Sherborne Christmas Carol: 4/12/24

Just watched a couple of clips of the return over on Facebook. The one of Clan Line flying through Templecombe whistle blowing is spine tingling, second clip was from Hook, no whistle but sounded fantastic - diesel didn't appear to be doing much
For those that do Facebook - links below

https://www.facebook.com/100004994018449/videos/pcb.3781473598773169/2007982909705438

https://www.facebook.com/reel/1569856864409605

 

It was! And again at Andover later on, both times pushing the 75mph limit with a long whistle. Another top run from the Merchant Navy and great to see it powering at speed. Captured at Egham, Overton, Baverstock, Sherborne, Templecombe, Andover & Ashford:

 

Fabulous action, fabulously filmed. Very many thanks, you must have had a very busy day.

Bryan

 

23.50 miles is the figure normally used but I think the absolutely accurate figure is slightly less.

Don (aka big brother)

 

Epic sight at Winchfield as 35028 thunders through in the high 70s I would guess and Driver Bill Monteith doing a great job

 

Fabulous running and filming.

Even more so as I have just typed up the timing log of that loco on 27 June 1967 passing Winchfield at 90 mph, on her way to 95 mph at Fleet. In the dark as it was the 18.15 Weymouth with Nine Elms driver Fred Burridge and Fireman Symon. And a light load. Fred had been asked by the embryonic MNLPS who were days away from buying the loco not to break it! But he was still trying for 100 mph, but railhead condtions were bad - not very wet, but damp and greasy, the sort that can cause most traction types a problem. He had three attempts that night on that racing stretch to get up to 100 mph, but each time Clan's driving wheels wouldn't bite, so he had to be content with the mid 90s. But we still did the 23.50 miles in 19 mins 24 secs start to stop, an actual average speed of of 72.7 mph. And allowing for a 60 mph temporary speed limit after Farborough, a net time of 18 mns 30 secs, an net average start to stop speed of 76.2 mph.

On the evening before that Clan line run and on the same 18.15 from Weymouth, I was on the footplate standing right behind Fred as he took 35003 up to the highest known properly recorded speed by a Merchant Navy pacific. Recorded in part by me on the footplate, and by big brother Don @gricerdon (a very accurate timer then, and still now), and several others from what became know as the top link of timers. We went through Winchfield, on a very light train, at 98 mph, and peaked at 106 mph approaching Fleet. With one whole mile done in 34 seconds (106 mph average) as well as the various 1/4 mile stop watch times.

So it is truly wonderful to see a Merchant Navy racing through Winchield at night again.

Enormous thanks for filming and posting that sequence @siranorak

Bryan aka Wedgie

 

35028 seen through Clapham Jn, Egham, Overton, Andover, Baverstock, Tisbury, Yeovil Heritage Centre, Templecombe, Salisbury, Andover, Basingstoke and Ashford Surrey, Enjoy

 

Correct Bill worked Salisbury-Yeovil-Victoria
Andy Hawkins worked Victoria-Salisbury in the morning

 

Another grey winter day but I managed to get a reasonable result from the footpath just west of Worting Junction, chosen to hide the blue and white coffins!

 

After all these years I still can't get used to the idea of a single track LSWR mainline!

 

Do not know "the level of assistance" but the diesel driver is also a WCRC fireman so knowing him I would guess it was only used when asked for from the front. Certainly seemed a very quiet 47 pulling out of Salisbury yesterday evening.
Later or tomorrow I will try and post a few photos and for those that are interested for a laugh at my expense, a story of how "a little knowledge can be a dangerous thing" where rail travel is concerned, my ongoing love hate relationship with Southampton Central, and how I nearly never got to see the tour at all.

 

All will change with the government's plans for nationalisation ....won't it? <BJ>

 

Thanks. The Basingstoke departures shot above in @DanielsTrains excellent footage, certainly suggests to me at least that the diesel was pushing to some extent. 6 late on a fast schedule to Woking, no surprise at all. And I'm not sure the MNLPS would want 35028 to be worked hard enough to be through Hook in 6 3/4 minutes from the start, hauling the equivalent of 14 or even 15 cars compared with 1960s steam days.

But, if I had been on board I would still have really enjoyed Basingstoke to Woking, as the earlier Winchfield footage showed that wonderful loco doing what she does best - racing up the old SW Division main line at speed - and with no rear end assistance at Winchfield that I could pick up.

I would have timed it, and if the start to stop time was an even time run, I wouldn't have counted it as an even time run. But I would have added it to my list of net even times, with a note re it looked to me like some diesel assistance at the start.

 

More really great footage, thanks for posting it here.

