Bournemouth Belle - 05/07/17

Just to echo what has already been said; a fantastic achievement by all involved with MNLPS and the overhaul team. What a spectacle.

 

My footage of Clan Line putting on a stunning display through Winchfield, which also includes an (approximate) 100mph recreation that would have been common in the late 60's when Bulleids did the ton in the final years of Southern Steam. Enjoy.

 

Success at Brookwood this evening! She charged through with clag and a few whistles. Definitely made up for this morning! Very pleased with the results this time

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Through New Malden pretty much on time nearing journeys end.

 

What a day! Asked to track the train for any trespass incidents and happy to say there wasn't one. Managed to chat with loads of people who were out to witness Clan Line back on the Bournemouth Belle and get a few shots on the mobile as well at Southampton, Millbrook, Poole sidings and Romsey. Anyone who saw someone in these areas in head to toe orange then it was probably me!

 

Thank you MNLPS and any one else involved for today. Sheer nostalgia watching a Bullied thumping through Shawford just like the old days. Then did the Lymington Branch for first time and back to Bournemouth to watch the evening departure.

Good day out and surprisingly every one of the trains I needed to catch ran to time despite the issues.

Only disappointment, the pub by the station in Lymington was shut!


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Love the high speed black and white. That lady on the bridge was certainly waiving with great energy and excitement!!

 

Don't know if there was a speed restriction on the up fast at Woking station tonight because Clan Line was barely doing 5omph when the many of us who were there, were hoping for something closer to 75mph. Odd too that RTT showed her on time at Woking Junction and 1 late through the station!! As Wayne was on the footplate, maybe he can give us the answers later.

In the meantime, here is my footage from Woking tonight.

Nick

 

IIRC, Wayne stated Woking had a TSR up thread.

 

Walton on Thames on the return



I bet Wayne spilt his tea there (if there was any left after the notorious Weybridge Junction)

 

35028 Clan Line speeds through Brookwood at 20.40 as the sun goes down on a magnificent day:


A big thank you to all involved with today's run, Crewe works for outshopping the SR Main Line steam flagship in great shape (she is still running in apparently!), the MNLPS for turning out their pride and joy in immaculate condition every time she goes out and Belmond and UK Railtours for organizing the trip. Watching her return through Brookwood this evening was magic. It was also very tense again as there was a stopper due near her passing time. Over the moon with this shot though.

 

That explains it then. I missed that post. Not too disappointed though because it is a Merchant Navy on the Bournemouth Belle, and in 2017
I met a chap on Woking station who was there 50-odd years ago and well remembers seeing Merchant Navy's on the Belle. He admitted to me that he shed a few tears today. That really does say it all.
I lived in the West Country but one year, 1965 my brother and I cycled from Taunton to Bournemouth and sampled first hand the 2-hour expresses. Up to Waterloo we had a standard 5, which surprised us but we arrived, according to may notes which I have to this day, on time in Waterloo and on the return, 35008 Orient Line. Memories which were shaken up and relived today when Clan Line raced though Fleet. Go on, shed a tear. No one in 1967 would ever have dreamed of a Bullied Merchant Navy on the Bournemouth Belle 50 years later!!

 

You should be proud of this shot. With the sun setting in the West, it makes it even more dramatic!

 

Thank you. I am very pleased with it after what happened in the morning with a late running Alton service. We thought we were going to have the same problem this evening. It was a tense time

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My offerings from today's memorable trip. Captured storming through Winchfield on the fast line, and then chugging through Ashurst New Forest and heading past Test Lane. A superb job by the people at Crewe Works, and a true credit to the job the MNLPS members do in keeping the loco spick and span. A wonderful loco, and I look forward to seeing her more in the future!

Enjoy!

 

Travelling in the coupe in Ione with Nigel D ,a school friend and my wife we all had a splendid day!
Near the front the sustained running ,wonderful food and drink plus convivial company.......
The rest of the coach comprised the Pullman Society so questions were quickly resolved.
35028 and a carriage built in 1928.......the Db crews and organisation by UKRT was impressive....

We all went on the open topper bus via the ferry to Swanage which was totally full and returned to Bournemouth on the 14.23 Wareham service passing Manston!!
2 x 33s plus a beautifully presented 4TC took us effortlessly to Wareham with the friendly WCRC crew !
31806 was being unloaded and Nigel hoped he could hire the 2 moguls IF/WHEN they are certified for mainline use.
Watch this space .........
Many others have made comments. My wife and remarked what a fantastic day we had enjoyed.
Many passengers were extremely knowledgeable with many of the older ones having travelled over 50 yrs ago on it.
3 on our compartment Had been so fortunate but ALL 3 had been 2nd class so a first class car was new!
I only had a pot of tea in 1966 being skint!! This time fantastic (vegetarian)food.

Thanks to NR,SWT(17 trains tweaked perhaps),UKRT,Db,Belmond and the Clan Line PS---wow!
Now for sat and sun steam spls plus a cabride to Weymouth on Friday courtesy of SWT
We are v fortunate to be able to view or travel on these specials!!

Ray Mason

 

"I suspect those from up North will compare it to a Duchess and say, no contest!"

I agree...

 

Just back at the hotel after a fabulous day out.

Highlights for me, apart from the overall excellence of the train, catering and ambience were the climb to milepost 31 - passed Woking at the regulation 30 and my GPS told me 59 at the milepost which with this weight of train I thought was pretty good, secondly from 10mph at Basingstoke to 54 at Worting and I made it 57 at the summit just after, and thirdly, after a fairly lacklustre run from Romsey through Dean, I was getting concerned about the climb away from Salisbury but I noted 39 mph where the gradient steepens from 1 in 168 to 1 in 140 and 42 mph where it eases off - 64 mph at Grateley and 75 at Andover. Spoke to the good Wayne at Basingstoke who was obviously also pleased with the climb as well. I am happy for any of my figures to be corrected as I was trying to be sociable as well as time the train but to hear a Bulleid pacific working hard 3 coaches up from us was just a joy.

Disappointing it took us several minutes to get away from Waterloo, eventually having to set back, but since I wasn't on the footplate (if only) I don't know what happened so no criticism - just a little tension early in the day. The other disappointment was at Bournemouth when the engine stopped well past the barriers at the end of platform 3 (?). I was told we couldn't go further forward to thank the crew, take pictures etc. as it was a suicide risk - difficult to see how that could be with a stationary train. That didn't stop SW trains opening the same barrier in the evening when the BB was on the opposite side of the station and there were trains running through that platform - see foot will shoot. But apart from SW trains it was a great day that will live with me for as long as - and the lovely Mrs W thought it was great to so that augurs well for future trips.

Thanks to all who waved, photographed or just turned out to watch - it helped make the day very special.

And now it's time to shower all these little black bits off the place where I used to have hair.

Mike

 

that was a very good shot, that and the morning one by another contributor, are both in my estimation shots to be proud of, If the MNLPS are planning a 2018 calender ,or some pictorial record of this special year, then would you two concider allowing them to use your photographs ( with permision) in any fund raising activity they may wish to do after all, the overhaul and operation of a MN on the mainline does not come cheap .

 

I see sights like this and think, "you can keep your HSTs, Pendolinos etc., this is the only way to travel." Magnificent sight and sound.