Chinnor runs Autocoach

[Baldyoldgit]

I went to the Chinnor and Princes Risborough Railway yesterday, and they were running an autocoach. The driver told me that the coach will be there for a year.

[Nearholmer]

‘Phoned them this morning to find out when it might be running again: no dates set yet, but it will be there well into next year, so patience should be repaid.

[Kris]

Is it running as an auto, or are they running round?

 

[Baldyoldgit]

It's running as an auto.

[sleepyrider]

The Princes Risborough webcam includes the C&PR station approach so it should be possible to see it on there when it runs

https://railcam.uk/cameras/watchsingle.php?Cam1=RCPrincesRisboroughM&Diag=RCPrincesRisboroughM

[David Bigcheeseplant]

I popped down to see it at Risborough on Saturday, saw my uncle on it who was the guard on the last passenger train in 1957.

 

When open the Watlington Branch was never operated with autotrains the loco ran round at each end as the locos were not auto fitted using 2021, 57xx or 74xx locos. Also the coach is facing the wrong way from when it did when the line was open, as the driving end of the coach faced Watlington.  

[Compound2632]

On 27/09/2021 at 09:33, David Bigcheeseplant said:

When open the Watlington Branch was never operated with autotrains the loco ran round at each end as the locos were not auto fitted using 2021, 57xx or 74xx locos. Also the coach is facing the wrong way from when it did when the line was open, as the driving end of the coach faced Watlington.  

 

I'm confused - how can the autocoach have been either way round if one was never used?

 

I'll have to go for a ride - it's not very far; last time I went it was a round trip in a bubble car.

[Nearholmer]

I read the post to mean that autocaoches were used, but in non-auto mode. But, maybe not.

[Andy Kirkham]

14 minutes ago, Nearholmer said:

I read the post to mean that autocaoches were used, but in non-auto mode. But, maybe not.

I think that was the case, as there are pictures of auto-coaches attached to 57XX panniers which were never auto-fitted

https://www.railwaystationphotographs.co.uk/watlington-railway-station-photoprinces-risborough-line-great-western-rly-3-25967-p.asp

 

A possible reason is that auto coaches had steps which could serve halts with low or no platforms.

[David Bigcheeseplant]

Yes the autocoach was used to serve the low level platforms, a number of times the steps were left out and were damaged when they hit the normal platform at Risborough a chair was kept on board just in case this happened so passengers could still alight.