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Sugar Loaf Mountaineer : 7/07/18 - now 23/09/18

Discussion in 'What's Going On' started by Bulleid Pacific, May 1, 2018.

  1. steamvideosnet

    steamvideosnet Well-Known Member

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    Times are now online.

    Outward: http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/U55475/2018/09/23/advanced
    Return: http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/U55474/2018/09/23/advanced

    James
     
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  2. Bulleid Pacific

    Bulleid Pacific Part of the furniture

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    A feeling of mixed emotions on this one. Would have loved the track, but having spent a fair chunk of my life living in the area, I'm not sure Bynea is the best compromise in the bag. So, glad I'm off to the States instead. Give my regards to whatever flakes of metal remain from 34065, which I understand was scrapped at Bird's.
     
  3. Big Al

    Big Al Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Moderator

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    Well I think that these times demonstrate what I have been saying all along about this trip. It's a total of nine and a quarter hours to do the line each way and that EXCLUDES however long it would take to turn and service the loco and train in a hurry plus of course the extra hour and a half it would have taken to get from Bynea to Carmarthen and back. OK, there is a pathing delay but given that the train is the first one out of BNS, had the charter been able to go to Carmarthen I could see it competing with the last train through BNS on the way back some time after 0130!

    But I repeat that this compromise is an excellent one and at least it's better than two other ideas that were never going to happen, and didn't. Inverness to Thurso and back in a day with steam each way and a Scot over the West Highland.
     
  4. CLN_WVR

    CLN_WVR Member

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    I know a lot don't do Facebook, but an image posted a couple of hours ago appears to show that 45231 was moving around the yard under her own steam today
     
  5. LMarsh1987

    LMarsh1987 Part of the furniture Friend

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    Good news to a certain degree, now it all comes down to the test runs !
     
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  6. garth manor

    garth manor Well-Known Member

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    Train returns back from the junction through Bynea to Pontardulais to turn via Grovesend and thence back through Bynea to the junction to water, presumably lead by the trailing diesel on these legs.
     
  7. NathanP

    NathanP Member

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    Trailing diesel? I thought the diesel was coming off at Shrewsbury and waiting for us there. The whole point of this trip, and the reason why it was re-scheduled from July, was that it's supposed to be un-assisted steam along the Central Wales line.
     
  8. Gladiator 5076

    Gladiator 5076 Part of the furniture

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    I did wonder how this turning movement would be achieved, but as Wayne has told us before DBC do not do trailing diesels under power so is the Black 5 dragging a diesel all the way from & to Shrewsbury under this theory? That is about the weight of 3 Mk1's I think.
     
  9. rule55

    rule55 Member

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    Are you sure about that? I would expect the turning move from Llandeilo Jct via Morlais and Hendy to be for the locomotive only. As far as I'm aware there is no trailing diesel unless the plan has changed in the last few days.
     
  10. 1020 Shireman

    1020 Shireman Part of the furniture Friend

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    If they still use it surely DB will send a diesel down from Margam Yard.
     
  11. 1020 Shireman

    1020 Shireman Part of the furniture Friend

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    The first Cardiff-Manchester doesn't get to Craven Arms before the Mountaineer leaves. ATW implied it would link in with the train. So even South Wales/Hereford folk will have to drive to Shrewsbury or do an overnighter.
     
  12. 26D_M

    26D_M Part of the furniture

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    Diesel on the rear seems improbable because the steam loco is vac brake only and DBC locos are air brake only. Unless an LSL 47 is dual braked and used by DBC?
     
  13. acorb

    acorb Part of the furniture

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    I suspect some folk at DBC would be having a real chuckle at this thread if they read it!
     
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  14. 26D_M

    26D_M Part of the furniture

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    Maybe, but speculation is only the product of absent information which isn't all that funny, is it?
     
  15. jsm8b

    jsm8b Part of the furniture

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  16. LMarsh1987

    LMarsh1987 Part of the furniture Friend

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    There should be no diesel attached t
    There's also paths in place for tomorrow.
     
  17. gwr4090

    gwr4090 Part of the furniture

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    ECS probably stabled at Llandeilo Junction Yd. Loco only back to Pontardulais to turn ?
     
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  18. gwr4090

    gwr4090 Part of the furniture

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    DBC can and do operate vacuum braked trains, as long as there is a vac brake diesel available nearby for rescue. We may well see more vac braked working by DBC in the future. Vac braking is still on their safety case.
     
  19. 26D_M

    26D_M Part of the furniture

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    Indeed, the train on Sunday is vac braked. The point I was raising is that the DBC fleet is exclusively air braked so access to a vac fitted diesel has presumably been arranged from a third party? Perhaps VTs 47, if LSLs aren't dual fitted?
     
  20. 1020 Shireman

    1020 Shireman Part of the furniture Friend

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    Looking at the track layout they will surely go directly to Llandeilo sidings from Binea; detach the loco and send it for turning light engine. No need for s diesel to be involved. Had this confirmed by a man who really does know.
     
    Last edited: Sep 20, 2018

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