Bryan

 

A few images from the trip (well the west end of it).
And for those that want a laugh at my expense my story of my day, if not just look at the images.

So with Clan Line going to Yeovil on December 4 and having had little chance to even see a tour since my wife broke her hip in July this looked a good possibility. The Bournemouth Hospital booked two procedures for her on December 4, what odds? Well 1 in 365 I guess. Then middle of last week they ring and tell her the consultant is off sick and it has to be rescheduled, (in the afternoon someone else rings and asks why she has cancelled her appointment, NHS is really joined up).

So now having a free day I asked the TM if he wanted an extra steward from Salisbury (assuming I could get there) as the Sherborne trip is always difficult with about 95% of the train getting off, but still needing stewards at both locations.

So the plan was 0926 from Wareham, 10 minute connection at Southampton Central to Salisbury train arriving about 15 minutes before the tour did. Never trust any TOC so the fall back was a GWR Cardiff service that arrived about 20 minutes before the tour was due to depart from the Salisbury water stop.

Day starts well when I find a parking place on the street, but Wareham train leaves 8 late and some very slow station approaches (leaf fall season?) means 11 late at Bournemouth, where we leave 8 late, and arrive at Southampton P1 8 late at 1038. Salisbury train normally leaves from P3 at 1036, but hoping it too is late rush to P3 where an SWR 158 is there showing Salisbury on the destination blind. Happy but breathless, I am somewhat disturbed when it pulls out towards London, because it is heading for Romsey via Eastleigh. I am not the only one to have done this, another rail enthusiast and a lady who had a business meeting booked based on the arrival time of the planned train (she cannot use the railway much). Even get a ticket check on this train by a couple who look like Police, but when two of us offered our Senior Railcards they said do not bother with those, yet elsewhere people get prosecuted for not showing it. Research today shows that because both the Wareham and Romsey train use P1, the Romsey train got changed to P3 and the Salisbury train to P4. After all that I would not have made it anyway.

Still all it means is getting the GWR service at Romsey (if it is on time then fine). Of course it is a few minutes late and then there is a wheelchair that needs a ramp, so we leave 6 late which means an arrival at 1148, 12 minutes before the tour is due to depart. Just as we pulled out of Romsey a triple headed freight (three 66’s) passes the other way. Never seen one before in the UK and would have made a good picture if 5 minutes earlier.

Tour passes without too much incident and thought I would watch the loco turned and have something to eat and drink in the café. After an age where the loco was being coaled (previous trips I remember it being turned first) I give up and join a long food queue. Just get to the front and about to order when the loco moves, so just order a coffee to go. After turning even longer food queue, it’s getting cold so I get back on the train planning to eat some food I had bought with me. My bag is in a compartment where one of the catering staff is asleep, and as their day is very long I did not want to wake them. Annoyingly the book I had planned to read is also in the bag.

Anyway we get back to Salisbury on time, Sherborne being the usual issue with two or three coaches off the platform. Spent 30 minutes watching Clan Line (during this time another triple headed freight goes by, this time two 66’s and a 70, they are like buses). Clan Line leaves about 5 minutes before my GWR service is due, also only slightly late. Due to have 20 minutes at Southampton before my Wareham train so think I will use the loo on the station. As I get off on P1 this time I have to walk past the indicator display and there is a Weymouth train in P4A. Rush over that bridge again to be met by a wall of chanting football fans (Southampton vs Chelsea I discover today). Leap on train, lady behind says does this go to Poole, I say yes. Decide to use the toilet before I find seat, notice indicator says “this is coach 6 of 10” I need to walk forward for when it is split at Bournemouth. Come out of toilet start walking forward and notice it now reads “this is coach 1 of 5”. Takes about 10 seconds for me to realise it has been split. Just make the Weymouth portion by entering via First Class (technically an offence I believe). Feel guilty about giving the lady duff gen as her half was an all shacks apart from Beaulieu Road. I feel even worse today when I see from RTT it was cancelled between Bournemouth and Poole, I bet she hates me.

Sometime no knowledge about the railway is better than a little knowledge

 

Nice photos and a great report! Makes me terrified to ever think about chasing a train by using trains with too many changes involved.

I hope Mrs Gladiator is continuing to be on the mend

Bryan

 

Nationalisation won’t make any difference to yet another duvet day on the Netley line from which the Southern didn’t recover all day. They are appalling and not fit to be an operator. SWR didn’t help by poor regulation or rather lack of it. GBR might make a difference though.

 

Anyone know why the support coach was turned for the return trip? Cannot remember ever have been on a tour where that happened before.