Saphos 2024

That seems a little unfair as the B1 was due to arrive at Bristol West at 08:14. That's nearly 70 minutes before the charter was due to leave Bristol Temple Meads. Any longer and the amount of water could have been the next problem. <BJ>

 

I would think it would be better to move it up the day before, on the modern network 70 minutes to me seems way too close. But then maybe I have a very low view of the networks robustness be it from infrastructure of PHBT issues.

 

The English Riviera gets about 25 minutes to change locos at Taunton, so 70 is generous.

 

Yes but it is basically at Taunton anyway isn't it.

 

True but that shouldn’t make any difference really. The timings for bringing it LE from Lydeard are generous enough, and to give it 70 when it’s at BTM is over generous. It’s almost impossible to plan for what’s happened today.

 

Certainly looks that way. In that case well done to LSL for making sure that the passengers at least get steam haulage one way. The easiest solution would surely have been to leave the whole trip diesel hauled.

 

Had I have gotten up at around 02:45 to get to Bournemouth for and 05:33 departure then I would have been very unimpressed that it had been decided not to send the loco up the day before bearing in mind we are talking about somewhere with depot facilities.
Using that argument why did they not send the ECS down overnight from Crewe or Southall to Bournemouth rather than it coming down in the day yesterday and stabling overnight on the Swanage Branch?

 

On a clockwork timetable then sending it an hour later leaves 10 minutes - then you’re looking at robustness issues and virtually no time to change at Bristol.
Shove it the other way and you’ll start looking at Crew hour issues, the aforementioned watering issues etc. Even the day before and you’re looking at access charges to another depot / siding.
LSL will have submitted their requests as part of the specification and therefore NR will time to the best of their request. The liability then lies with LSL to deliver. If they think 70 is enough, perfect.

 

I can see your point, but it relies on a number of factors. A) Was there space at Philips Marsh/Barton Hill to keep the loco? B) Did LSL have the resources available for that move? C) Do LSL like to keep things at Bristol? D) Are the support crew trained for working on Bristol’s depots with the right yard knowledge, etc? E) Is it easy to get coal and water on a Bristol depot?

Again with the ECS….A) Were overnight paths available? B) Was parts of the route closed for engineering so it had to come yesterday?

We don’t know these things. However I think the way LSL opt to do it keeps it better tied into one day. Also it makes sense given the fact it would span 3 days to move the loco there, do the tour, move the loco back. Whereas it now is 1.

 

Yes all valid points that predictably focus on the opertion rather than the customer.
But as we used to say at BA would be a great place to work without all those passengers wanting things.

Off course LSL not the only ones with ECS issues. Only just noticed the Par ECS last Saturday. No idea what happened around Bradford Junction, but a good job it was the day before the tour.

https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:U20388/2024-08-31/detailed

 

Bridge strike I believe for the Par ECS job.

Thing is on the modern network, railtours are effectively Class 5s. They are glorified ECS moves. So predictably most of the hows/whys/where’s they are run are operationally focussed because they have to fit in around the actual passenger traffic. So operational feasibility will always stride ahead in this game

 

With an attitude like that I can understand why so many, including myself, only fly with BA as a last resort. <BJ>

 

Very much the view of most transport companies from my experience. Certainly most TOC's seem to fit that bill.

 

Except loading additional costs of stabling fees and crew hotel costs into the operation ultimately would impact the customer in higher prices…
The Welsh Marches has been run successfully using the Bishops Lydeard based loco in both 2023 and 2024 without any issues at all until today. You can gold plate it all you want (and make it more expensive) but the fact is this morning’s tragic event just east of Taunton could equally have happened around Bristol, en route from Bournemouth or onwards to Shrewsbury. The west of England main line was shut for 3 hours, hundreds of people were late for work and there was a huge amount of disruption. Literally just as the B1 was approaching Taunton. Not forgetting someone lost their life.

 

On the way to Shrewsbury to catch up with the train, 61306 approaches the site of Stretfordbridge Junction just north of Craven Arms............





On the return from Shrewsbury, passing Dudgeley Mill at All Stretton.




Cheerz,

Alan

 

And shortly before Alan's shot climbing past Leebotwood

 

Which ever way you cut it, the passengers got steam for part of journey, the photographers got some pics, but someone got a knock the door an some unwelcome news.

 

Very well said….. :-(

 

In a very rare (from my experience) event, pleasing to see the tour was run nearly an hour early last night on its way back to Bournemouth.

 

They take water at West Junction from a tanker.