Time for a new train line through the south west - train related news

[Greyhound]

A4 Pacific Sir Nigel Gresley (resplendent in BR Blue livery) is currently reposing at Bishop's Lydeard on the West Somerset Railway. Possibly awaiting use on forthcoming Saphos Trains Riviera Express tours to provide the steam haulage from Taunton to Kingswear and back. ?

One website has 60007 scheduled to work a train on June 3rd, but another says the train will be hauled by one of three engines including 34046 Braunton.

 

[Greyhound]

Another Braunton date: a Victoria-Weymouth-Victoria train on June 27th.

 

[Alistair20000]

Another Braunton date: a Victoria-Weymouth-Victoria train on June 27th.

Not intuitive as Weymouth - Waterloo was the steam route.

 

[Colesman Ballz]

One website has 60007 scheduled to work a train on June 3rd, but another says the train will be hauled by one of three engines including 34046 Braunton.

This summer Saphos are running Taunton to Kingswear 8 times and Taunton to Plymouth twice. They will be stabling the locos at Bishops Lydeard. As you say they plan to use a loco from a pool of three for these trips, but I suspect that 60007 is being used to augment the pool, maybe due to issues with one of the others ? If you check the photo gallery on wsr.org.uk you will find pictures of 60007 at BL this weekend.

 

[Hants_red]

Good to see Marsh Barton appearing on the new GWR timetables. Though no opening date yet.

 

[Oldsmobile-88]

Took a trip on Grand Canyon Railway today. A 63 mile heritage railway from Williams AZ to the south rim of the canyon.

A really good day out. Diesel hauled with a varied selection of passenger carriages(cars)
Takes just over 2 hours to get to the Grand Canyon. The original passenger service run by Santa Fe stopped in 1968 due to lack of passenger numbers, freight stopped in 1974. Luckily the track was not ripped up for scrap. The line was sold to a private enterprise in 1988. It was back up & running in 1989. One train each way daily, which has the capacity for 1,200 passengers.

A Steam hauled service is run on the first Saturday of every month. It’s fuel is, used cooking oil !

 

[fred binneys head]

I wonder how many other people on that trip were more interested in the train than the canyon?

 

[StroudGrecian]

If you don't already, you fellas should follow Francis Bourgeois on Facebook/Instagram

 

[Hants_red]

I wonder how many other people on that trip were more interested in the train than the canyon?

Train travel is not about getting there, but the journey itself.

{with apologies to Ralph Emerson}

 

[Greyhound]

More cultural appropriation going on at the weekend, with a Huddersfield-Paignton train called the Devon Belle, hauled by a class 50 diesel.

Should be on the Southern line with a Merchant Navy at the head of it, as in 1947-54. An unrebuilt one would be nice, though alas not possible !