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RTC 2025

Discussion in 'What's Going On' started by 2857Harry, Sep 7, 2024.

  1. Gladiator 5076

    Gladiator 5076 Resident of Nat Pres

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    Were they not all Tangmere trips which I believe has a larger water capacity than a Black 5?
    The Seaford 150 Black 5 trip (Sunday) watered at HH and that came straight out of Southall and started the tour at Kensington Olympia, none of this sitting around for hours before leaving Victoria.
     
  2. Johnb

    Johnb Nat Pres stalwart

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    Correct, Tangmere has a 6,000 gal ex MN tender, a Black 5 is 4,000 gals.
     
  3. John Petley

    John Petley Part of the furniture

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    I recall it being 34067 in 2014: I managed to pick Endlewick Farm Crossing between Berwick and Polegate, and the only cloud in the whole sky appeared at the crucial moment to spoil my picture!
    I don't seem to have written anything down for 2015. Perhaps it didn't run that year?
    In 2016 it was 44871 & 45407 doubled headed,
    It was definitely 70013 in 2017 and still with no water stop. Does it still run with the original BR1 tender? If so, the water capacity is 4,250 gallons - not much greater than the figure for a Black Five.
    In 2018, it was 44871 and although I only wrote the timings from HH onwards in my diary, they suggest there was no water stop then.
    In 2019, my diary says 45407 did the honours but I have no timings written down - presumably the weather was so miserable on that day (26th November) that I didn't bother to go and see it.
    It didn't run in 2020 and from 2021-24 it has been 44871. There was definitely a water stop by 2022.

    I don't have anything written down for 2011-13 because I wasn't living round here then. Prior to that, RTC ran several trips a year to Hastings, but via Maidstone East, Ashford and Rye outbound then back via the same route as tomorrow's train. 34067, 70013 and 44932 all featured at various times on these workings. I have vivid recollections of another photographic disaster, this time involving 44932: the weather conditions were perfect and I was at a location on an uphill gradient between Etchingham and Stonegate. I went to press the shutter only to find out that I hadn't wound the film on!
     
    Last edited: Apr 15, 2025
  4. Deepgreen

    Deepgreen Well-Known Member Friend

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    Well, almost all of the route for tomorrow is now drenched - there were widepsread torrential downpours while I was driving across Surrey this afternoon, which had drifted up from the south, as well as the steady, heavy rain last night. However, probably too late to revert to plan A now.
     
  5. TheModster

    TheModster Member

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    Running under cautionary signals, LMS Black 5 No. 45212 approaches Redhill with 'The Sussex Belle'.
    Was going to chase this, but with the fire risk and lack of water stop I decided to just go and photo it for a change. Typically, the sun went in just as it approached!
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
     
    Last edited: May 10, 2025
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  6. Deepgreen

    Deepgreen Well-Known Member Friend

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    Yes, although I live not far away, I didn't bother as there would be no effort from the 'five' (even though everything is now wet!). A shame, as steam is scarce round here nowadays.
     
  7. John Petley

    John Petley Part of the furniture

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    You did the right thing I thought I might try West St Leonards as the steam loco usually accelerates away from Bopeep Junction and it is uphill pretty well all the way to Battle, with the gradient sometimes as steep as 1 in 100 and the line is quite curvaceous for good measure. but no, it pootled away from the junction with the diesel doing all the work.

    Still, not a totally futile journey. I also enjoy photographing modern traction, albeit not EMUs, and a pair of 73s on an engineer's train followed 45212 up the line to Tonbridge about half an hour later in perfect sunshine.
     
    Last edited: Apr 17, 2025
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  8. Chailey Stowe

    Chailey Stowe New Member

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    A rather muted display but here’s my footage from yesterdays tour around Sussex:

     
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  9. Gunslinger1948

    Gunslinger1948 New Member

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    At least the 47 is discreetly marshalled at the rear of the train and not immediately behind the loco.
     
  10. TheModster

    TheModster Member

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    I don't think it was possible to have another diesel tucked in behind the five, as it would've made the train too long for Eastbourne.
     
  11. TH Railway Videos

    TH Railway Videos Member

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    IMG_2230.png Blackpool Steam Express now cancelled due to lack of avaliable steam locomotive
     
  12. Oswald T Wistle

    Oswald T Wistle Well-Known Member Friend

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    Disappointing but not totally unexpected :(
     
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  13. Big Al

    Big Al Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Moderator

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    Just had a message encouraging me to book on 17th May to Buxton. I would be amazed if it fills.

    It can't be intended for London folk as although the starting and end point of Ealing is convenient for Southall and WCR, it's clearly not good for passengers. 0620 depart and 2220 return is a marathon. Diesel hauled until you are almost there and then a Class 5 stuck on for the last bit. Finally you have just an hour in Buxton before returning home.

    Daft.
     
  14. 2857Harry

    2857Harry Well-Known Member

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    Was only a few weeks ago this was advertised as “Steam Throughout” on the outbound, and as far as Leicester in the return. People will have booked based on that higher steam mileage which has now been cut heavily. Such a shame as you rightly point out its now become a daft day now.
     
  15. Gunslinger1948

    Gunslinger1948 New Member

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    Another consequence of the current non-availability of Tangmere? Is there any information what the 'mechanical failure' might be?
     
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  16. TH Railway Videos

    TH Railway Videos Member

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    I was always under the impression from when the tour was first announced it was advertised as steam haulage from Barrow Hill-Buxton-Leicester, much like a copy and paste of the 2022 one

    Unless something had changed with the steam haulage then reverted to what it was stated before without me knowing (not that I paid enough notice to this particular trip)
     
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  17. 2857Harry

    2857Harry Well-Known Member

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    Im almost certain I’d read steam throughout in the outbound but now doubting myself o_O Either way its not a particularly attractive offering for the price.
     
  18. TH Railway Videos

    TH Railway Videos Member

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    If this was an offering like the 2014 itinary (steam hauled on the outward and diesel haulage on the return) that’s fair cop, obviously a lots changed in 11 years but alas a last minute discount if they offered it would make this one justifiable
     
  19. TH Railway Videos

    TH Railway Videos Member

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  20. acorb

    acorb Part of the furniture

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