Saphos 2024

Which itineraries would be most likely to meet those criteria? Fellsman from Crewe? Edinburgh to Aberdeen?

 

As to that he didn’t specify.

But thinking logically - Golden Arrows steam legs go round in a circle I believe. Fellsman/Lakelanders could be shunted away at Carlisle, loco turned and shunted back to platform. Golden Hinds could be shunted away at Plymouth or occupy a platofmr if space was available whilst the loco turns.

Would have thought it was less ideal for English Rivieras and Kingswear jobs.

Plus then there’s wherever steam dreams go

 

Not necessarily. WCR let 44932 take 10 over the S&C last year without a diesel. I’m sure Mayflower could take the same to Kingswear. But tbh I just think they’d have to be more strategic about where they put stuff. The bigger class 7/8 locos for the bigger jobs.

 

Even if Mayflower could take take 10 to Kingswear, that means losing 2 coaches - every English Riviera Express ran this year with 12. However, if the train length is OK and the loco powerful enough the lack of a diesel shouldn't be a problem. There was never a diesel on the EWS/DB operated Torbay Expresses. The train ran into the main platform at Kingswear, loco ran round, loco shunted stock into the bay platform and then went off for turning and servicing. If anything it was simpler than the current shunt.

 

The diesel on the back of the Kingswear trips was at LSL's insistence, even when a class 8 loco was used.

 

In that case was it something to do with potential slipping on Goodrington Bank which has proved too much for even large locos at times, especially in the wet? Going back to the Torbay Express days, if a banker was required, the Dartmouth Steam Railway provided one. This does however put the responsibility onto them to have a diesel loco and driver on standby.

 

Mind you, it was a Golden Arrow working which saw Saphos change from being diesel-free to regularly featuring a tail-gunner. It was, however, an unfortunate combination of circumstances - Britannia and 12 on running via Maidstone East in leaf fall season - not ideal, to put it mildly. The climb up to Bearsted, which begins after a sharp slack through Maidstone East Station, is a solid 1 in 60 and largely in a deep cutting. A Class 8 loco taking the Tonbridge Route (nothing worse than 1 in 120 after Bickley Junction) may have resulted in a different outcome. True, there's still a big hill between Deal and Guston Tunnel on the return leg, but not so many trees in that part of East Kent.

 

Which is why I think Plymouth would be pretty doubtful on LSL's usual business model ie class 8 plus 12.

 

And there isnt a fat lot to do whilst in Plymouth. Customers want something to do after travelling for 6 ish hours to a destination.

 

There is a big hill and Tangmere ground to a halt there once while hauling an Armistice Day trip

 

That happened after a stop for water at the bottom of the bank.

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