another steam charter failure

[341o2]

Begging to wonder whether any steam charter will run in my locality. Latest casualty was the failure of Mayflower yesterday, the train did run but diesel hauled

firtly what is the current status of Mayflower, any chance it (or any other steam loco) will haul the Swanage belle next week?

A recent article in one of the railway magazines stated that there is liable to be restrictions on the operation of seam charters within a few years due to the upgrading of several services (such as electrification out of Paddington) with the subsequent difficulty in finding a sutiable path for a train restricted to 75mph where faster speeds will be the norm

BRW I'm not complaining as someone on here thought I was implying in a former post that a steam charter should take precedence. Growing up in the 60's and 70's raiilways were seen as dinosaurs. I welcome the 21st centuary railway while heritage has its place as well

any update appreciated

 

[richa2002]

Surely 60mph or 75mph charters basically run in freight paths? Not in a freight path of course but to similar timings. I can't believe that the GWML out of Paddington will have no freight paths post-electrification and if it does, I can't believe all available ones will actually be taken up by freight.

 

[STEVIEBOY1]

There is a similar post on this thread. Perhaps some of these steam trips are a bit adventurous, maybe there should be a few set steam routes with a regular service which would get settled in and therefore be reliable. For example, like they have done on the Jacobite in Scotland, the Shakespere Express from Birmingham. Then have regular Torbay Expresses from Bristol, just one or two set routes similar to the Waverley & Fellsman over the S&C, and North & South Kent circulars and maybe some via Lincoln & East Anglia? (Circular trips are good as you don't need to turn the loco, anything to make the operational side of these trips easier.)

 

[ARoo21]

Begging to wonder whether any steam charter will run in my locality. Latest casualty was the failure of Mayflower yesterday, the train did run but diesel hauled

firtly what is the current status of Mayflower, any chance it (or any other steam loco) will haul the Swanage belle next week?

A recent article in one of the railway magazines stated that there is liable to be restrictions on the operation of seam charters within a few years due to the upgrading of several services (such as electrification out of Paddington) with the subsequent difficulty in finding a suitable path for a train restricted to 75mph where faster speeds will be the norm

BRW I'm not complaining as someone on here thought I was implying in a former post that a steam charter should take precedence. Growing up in the 60's and 70's railways were seen as dinosaurs. I welcome the 21st century railway while heritage has its place as well

any update appreciated

Mayflower should (fingers crossed) be fixed in time and haul the Swanage Belle.

See what you mean, the Dorset Coast Express on 15th July is cancelled, while the same tour is cancelled on 29th July.

 

[STEVIEBOY1]

Mayflower should (fingers crossed) be fixed in time and haul the Swanage Belle.

See what you mean, the Dorset Coast Express on 15th July is cancelled, while the same tour is cancelled on 29th July.

Does anyone know how Mayflower is now, is she getting better/repaired?

 

[ARoo21]

Does anyone know how Mayflower is now, is she getting better/repaired?

Presume it's a waiting game until later today or tomorrow

 

[The Planner]

Surely 60mph or 75mph charters basically run in freight paths? Not in a freight path of course but to similar timings. I can't believe that the GWML out of Paddington will have no freight paths post-electrification and if it does, I can't believe all available ones will actually be taken up by freight.

Charters run in STP paths that fit around everything else. Depends on how the freight paths are taken up, if one is left in as a strategic unused path then it could slot in one of those.

 

[341o2]

Mayflower did run today. Nearly missed it as after last week's debacle sort of switched off re steam charter trains

 

[Ciderking]

https://www.flickr.com/photos/sparrowhawk7/19124963813/in/dateposted-public/

It did look and sound very good.

 

[theironroad]

I think this was on the swanage belle today, but why are so many Dorset coast expresses to weymouth being caped this summer. I thought they would be part of wcrc core routes for the summer. Is it a lack of traction or lack of crews following the suspension.?

 

[SpacePhoenix]

I think this was on the swanage belle today, but why are so many Dorset coast expresses to weymouth being caped this summer. I thought they would be part of wcrc core routes for the summer. Is it a lack of traction or lack of crews following the suspension.?

Extra engineering workds around the Upwey area perhaps - linked to the problems with one of the sub-stations?

 

[STEVIEBOY1]

https://www.flickr.com/photos/sparrowhawk7/19124963813/in/dateposted-public/

It did look and sound very good.

Nice photos there.

I am pleased that Mayflower appears to be operating again. All being well I am due to travel behind her later this month and next to Kent.
Keeping fingers crossed that all will be well.

 

[341o2]

Extra engineering workds around the Upwey area perhaps - linked to the problems with one of the sub-stations?

Mayflower suffered mechanical failure .

however, some causes of cancellation of steam charters verge on "you couldn't make it up if you tried" Last year the fireman's dispute caused a cancellation due to noone avaliable to operate the water tender at Beaulieu rd station. The only locomotive capable of completing London to either swanage or Weymouth without takig additional water en route would be an A4 with double tender


apologies for typos, flashing cursor to indicate next character in any text box has vanished

 

[alastair]

Mayflower suffered mechanical failure .

however, some causes of cancellation of steam charters verge on "you couldn't make it up if you tried" Last year the fireman's dispute caused a cancellation due to noone avaliable to operate the water tender at Beaulieu rd station. The only locomotive capable of completing London to either swanage or Weymouth without takig additional water en route would be an A4 with double tender


apologies for typos, flashing cursor to indicate next character in any text box has vanished

I was under the impression that all the regular water stops were provided by a private company with no connection to the Fire Brigade.

Also,wasnt all steam automatically banned by NR during the hours of the FB disputes?

