The Retro Welsh Dragon 2 - Saturday 15th July 2017

[Crossover]

Timings have now been confirmed for this railtour:
http://retrorailtours.co.uk/rt16.php

			Outward 		Return
Huddersfield		06:30 			21:55
Stalybridge 		07:10 			21:31
Reddish South 		07:32 			21:17
Stockport	 	07:45 			21:04
Wilmslow 		07:58 			20:53
Crewe 			08:43 			19:44
Shrewsbury 		09:26 			19:05
Cardiff Central 	11:29 arr / 11:36 dep	16:59 arr / 17:04 dep
Swansea 		12:27 arr 		15:20 dep

0630 Huddersfield to Swansea
1520 Swansea to Huddersfield

 

[Techniquest]

Oh now this is interesting, it's due to pass Hereford 5 minutes before my last bus home that evening. I might have to try and see it...

 

[AnthonyRail]

Booked part fare return £20 thanks for posting. Wasn't aware of it and need 37 mainline haulage.

 

[yorkie]

Any other forum members booked on this?

The mini tour is still open for bookings. £15 single (either direction) or £20 return. The mini tour consists of:

• Cardiff (depart 1136) to Swansea (arrive 1227) via the mainline
• Swansea (depart 1520) to Cardiff (arrive 1659) via Rhoose and Barry

 

[Crossover]

Oh now this is interesting, it's due to pass Hereford 5 minutes before my last bus home that evening. I might have to try and see it...

We shall endevour to give you a wave as we pass if you're there

Booked part fare return £20 thanks for posting. Wasn't aware of it and need 37 mainline haulage.

You're welcome - hopefully we can say hi at some point in the tour

 

[Crossover]

Unfortunately slightly late running is the order of the day - every gradient sees us struggling a bit

 

[Crossover]

The word on the ground was 37606 (behind 37602) developed a fault on the outbound and wouldn't take power - this was evidenced as the ECS left Huddersfield with no real noise from 606 other than idling.

Really not bad going to say that a single 37 doing all the work was more or less keeping time singlehandedly with a large rake of coaches and the weight of two 'dead' locos (37606 and 57306 which was providing ETH from the back)

 

[Techniquest]

I have to confess to completely forgetting you guys were coming through my way, I was in Yates enjoying some Butty Bach!

A single 37 having all that work to do must have put a lot of pressure on the engine, I must confess to not seeing why they didn't just rip out the 37 that wasn't working before departure, waste of time taking it with you!

 

[ainsworth74]

A single 37 having all that work to do must have put a lot of pressure on the engine, I must confess to not seeing why they didn't just rip out the 37 that wasn't working before departure, waste of time taking it with you!

It was working on departure and failed after Shrewsbury and they were hardly likely to leave it at Swansea!

 

[Crossover]

I've since heard that 602 failed at Heaton Norris on the return ECS with a wheelset fault

 

[Techniquest]

It was working on departure and failed after Shrewsbury and they were hardly likely to leave it at Swansea!

Ah fair enough, I misread Crossover's post which I thought had said it wasn't working before departure from Huddersfield

Should have dumped it in Hereford and given me something different to look at

 

[ainsworth74]

I've since heard that 602 failed at Heaton Norris on the return ECS with a wheelset fault

My informed source suggests a small traction motor fire occurred but apparently there is a good phot opportunity if anyone wants of the disgraced duo.

 

[Blindtraveler]

The old gil did very well it would seam, understandable maybe that she failed.

 

[yorksrob]

The old gil did very well it would seam, understandable maybe that she failed.

It got us there and back on time, so we certainly can't complain.

 

[gnolife]

It got us there and back on time, so we certainly can't complain.

It forced me to spend 20 minutes longer in Reddish than I was supposed to. Do you think I've got a leg to stand on for a complaint?

 

[yorksrob]

It forced me to spend 20 minutes longer in Reddish than I was supposed to. Do you think I've got a leg to stand on for a complaint?

Comes with the territory of classic traction I'm afraid

 

[gnolife]

Comes with the territory of classic traction I'm afraid

I thought it was supposed to run 20 late, not 20 early!

 

[Starmill]

I think we should all consider ourselves lucky they didn't use the 57 instead. It may have been justified to give us the extra power

 

[Crossover]

My informed source suggests a small traction motor fire occurred but apparently there is a good phot opportunity if anyone wants of the disgraced duo.

I wouldn't be surprised with all the work it was forced to do!

It forced me to spend 20 minutes longer in Reddish than I was supposed to. Do you think I've got a leg to stand on for a complaint?

It forced us to spend 20 minutes staring at trees (and Traksy!) at Denton Junction - we all have a cross to bear :P

I think we should all consider ourselves lucky they didn't use the 57 instead. It may have been justified to give us the extra power

Had it been up to some, we'd have gone with no train power to have rid of the 57 :P

 

[Rail Ranger]

I've since heard that 602 failed at Heaton Norris on the return ECS with a wheelset fault

It was 37606 which failed at Heaton Norris Junction. It was still parked in a siding there tonight.