RTC 2024

Nice work as usual. The Totters Lane shot looks like the 47 might be emitting sparks! Interesting that the 'Five' was seemingly not working over the SR but its service trains were allowed to, albeit with less effort. I would have thought they might have allowed a little effort from 44871 there...

 

Well you are correct another loco would have been needed to remove the train. Not sure if there was one at Southall.
Also although I do not believe the mainline all the way to CJ was in the plan I overheard being discussed at Swanage. P7 at CJ to the line through Kenny O is only possible with ECS.
I suspect everyone (maybe bar those from Staines) felt it a good move after such an unplanned day.

 

The route via Staines is used a lot, from Clapham Junction the route into Victoria is via the reversible line that comes up beside the SE Mainline with direct access to Platform 2. The reason is more likely to be no loco to haul it back to Southall, from Clapham Junction is direct up the West London Line with no reversal needed.

 

Thanks both for your kind comments. As for 44871 not doing anything on the Swanage Branch, 34053 passed about 10 minutes prior at the same location and was also doing little work. The view of the West Coast crew was to probably use the diesel throughout to minimise risk as much as possible, especially as the Five had a heavier load.

 

No loco to haul the ECS to Southall is the answer.

Cheers, Neil

 

Chester trip cancelled for "operational reasons "according to RTC website.
Cannot help having the loco still at Swanage and no path I can see in RTT for it to leave.

 

Yes that’s one of the reasons I have given up main line steam tours unless pure steam returns with non air con stock and definitely not in the summer anyway. I had thought of going to Brockenhurst by SWR to phot this but gave up the idea the day before knowing what was likely to happen on our fair weather railway even without the addition a steam loco which was bound to be blamed for all the fires

Don

 

Looking at the videos... the entire south coast looks so overgrown.. not really unexpected from the national rail but does any one know if there are solid plans to cut down excess growth on the Swanage Branch ??

 

And rightly so too as it caused them

 

Although this should really be answered on the Swanage thread, where is this excess growth on the branch that is your "beef of the week"?
Swanage is one of the better maintained linesides, maybe you are unaware of how much stuff has grown this year?
Two examples
HX 23 March and June 26
Bridge 21 April 14 and June 7

Painting the Forth Bridge is probably easier than keeping growth under control this year.

 

And you know that for sure and certain, do you? All of them, even the one that reportedly started before the steam loco passed?

 

That isn't just a glib statement, just look at the timing report for 4s59 1459 Southampton MCT to Coatbridge FLT.
https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:R17539/2024-06-26/detailed

Part of the disruption arose from three substations going off line between Southampton and Bournemouth.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cmjj2m3gdgro

We won't know whether the fires caused the power supply outage or the other way around. That sort of information won't get into the public domain, there is too much money involved through delay attribution.
( Having seen the sheets of arcing from an impedence bond failing, anything flammable within a few feet could be set alight. https://sremg.org.uk/proto/3rts.html The Network Rail explanation is easier to understand bit doesn't say how or why... "Impedence Bonds : Also known as a “Spider”. Prevents traction current from entering the signalling system.")

Cheers, Neil

PS Yes there were Cross Country cancellations as the signalling was affected as well.

 

With all the issues the Swanage Belle had to contend with it was not until I downloaded some images today that I discovered that old adage "you see what you expect to see" was proven right again.
My steward friend I lunched with had told me they were only back to CJ, so I only took this shot as it is not something you see on a destination board at Swanage every day.
Maybe true to say looking at now you may never see it again either.

 

Pity someone can’t spell!

 

I know that it caused many if not all