Dorset Coast Express question (for passing Winchester)

[GreenDiesel]

My family and I (we're visiting from Toronto) are staying with relatives in Winchester, UK this week. My son & I are steam buffs and -- if I'm reading the timetable below correctly -- the Dorset Coast Express is scheduled to pass by Winchester this Thursday, 22 August. 

 

https://www.railwaytouring.net/uk-day-trips/the-dorset-coast-express

 

During our visits, we often spot trains from a train bridge and have seen steam pass by there before. Based on this schedule, could anyone recommend what times we should be at the train bridge to catch this train?  I was thinking about 11:00 am for the morning train and about 19:15 for the evening.

 

Again, I hope I'm reading this schedule correctly!  Thanks in advance.

 

Rob

Edited August 18, 2019 by GreenDiesel

[Claude_Dreyfus]

Due through Winchester at 11:16 according to Realtime Trains.

 

http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/U55275/2019/08/22/advanced

[GreenDiesel]

Thanks!  I'll check that site for the return journey as well.

[Claude_Dreyfus]

Returning via Romsey and Andover by the looks of things.

[GreenDiesel]

Thanks... but their website says it's still travelling through Winchester on the return journey (unless the route has changed). 

[john new]

It is scheduled for the usual DCE  timings with steam out of London on the head end and there is no option to turn the loco round at Weymouth. It therefore returns with diesel leading and the steam engine on the back as far as Southampton. At Southampton the whole train then reverses, leaving in the westbound direction (steam again now leading), before diverging at Redbridge up to Salisbury. The route back to the South West Main Line at Worting Junction (Basingstoke) via Salisbury makes a reversing loop so that the steam engine leads the remainder of the way back to London.

 

Real Time Trains can be followed on-line on the day on a mobile phone.

 

This is the RTT timing sheet for the return with the usual departure at 16:35 from Weymouth and the Southampton reversal.

See http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/U55278/2019/08/22/advanced 

Edited August 18, 2019 by john new

[GreenDiesel]

Interesting, thanks. So it looks like it might not pass Winchester then on the return journey, i.e. it's going from Southampton past Basingstoke, etc., via another route?

[PaulRhB]

23 minutes ago, GreenDiesel said:

Interesting, thanks. So it looks like it might not pass Winchester then on the return journey, i.e. it's going from Southampton past Basingstoke, etc., via another route?

Yes the return trip is Weymouth, Southampton, Romsey, Dean, Andover and Basingstoke via Laverstock Loop just East of Salisbury. I see it on the panel but it doesn't actually pass the box! So near yet so far  

 

Edited August 18, 2019 by PaulRhB

[Zomboid]

How often did they send the steam loco to Yeovil for turning? (And when did they stop?) I'm sure that was a thing for a while.

Obviously it's easier not to...

[PaulRhB]

More trains from Junction to Pen Mill with the SWR services don’t help with pathways. Probably clashes with those are the main issue in the timings. There were also a quite few problems with steam losing time on Upwey and Parkstone banks that have a big knock on to other services. To be honest it was some over optimistic loadings for steam that didn’t help there with extra coaches tagged on plus a dead diesel in tow.  You can only bank with special permission even when the diesel is already tagged on the back and then it shouldn’t be at full linespeed with that stock. 

 

[Dunsignalling]

32 minutes ago, Zomboid said:

How often did they send the steam loco to Yeovil for turning? (And when did they stop?) I'm sure that was a thing for a while.

Obviously it's easier not to...

It certainly used to happen but increased service pattern probably makes it impractical for trains arriving at Weymouth from Southampton and Bournemouth nowadays.

 

Most recent procedure where loco did get turned was for the train to travel via Yeovil Junction from Salisbury; steam on front, diesel on rear.  Diesel removed train to Yeovil PM, ran round and proceeded to Weymouth. Steam loco was turned and serviced at Yeovil Steam Centre and (later) went chimney first to Yeovil PM then tender first to Weymouth where it attached to the train and worked the return trip via Southampton.

 

If timings allow, the turned steam loco can be attached to the rear of the train from Yeovil PM, thereby saving a path and avoiding the 45mph limit applied to tender-first light engine workings. However, that means passengers spend longer in Yeovil and have less time at Weymouth  

 

John 

Edited August 18, 2019 by Dunsignalling

[john new]

When the off for turning at Yeovil option was last done (about a month/six weeks ago) the 10 mins late into Pen Mill from turning and servicing at the Junction was compounded by further delays crossing other services both on the Yeovil line and the SWML and the train left Weymouth well over an hour late.

 

Practical experience has led to the up to Yeovil and return move for turning and servicing being abandoned as the timings are too tight to risk.

[GreenDiesel]

Thanks to everyone for your help with this. I had a great view of the train yesterday & will try to post a video later. It was very brief but still worth seeing!