PS. Was the FB dispute ever settled I wonder,I don't remember hearing that it had been.

 

[fsmr]

Mayflower due to run Kings X to Matlock on the Peak forester via Peterborough and Oakham Sunday 19th but cancelled due to steam ban on the ECML due to fire risk

 

[SpacePhoenix]

Mayflower due to run Kings X to Matlock on the Peak forester via Peterborough and Oakham Sunday 19th but cancelled due to steam ban on the ECML due to fire risk

What other areas/routes also currently have steam bans due to fire risk? I think there's some of the FGW routes

 

[STEVIEBOY1]

Mayflower suffered mechanical failure .

Do you mean that she has suffered another failure, or are you referring to the original breakdown of a couple of weeks ago?
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

What other areas/routes also currently have steam bans due to fire risk? I think there's some of the FGW routes

I seem to recall last summer there was a steam ban around the York area, so alot of SCR steam trips are diesel to Hellifield and the Steamer is put on there, (That's what happened when I did the Dalesman a few weeks ago and also happened last summer on the Waverley.)

 

[Southwest]

Mayflower due to run Kings X to Matlock on the Peak forester via Peterborough and Oakham Sunday 19th but cancelled due to steam ban on the ECML due to fire risk

How come Tornado ran south on the ECML a couple of weeks earlier then? Just wondering.

 

[DarloRich]

How come Tornado ran south on the ECML a couple of weeks earlier then? Just wondering.

perhaps there was no/reduced fire risk

 

[ARoo21]

Tangmere and 37 706 were on the Dorset Coast Express yesterday.

 

[STEVIEBOY1]

I just noticed that Mayflower was meant to haul a train from KGX to York on 16 August, but this appears to have been diesel hauled instead, has Mayflower had another problem.?

I think she is meant to be hauling another train this coming weekend and again at the end of this month to Canterbury which I am due to travel on all being well.

(I did travel behind her a couple of weeks ago from Windsor to Faversham and she was fine then as far as I could tell.)

 

[SpacePhoenix]

I just noticed that Mayflower was meant to haul a train from KGX to York on 16 August, but this appears to have been diesel hauled instead, has Mayflower had another problem.?

I think she is meant to be hauling another train this coming weekend and again at the end of this month to Canterbury which I am due to travel on all being well.

(I did travel behind her a couple of weeks ago from Windsor to Faversham and she was fine then as far as I could tell.)

All it says on UKSteam.info is

61306 declared unfit

A blub about a video of that tour says:

This tour should of been hauled by LNER Thompson B1 no 61306 'Mayflower' but sadly the loco failed with a leaking mud hole door which couldn't be fixed in time and no other steam loco could be available in time so the 2 47s took over

Where is the "mud hole door" on a steam loco and what's it's function?

 

[dggar]

All it says on UKSteam.info is

A blub about a video of that tour says:



Where is the "mud hole door" on a steam loco and what's it's function?

It's to do with washing out the boiler. I think it's usually sighted in the water jacket surrounding the firebox. If it isn't watertight there is a danger of losing water from the boiler and possibly boiling dry.

I'm sure a more technical explanation will be along shortly.

 

[STEVIEBOY1]

It's to do with washing out the boiler. I think it's usually sighted in the water jacket surrounding the firebox. If it isn't watertight there is a danger of losing water from the boiler and possibly boiling dry.

I'm sure a more technical explanation will be along shortly.

Hopefully it will be fixed for this weekend and next weekend's trips? or another suitable steam loco instead?

 

[ARoo21]

Hopefully it will be fixed for this weekend and next weekend's trips? or another suitable steam loco instead?

Mayflower is supposed to be fixed and will therefore operate this Saturday's Cathedral's Express.

Union of South Africa is having repairs at South Devon Railway (Buckfastleigh) and is likely to be there until next week - she's available to view from the viewing area.

Tangmere is rostered to work only the outward leg of the West Somerset Express before heading over to St Phillips Marsh on Saturday afternoon to be stabled overnight for Sunday's tour from Bristol to Cardiff and back. this meaning the inward leg of Somerset express will be diesel hauled.

 

[STEVIEBOY1]

Mayflower is supposed to be fixed and will therefore operate this Saturday's Cathedral's Express.

Union of South Africa is having repairs at South Devon Railway (Buckfastleigh) and is likely to be there until next week - she's available to view from the viewing area.

Tangmere is rostered to work only the outward leg of the West Somerset Express before heading over to St Phillips Marsh on Saturday afternoon to be stabled overnight for Sunday's tour from Bristol to Cardiff and back. this meaning the inward leg of Somerset express will be diesel hauled.

Thank You, hopefully the trip I am booked on will be ok then.

(I see that about 6 other steam specials seem to have been cancelled on the weekend on 29 / 30 Aug and also a couple of days before that too, some at quite short notice. I wonder if that is because it is a bank holiday weekend and there are engineering works? I did wonder if it may be to do with poss rail strikes in the West of England, but as a couple are on the SCR, it may not be that. Very disappointing for those affected.)

 

[ARoo21]

Tangmere was a non runner on both days - presume not fixed yet, so 47 replaced her yesterday and 57 601/57 316 replaced her today.

 

[STEVIEBOY1]

UPDATE, this Saturday's 29 Aug trip to Canterbury should be running but with fewer carriages.

 

[fv43576]

That is great

 

[STEVIEBOY1]

Timings for Saturday 29 Aug trip are now published.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
If anybody is going on today's trip to Canterbury and they are able to, please can you put some photos or video on this site. I was supposed to be onboard but owing to it running short formed at short notice they could no longer accommodate me and some others.