The Atlantic Coast Express 5th-8th September 2014

Always has to be one pessimistic doom & gloom merchant.

 

Given Tangmeres track record one has to play it safe, but what do I know apart from West coast know best......

 

Some sense in your post as long as Tangy continues to be a Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde steam locomotive. Yesterday really did show what she can do on very steep grades with a decent load. I shall wear out Nat Pres and the video watching #186 on the Duchy thread!

 

Give the WCRC bashing a rest, given they are trying to win favour over "opinions from York" currently, risking another incident from a loco with a dodgy record would be idiotic, the comment about Tangmere being Jekyll and Hyde is hitting the nail on the head, don't risk it incase she decides to have another "Hyde day".

 

A very competent start from Gillingham, after waiting to cross a late running down SWT service.

 

I'm guessing, (hoping even!), Tangy is being held at Salisbury to follow the 18.47 service train.

And on a very brief estimate without checking back on various logs, I reckon around half of the time lost after Chard would have come from the impossible timings to Hewish and Crewkerne. A total guess, but to safely meet the first part of those timings to Hewish, if they are correct, would have needed two Deltics on the font. And no 75 mph limit. Not sure I know anyone who can correct me on that by doing the calculations as about diesels I know very little!

Edited. Yes, left 5 mins after the 18.47.

 

Left Salisbury 11 late, 18:52. Now gone from 9 t0 20 minutes late.

 

To me it makes sense to follow the service train rather than possibly hold it up. Especially if Tangy was not ready to leave at 18.32. And as there seems to be a lot of recovery time/waiting for other traffic generally around Worting Junction which may not now be needed.

 

very rare subject of a Bulleid tender-first banking the Atlantic Coast Express today up to to Exeter Central with Tangmere on the front

 

Needed a long session with a fire iron while standing at Salisbury. When firing re-commenced quite a few lumps that were not "coal" seen being chucked out of the cab onto the track! Nevertheless, the safety valves lifted as the right away was given. Engine now proved reluctant to start, slipping without moving the train, then having to be reversed before forward motion could be obtained. Once on the move one of the cylinder cocks sounded to be stuck open.

Nothing like the brisk Gillingham start earlier................

 

Thanks for that.

Picked up time around Worting as expected, but from RTT not travelling that fast on the racing stretch after Basingstoke. No doubt expecting to catch the service train leaving Farnborough at 20.00.

Winchfield - Fleet in 4½ mins from RTT is not fast, but may have meant it didn't have to slow too much if at all for the 20.00 service train.

Steam has done that 3.35 miles section in 1min 55 secs. Average of over 104 mph. The night I was on the footplate of 35003!

Update: picked up 7 minutes from Salisbury to the Brookwood stop, but on a very easy schedule. Couldn't have done it any faster with that starting time as it would always have caught the service train at Farnborough. It will delay the 20.16 local service train from Brookwood, but on balance it looks like being held at Salisbury was a very good decision by the operators, if that was what they did, as it didn't impact on the Salisbury up service and had what looks like a clearer run past Worting and through Basingstoke, (but I don't think a totally clear run).

 

Good to hear Pete Roberts is involved with this trip, given his experience driving Tangmere.

 

Left Brookwood 16 late after a little bit of overtime. So a small delay to the local train behind it. Not sure who will get the invoice for that, as that delay was inevitable once the decision was made for Tangy to leave Salisbury after the up service train. So I guess it comes down to why Tangy was held there.

Between Salisbury and Exeter it was 21 late at the worst point. From what I have heard re the slow running due to the level crossing problem and if RTT is correct and my brain is able to switch from Owl work and back to trains very rapidly in saying that some timings would have needed doubleheaded Deltics on the front, I would guess the significant majority of that 21 minute delay was not down to Tangy and should not be held against that locomotive.

No doubt Big Al will put me right tomorrow!

Right. Hope I haven't bored everyone senseless with my ramblings and past experiences. Oh, I have. Sorry.

With my guessing some time ago as to what would happen on the day for Friday and today re timings and route etc this was never going to be a train for me to go on as my focus is very narrow indeed these days for steam. What I want does still happen. It happened yesterday with Tangy and I missed it mainly because my focus is mainly on old SR steam routes. Such is life.

Back to Owl work. Not done nearly enough today, will have to work late.....................

 

Paused from Owls to see it arrived just 11 late into Victoria. For what it is worth that means 9 mins picked up from Salisbury.

From my earlier ramblings I would guess in net terms, allowing for the level crossing slowing and the impossible timings from Chard for a while, if there were any delays down to Tangmere's actual running they were made up for and more by time subsequently recovered. A rather simplistic summary maybe. See what Al says when he gets back on here.

But somehow I'm coming to life now and have rather got an urge to go out into the dark and perch on a fence post.....................

OMG

 

And here is my shot in the dark from the fence post perch at Chertsey

 

They just can't win can they there was numerous complaints on here about Tangy having a diesel on the down trip, all about spoiling the trip for the purists, and then when they do let her return unassisted there is complaints as to that they should have had a diesel attached.

 

Aye, looking forward to it. As its a fast schedule, you never quite know what will happen until the day (bit like the Scottish referendum, but I digress). Might better the schedule by five minutes, might not. Its all part of the fun.

 

One quick edit before bed... a great few days down in Devon/Cornwall, video will be edited in the morning and hopefully online by tomorrow evening! I experienced 2 moments with Tangmere within 24 hours of each other that I won't forget in a hurry.

1) that incredible ascent of Hemerdon last night, and the acceleration as it reached the loop/siding.
2) the acceleration away from the speed restriction at Milbourne Port this afternoon - jaw dropping noise as it climbed away from Sherborne.

34067 leading the Atlantic Coast Express up Exeter Bank this afternoon - this shot in it's raw format is nearly 6 and a half minutes long.



James

 

Superb video of the climb up to Exeter Central. Not mine, I hasten to add (although I wish it was!)