hour late.
    https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/se...26-07-09/0000-2359?stp=WVS&show=all&order=wtt

    I suspect the slot the tour used had nothing to do with NR signallers, other than them finding it a slot.
     
    Gladiator 5076, Jul 10, 2026 at 10:53 AM
    #48
  9. Gladiator 5076

    Gladiator 5076 Resident of Nat Pres

    Joined:
    Oct 2, 2015
    Messages:
    9,819
    Likes Received:
    8,353
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Swanage
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    I guess we we have another heatwave in 2027 that could be a couple of 33's a green 47 and the 4VEP. Dirty up Archie and make out the yard is Nine Elms. :)
     
    Gladiator 5076, Jul 10, 2026 at 11:16 AM
    #49
  10. banana patch

    banana patch Member

    Joined:
    Jul 22, 2011
    Messages:
    244
    Likes Received:
    82
    Despite being pushed by a 47 and sitting in an air conditioned coach all day and only having just over an hour at Weymouth I felt it was as good as it was ever going to be. Who of those that can remember 9th July 1967 would believed on 9thJuly 2026 a Merchant Navy would still be backing onto a train at Weymouth and taking it onto Waterloo!! Maybe we should just be grateful for what have still got
     
    banana patch, Jul 10, 2026 at 11:29 AM
    #50
    alts1985, Mick45305, NathanP and 7 others like this.
  11. Gladiator 5076

    Gladiator 5076 Resident of Nat Pres

    Joined:
    Oct 2, 2015
    Messages:
    9,819
    Likes Received:
    8,353
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Swanage
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    A few images from yesterday. It was really only the novelty of the 33 hauling the loco and support coach that got me any further than Wareham, and the fact I could combine it with the return leg of the Statesman trip without having to go out twice.
    Also there are very few places where you can get on the same side of the line as the sun that late in the day.
    These are from Winterborne Herringston just south of Dorchester Junction. DSC_0499r.JPG DSC_0508r.JPG DSC_0511_1r.JPG
     
    Last edited: Jul 10, 2026 at 5:50 PM
    Gladiator 5076, Jul 10, 2026 at 11:37 AM
    #51
    alts1985, banana patch, Mick45305 and 5 others like this.
  12. Johnb

    Johnb Nat Pres stalwart

    Joined:
    Dec 3, 2014
    Messages:
    16,563
    Likes Received:
    20,420
    Gender:
    Male
    Occupation:
    Retired, best job I've ever had
    Location:
    Buckinghamshire
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    Best comment so far. When I walked round Nine Elms on 10th July 67 with some engines still showing pressure on the gauge there was no way would I have thought we would be where we are now. Well done to NR, RTC and MNLPS for making it happen in the prevailing conditions. It’s also worth noting that the support crew and other helpers spent the previous day in a hot shed making the engine look as immaculate as it always does,
     
    Johnb, Jul 10, 2026 at 1:10 PM
    #52
    alts1985, banana patch, TH Railway Videos and 4 others like this.
  13. Deepgreen

    Deepgreen Well-Known Member Friend

    Joined:
    Jul 30, 2010
    Messages:
    2,383
    Likes Received:
    1,717
    Gender:
    Male
    Occupation:
    Early retirement! (Ex-Business Improvement, LU).
    Location:
    Gomshall, Surrey
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    Indeed - although for one run I would love it if '28 could be allowed to be dirty and 'authentic'. Most 'normal' (and fare-paying!) passengers love its immaculate presentation, of course, and I suppose with the coaches used now, nothing can be 'authentic' again. Their efforts are appreciated.
     
    Deepgreen, Jul 10, 2026 at 4:06 PM
    #53
    banana patch and The Gricing Owl like this.
  14. Big Al

    Big Al Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Moderator

    Joined:
    May 30, 2009
    Messages:
    23,995
    Likes Received:
    24,799
    Location:
    1016
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    Apart from the logic of doing what DBC does (and that's just a personal view), I think, but can't be certain, that this is much more to do with a discussion that took place between management and Unions a while back on what would be the safest way of handling such a combo.

    The result is what you see. All I can observe is that with a diesel on the back, as a passenger you often feel a jerk through the train when the balance of power shifts. Maybe it's unrelated but I know that a few years back, with an A4 at one end and a diesel at the other on an ECS move to Kings Cross, somehow the operator managed to split the train into two separate sections and as a result the charter was cancelled.
     
    Big Al, Jul 10, 2026 at 4:13 PM
    #54
    The Gricing Owl likes this.
  15. Gladiator 5076

    Gladiator 5076 Resident of Nat Pres

    Joined:
    Oct 2, 2015
    Messages:
    9,819
    Likes Received:
    8,353
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Swanage
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    So the fact XC had a couple of HST's separate was down to?
     
    Gladiator 5076, Jul 10, 2026 at 4:24 PM
    #55
  16. Big Al

    Big Al Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Moderator

    Joined:
    May 30, 2009
    Messages:
    23,995
    Likes Received:
    24,799
    Location:
    1016
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    No idea. You tell me. Do you think there is a connection then?
     
    Big Al, Jul 10, 2026 at 4:32 PM
    #56
  17. Gladiator 5076

    Gladiator 5076 Resident of Nat Pres

    Joined:
    Oct 2, 2015
    Messages:
    9,819
    Likes Received:
    8,353
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Swanage
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    Failed buckeye I thought was the issue of the charter you were referring to and both the XC failures.
     
    Gladiator 5076, Jul 10, 2026 at 4:41 PM
    #57
  18. Johnb

    Johnb Nat Pres stalwart

    Joined:
    Dec 3, 2014
    Messages:
    16,563
    Likes Received:
    20,420
    Gender:
    Male
    Occupation:
    Retired, best job I've ever had
    Location:
    Buckinghamshire
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    You mean like this? It ain't going to happen. The driver looking out of the cab is the well known Bert Hooker btw

    22S-35028 Waterloo 25-2-67.jpg
     
    Johnb, Jul 10, 2026 at 4:43 PM
    #58
    bristolian and Frankie Hutchings like this.
  19. torgormaig

    torgormaig Part of the furniture Friend

    Joined:
    Jul 17, 2007
    Messages:
    5,429
    Likes Received:
    9,367
    I find it quite amazing to think that in the 59th Anniversary week of the End of Southern Steam there are no less than four Bullied Pacifics at large on the national network at present. We had 35028 out yesterday, 34046 today with 34028 and 34067 on separate trains tomorrow:)

    Peter
     
    torgormaig, Jul 10, 2026 at 5:19 PM
    #59
    Johnb, banana patch, alts1985 and 3 others like this.
  20. Johnb

    Johnb Nat Pres stalwart

    Joined:
    Dec 3, 2014
    Messages:
    16,563
    Likes Received:
    20,420
    Gender:
    Male
    Occupation:
    Retired, best job I've ever had
    Location:
    Buckinghamshire
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    I’m not so sure about 34028, I think it will depend on the fire risk status of its route, a lot of areas have gone black over the last few days
     
    Johnb, Jul 10, 2026 at 5:59 PM
    #60
    mrm7 likes this.
Page 3 of 3

Share This Page