'Weymouth Seaside Express', 2014

Sadly Braunton will not be able to tackle Evershot bank. It will be detached at Yeovil and then later run light to Weymouth. There will probably be a diesel all day.

 

Another tour I won't be booking then.

 

"..........he also told me that Tangmere can be a difficult engine to drive......" in post 140.

I am a little puzzled as to how it was that the train failed to surmount the summit the first time, having had something of a run at it, and yet succeeded on the third attempt when it had to restart from a dead stand from lower down the bank.

I don't think I have seen any "blow by blow" comments from anyone on the train that day. The driver's report, surely "private and confidential," would have made for interesting reading. Would it contain any criticism of the machine?

 

Is this a direct result of last week's incident or is there another reason (Fire Brigade on strike again?) ? I would have thought that if there is a diesel on the train anyway it could provide the necessary assistance up Evershot.

 

It's best that you stay at home again Nick. 47.237 is hauling the 5Z36 Southall - Bristol today. <BJ>

 

Assistance isn't generally needed up Evetshot but with a diesel in the consist it's inevitable that it assists simply because it's presence makes the trailing load too great for the loco up front.

 

Understood, but what I don't get is why the steam loco has to come off at Yeovil this week. My point is that if NR are unhappy about unassisted steam going up Evershot after last week's debacle why not just leave the diesel on the rear to give a shove when necessary. They are allowing steam (with diesel assistance) up Bincombe in the afternoon so what is the difference?

 

How can engineering work at Swindon make a difference to trains running between Yeovil and Weymouth? The charter is due to arrive at Weymouth at 11:22 and depart at 16:31. I find it hard to believe that a path cannot be created in that time to take Braunton to Yeovil and back for servicing and turning.
Taking the steam loco off at Yeovil on the outward leg may be 'operationally convenient' to West Coast but perhaps so would leaving the steam loco at Bristol in the morning and running the complete trip with a diesel.
I'm not surprised that bookings for the Weymouth Coast Express have been so poor this year but hope that there is another, more successful series next year. <BJ>

 

Limited capacity at Westbury at a guess. On average you have an hourly service each way between Salisbury and Bristol; an hourly service each way towards Weymouth (and at odd times an extra service on each line. If you then add in diverted services from the Bristol - Swindon line, it's easy to see how Westbury might start to clog up, especially with only three platform roads and, as I recall, some services either terminating or splitting / joining there to add to the fun.

Tom

 

The diverted services would presumably take the east side of the triangle and not go through Westbury station. But there could be an indirect effect, with diverted services through Trowbridge having planned or unplanned effects on the usual services through there, so that theoretically-available paths between Yeovil and Weymouth become unreliable. Or there could be a risk the other way, with the LE workings affecting the service trains with knock-on effects around Trowbridge. So I can see detaching the loco at Pen Mill as operationally convenient for NR as well as WC.

Edit. Yes, RTT for Trowbridge shows a lot of the trains than normally go through there on VAR schedules.

 

The steam charter is not affected by engineering work or diversions between Bristol and Yeovil P.M.

The only trains that run through Yeovil Penn Mill tomorrow are :-

(YPM) 09:52 Westbury to Weymouth
(YPM) 11:01 Bristol Temple Meads to Weymouth
(YPM) 11:53 Weymouth to Westbury
(YPM) 14:02 Weymouth to Bristol Temple Meads
(YPM) 15:04 Westbury to Weymouth
(YPM) 15:01 Weymouth to Bristol Temple Meads
(YPM) 16:56 Weymouth to Bristol Temple Meads

The service on this day is no busier than any other Sunday. <BJ>

 

Obviously,the problem is BTM to Trowbridge ( then B+H)not YPM itself
Mr Mellish is correct - Trowbridge may prove lively if late running creates out of course running......
NR /FGW have had a v difficult week ESP with the Reading freight failure but also with many other op problems.
Maybe a cautious robust approach has been taken- understandable after last week
The key point is that the change is operational and in response to Engineering work impacting on part on the route for the WSE. rather than a " new" modus for the WSE
However,feel free to speculate and disagree as that is what forums are for and sometimes the arguments made by a body such as NR are shown to be wrong by expert sleuths........!!
Let's hope 34046 does well tomorrow

 

Yeah...not going out today... lack of transport means cant get anywhere good....at work tomorrow so cant get out for Tornado either...not a great Bank Holiday weekend..

 

Trowbridge this morning. It's busier than this on a weekday!! <BJ>

Westbury BUS GW Chippenham 0800
VAR pass Bristol Temple Meads 1A07 London Paddington 0814¾
CAN 0839 Cancel Westbury-2M05 Swindon 0840 Cancel
STP Bristol Temple Meads 1Z82 Weymouth 0859
VAR pass Cardiff Central 1L32 London Paddington 0912
VAR pass London Paddington 1B15 Swansea 0929
STP 0940 Chippenham BUS Westbury 0940

 

34046 'Braunton' (looking superb) plus 9 coaches plus 47.237 at the rear through Keynsham
at 08:28. It was very quiet at Keynsham this morning. The steam charter was the only train that
passed. We were present between 07:50 to o8:40. <BJ>

 

Perhaps West Coast decided to attach the 47 as after last weeks 449 mins delay at £250 a minute they do not want a repeat performance.