SHAKESPEARE EXPRESS 2011

It's a shame a simple correction had to be ruined by a sarcastic comment, especially from such an obvious insider.

UKSteam certainly provides a great service that we certainly would be the poorer for the lack off.

 

I think David at UKSteam can be excused the odd error with all the good work he does for people like us, and im sure what he gets told is in good faith even if occasionally not right.

Anyway the main thing here is that Halls do indeed fit on a turn that is tailor made for them, so i look forward to seeing Rood Ashton & Kinlet plying their trade in the coming weeks.

For todays run 5043 is doing the honours anyway, looking splendid as it headed down to Stratford this morning.

 

Thoroughly enjoyable from 5043 today. Re. Bordesley we ran through carefully with the crew watching the cylinders pass the platform edge. It looks to me as if a number of coping stones have been re-seated recently and a couple of them sit proud of the rest of the platform edge. If this is the problem the cure should be relatively easy.

 

Here, here!

 

The London-bound side of the island platform at Bordesley station was rebuilt and raised in height earlier in the year, following damage caused by the cold weather.

 

Now sorted, albeit with speed restriction, for the moment.

 

hello
a few pics from shrewley and tysely at
www.stevebottrill.zenfolio.com
thanks

 

Anyone know whats on for this Sunday?

 

VT website now updated with the roster for the next two weeks. 4936 this Sunday and 4965 after that. http://www.tyseleylocoworks.co.uk/se/se_locomotive.htm

 

The point is that it is VT who decide on which engine is being used, and until we are certain of the identity we are not going to say anything. When it has been decided, it will be on our website, and anything on other websites are not our reponsibility as we have more than enough to do to keep ours up to date alongside the hundreds of other tasks that go to run a business like Vintage Trains. As others have commented the speculation does no-one any good, and certainly anyone who publishes info before us, appears to claim to know more about what we are doing than we do.

In the case of 4936, there was no absolute certainty that it would either pass its loaded trial run(although we were pretty sure that it would), and also there was a bit of a cliff hanger in whether the Network Rail maintenace team would be able to complete the repairs at Bordesley in time. In the event the job turned out to be somewhat larger than expected and it was not completed until a Saturday night possession and obviously there was no-one in the office until Monday to sign off the gauging of the repairs, a task which was completed by mMonday Lunchtime. So obviously we were unable to confirm to ourselves, let alone anyone else what was going to be on the front until Friday. Cnsequently claims that 4936 was doing the job were little more than speculation.

The gauging problem only came to light through a routine check, which is far more preferable than one of our Halls ploughing through a number of coping stones, and once it was identified, Network Rail had their maintenance teams on it in less than a week so I think a round of applause is due to them rather than a whole load of correspondance about which web site said that a particular engine may or may not have been booked to do the job.

regards
Bob

 

A couple of shots of 4936 Kinlet Hall doing the honours on the 17th July:

Firstly a shot of the Lunchtime Train, racing along between Solihull & Olton stations: http://www.flickr.com/photos/61102738@N08/5946419153/in/set-72157627115028334/

And for the Afternoon run, i did the classic Tyseley overbridge shot: http://www.flickr.com/photos/61102738@N08/5946419697/in/set-72157627115028334/

 

Managed to dodge the rain at Lowsonford and Shrewley

http://rickeborall.zenfolio.com/recent.html

Regards...Rick

 

....whilst I didn't! Isn't the British summer wonderful! I popped down to see No:4936 at Wilmcote station for the last return from Stratford. Just before 'Kinlet Hall' turned up the heavens, predictably, opened. Shortly before No:4936 powered past the driver shut off steam letting her coast on through, is this normal operating practice because the signal seemed to be green before the 'Shakespeare' passed through?
HD video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WSyk5Ubq8wk
Photos: https://picasaweb.google.com/115609395788457768316/ShakespeareExpress170711# (some are screen grabs from the video which I think have come out reasonably well). As always, any feedback or constructive criticism on the photos or video are most welcome either via e-mail (feedback@totally-transport.co.uk), PM or replying to this thread.
Hope you enjoy the video and photos in the dry!

 

Right, thanks for that, I hadn't been to see the Shakespeare before, that's good to know now.

 

I also believe (correct me if wrong) specifically Halls have a 30mph restriction through Dorridge if anyones planning on seeing the SE there, don't think anything else is affected mind.