RTC 2025

Suspect its a case of playing safe on the part of NR. Although a steam locomotive could and probably would manage it with ease, with such an intensive service any sort of failure could be immensely disruptive.
Personally I'd love to see a steam trip through the Thameslink or East London Line tunnels in London, both would have seen steam on freight services well into the 1950s, but it won't happen for much the same reasons.

 

I think the chances of steam through Thameslink are sub-zero because of the loading gauge limits there, even if a path could be found.

 

Starting from Victoria Eastern and running via Tulse Hill and Crystal Palace probably adds 15 minutes to the Victoria - Haywards Heath journey time. Then there is 10 minutes at Balcombe Tunnel Jn waiting for a path on the two track section. Additional trains should be bid into white space avoiding any alterations to other operators services.

Cheers, Neil

 

MNs were barred from the Central Section. As far as I know this will be the first time one of them has visited Eastbourne and Hastings.

 

From an RTC promotional email advertising gift vouchers received this morning:

Step on board our plush vintage carriages dating back to the 1950s and choose from Standard Class, First Class, or Premier Dining. Enjoy reserved seating, fine dining served at your seat, and the excitement of travelling through iconic landscapes like the Ribblehead Viaduct, England's highest station at Dent and the mighty Three Peaks.

The accompanying picture is a table laid up in a mk 3 coach. Bit of confusion demonstrated there.

 

So what's new?

 

35007 did a run from Litlehampton to Victoria on 18th October 1964 as part of a railtour that also visited Midhurst and Kemp Town. Others may know better but that is the only run my an MN on the Central section that I am aware of in the pre-preservation era. 35028 has run doen the Brighton Line and along the West Sussex coast line on a few occasions in its preservation career and it has also run (LE with support coach) down to East Grinstead, but like you, I can't recall it (or any other MN) visiting Eastbourne or Hastings.

 

Have RTC ever even used a Mk3? I appreciate that your reply was about the regular inaccuracies but would be curious to know if this implies the potential for something new to be used (which does not fit the description although you could loosely interpret it that some of the coaches RTC use date a far back as the 50s), something previously used that I personally was not aware of or someone either internally or externally doing the marketing just grabbing a random picture of a coach from somewhere.

 

I got that email too. Surely the only stock "dating back to the 1950s" are the Mk1s which aren't being used at the moment for reasons we all know about, nor are likely to be (despite occasional optimistic noises from RTC)?

 

I think you are right, I know of no other occasion that a MN operated over the Brighton main line. But I'm not sure that they were prohibited as such. I think that it was more of a case that the occasion never arose for them to operate over the Central Section - they were being fully utilised on other Sections.

Peter

 

Timings now available for the the 'Christmas Cheshireman' . Saturday, 22nd November, 2025

Expected to be hauled by Black '5' 44871

1Z26 0656 Bristol Temple Meads to Hereford
https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:U69094/2025-11-22/detailed

5Z27 0952 Hereford to Hereford
https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:U69095/2025-11-22/detailed

1Z27 1011 Hereford to Chester
https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:U69096/2025-11-22/detailed

5Z28 1317 Chester to Chester
https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:U69097/2025-11-22/detailed

5Z29 1329 Chester Middle Yard to Chester Middle Yard
https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:U69098/2025-11-22/detailed

1Z28 1545 Chester to Bristol Temple Meads
https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:U69099/2025-11-22/detailed

Update: ECS move from Southall to Bristol on Friday, 21/11/25
Realtime Trains | 5Z23 1038 Southall Wcr to Bristol Kingsland Road | 21/11/2025

 

How on earth did 44871 make up 60 minutes between Newark and York??
Must have been a lot of shovage!!
It arrived at York just 2 minutes late!!

 

Avoided the booked route via Gainsborough by the looks of it, and the stop at Arksey loop. Plus it wasn't the quickest of paths. About 40 minutes Doncaster to York once you knock out the pathing stop.

 

Thanks

 

44871 seen at Finsbury Park and Doncaster, including 60007 also out on a run to York:

 

Super.....

 

Two clips of 44871 at speed yesterday with 'The White Rose' from Kings Cross to York and return. Welwyn North on the outward leg and Biggleswade on the return...


https://www.flickr.com/photos/alts1985/54927687101/in/dateposted-public/ https://www.flickr.com/photos/alts1985/54927887218/in/dateposted-public/ https://www.flickr.com/photos/alts1985/54927992305/in/dateposted-public/ https://www.flickr.com/photos/alts1985/54927887213/in/dateposted-public/

 

A short upload on 44871 from Saturday seen at Alexandra Palace, Doncaster and Sandy

 

Curious, going out via Lewisham platform 2, which I always understood was a problem gauging spot because of the right hand curve throw and the platform nosing stones. Great if it is now passable by steam locos.

Regards,

Dan