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The Robin Hood - Sunday 9 November 2014

Discussion in 'What's Going On' started by spicer21, Jun 29, 2014.

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  1. Big Al

    Big Al Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Moderator

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    Sorry it rained on your party a bit today but at least steam went out of St Pancras after quite a gap. So with that thought in mind......

    Dear RTC

    Congratulations on once again coming up with a trip that offered much for the enthusiast (a Scot out of St Pancras) and a good route for a day out. Sadly I missed it as the date was a problem but in view of what Scots Guardsman had to drag around all day, I'm rather pleased. So can I ask
    • that you do the trip again
    • you choose a time of the year when more of the route can be enjoyed in daylight
    • you continue at Lincoln back to Kings Cross via Sleaford and Peterborough
    With this minor tweak you will minimise the need for your TOC to find a reason for taking a diesel along and thereby almost certainly pick up a few more bookings.

    Yours helpfully etc.
     
    Last edited: Nov 9, 2014
    Big Al, Nov 9, 2014
    #141
  2. KentYeti

    KentYeti Guest

    Superb photo!
     
    KentYeti, Nov 9, 2014
    #142
  3. Spamcan81

    Spamcan81 Nat Pres stalwart

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    Yesterday's run was like the curate's egg, good in parts. Apart from the shove up Sharnbrook (water issues with '115 was one report), the run down the MML was good with '115 heard clearly from our seats towards the rear of the train. The return was much more patchy with several instances of diesel assistance. The unplanned turning of the while train at Lincoln didn't help - came as a complete surprise to the on board staff as well as the water tanker. Got permission to go "up front" to record the departure from Connington but as soon as '115 gained the up fast she was eased right back and what is usually a storming climb of Abbott's Ripton Bank on ECML steam runs turned out to be a bit of a damp squib. Pleased to have got steam at last out of St. Pancras but the run to KGX wasn't anything to write home about.
     
    Spamcan81, Nov 10, 2014
    #143
  4. Spamcan81

    Spamcan81 Nat Pres stalwart

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    The problem with that is if you're at the back leaving STP, you'll be at the back on the return run as well. Not that reversing at LIN made any difference to that after local decisions made yesterday.
     
    Spamcan81, Nov 10, 2014
    #144
  5. Enterprise

    Enterprise Part of the furniture

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    Wouldn't have been done like that without the diesel!
     
    Enterprise, Nov 10, 2014
    #145
  6. mrKnowwun

    mrKnowwun Part of the furniture

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    quite right - I wouldn't have run at all.
     
    mrKnowwun, Nov 10, 2014
    #146
  7. mrKnowwun

    mrKnowwun Part of the furniture

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    Sounds like one of those days where a well chosen line side seat was the better option
     
    mrKnowwun, Nov 10, 2014
    #147
  8. Big Al

    Big Al Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Moderator

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    That turn at Lincoln sounds suspiciously the same idea as what happened on the SD Ely trip when what was thought to have been an original reversal was changed because of the availability of a diesel to help out and turn the whole train. But TBH, I could live with the likelihood of being at the back of the train all day if that meant I was on a steam charter rather than a steam/diesel one. But that's just a personal preference and if diesel charters can fill up nicely then a diesel charter with a steam engine thrown in seems like a bonus.
     
    Big Al, Nov 10, 2014
    #148
  9. Spamcan81

    Spamcan81 Nat Pres stalwart

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    One passenger said he had spoken to the local manager who told him just what manoeuvres were involved in swapping the locos around but had decided to turn the whole train as it was easier. As you say, no diesel, no train turned.
     
    Spamcan81, Nov 10, 2014
    #149
  10. Spamcan81

    Spamcan81 Nat Pres stalwart

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    To whom?
     
    Spamcan81, Nov 10, 2014
    #150
  11. KentYeti

    KentYeti Guest

    Hadn't this been thought of when the trip was being planned?

    Difficult to imagine the train arrived at Lincoln and all involved in it's operation saying, "OMG, look, the steam engine is facing the wrong way AND at the wrong end of the train for the return run. What are we to do now?"
     
    KentYeti, Nov 10, 2014
    #151
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  12. Spamcan81

    Spamcan81 Nat Pres stalwart

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    The pre arranged plan according to RTT and uksteam.info was for '115 to take the train forward into Lincoln Terrace sidings - working 5Z47 - then run light to water and turn at Boultham Jct. - working 0Z48 - and finally work the ecs back into Lincoln Central from the Terrace sidings - working 5Z48. So whilst you can't believe everything that appears on the internet, it would seem that somebody had it all worked out at some stage. After all, VT go through the same manoeuvre when they run steam to the Lindum Fayre.
     
    Spamcan81, Nov 10, 2014
    #152
  13. Neil_Scott

    Neil_Scott Part of the furniture

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    You would be amazed...!
     
    Neil_Scott, Nov 10, 2014
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  14. Spamcan81

    Spamcan81 Nat Pres stalwart

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    Not for most of the outward run as '115 ran well and seemingly unassisted for much of the journey. Yes the conditions were nigh on perfect at times for the photographers but to get steam out of STP was worth missing the pics IMO.
     
    Spamcan81, Nov 10, 2014
    #154
  15. Big Al

    Big Al Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Moderator

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    Sorry - that was irony.
     
    Big Al, Nov 10, 2014
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  16. KentYeti

    KentYeti Guest

    I wonder if that was what had been paid for?
     
    KentYeti, Nov 10, 2014
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  17. KentYeti

    KentYeti Guest

    That really has me ROFL!

    Nice one Neil.
     
    KentYeti, Nov 10, 2014
    #157
  18. Neil_Scott

    Neil_Scott Part of the furniture

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    I've seen stuff like that occur with steam charters where there has been no planning put in place to do basic things like turn engines on triangles and it's all been left to do on the day at (nearly the) last minute.

    I was pleasantly surprised one day to find that a path for turning a steam engine at Worcester had actually been put into TRUST (what you see as RTT) but that was a one-off in my experiences of working here.
     
    Neil_Scott, Nov 10, 2014
    #158
  19. Paul42

    Paul42 Part of the furniture

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    I had heard before we got to Lincoln that the plan was to turn the whole train.
     
    Paul42, Nov 10, 2014
    #159
  20. Paul42

    Paul42 Part of the furniture

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    Is the line via Sleaford now controlled from a Control centre ? When it was individual boxes you could not return that way because would have closed.
     
    Paul42, Nov 10, 2014
    #160
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