Winter Running

[Jack]

Took a trip to Tenterden (K&ESR) today to have a go on their Crimbo Limbo trains.  Not sure how long these have been running, but it was a great day out.

 

They were running for the last few days and today the trains were absolutely packed.  It got me thinking, maybe there should be a few more winter running slots ... ordinary running, not just the Santa specials.  I know it is a good time for volunteers to rest and essential work to be carried out, but there is something quite nice about a steam train in winter.  I have fond memories of a trip to the Bluebell many years ago in November, when the return journey was done in the dark and the stations were lit, along with the waiting room fires.  Happy days.

 

 

[NIK]

Hi,

 

The Paington and Dartmouth Steam Railway had a Train of Lights running most evenings in December:

Boxing day +1 I think.

 

The lights on the roofs of the carriages changed colour as the train went along.

 

There were apparently also some illuminations on the tracksides, presumably in suitable locations away from vandals etc.

 

This photo was taken from up on one of the hills of Dartmouth and shows the train coming into Kingswear hauled by a mainline diesel (out of shot to right and also outlined in lights in a similar fashion to the steam loco).

 

I think the diesel was a 37 and the steam loco a 4-6-0 BR standard Class 5?. On this return trip the BR Standard certainly seemed to produce a lot of clag after a very late start away from Kingswear. The exhaust was so strong the smoke/steam never fell back down on the carriage roofs to produce a psychodelic effect as the various coloured lights on the roofs were reflected off the steam as I saw on other runs.

 

The gap in the lights behind the loco is I think from an observation car not fitted with lights except perhaps strung around the underframe truss rodding.

In the publicity shots and internet photos taken earlier in December I've seen no lights on the observation car but there were some under the solebar by Boxing Day.

 

 

Happy New Year

 

Nick

[iands]

Hi,

 

The Paington and Dartmouth Steam Railway had a Train of Lights running most evenings in December:

IMG_2016croplores.jpg

Boxing day +1 I think.

 

The lights on the roofs of the carriages changed colour as the train went along.

 

There were apparently also some illuminations on the tracksides, presumably in suitable locations away from vandals etc.

 

This photo was taken from up on one of the hills of Dartmouth and shows the train coming into Kingswear hauled by a mainline diesel (out of shot to right and also outlined in lights in a similar fashion to the steam loco).

 

I think the diesel was a 37 and the steam loco a 4-6-0 BR standard Class 5?. On this return trip the BR Standard certainly seemed to produce a lot of clag after a very late start away from Kingswear. The exhaust was so strong the smoke/steam never fell back down on the carriage roofs to produce a psychodelic effect as the various coloured lights on the roofs were reflected off the steam as I saw on other runs.

 

The gap in the lights behind the loco is I think from an observation car not fitted with lights except perhaps strung around the underframe truss rodding.

In the publicity shots and internet photos taken earlier in December I've seen no lights on the observation car but there were some under the solebar by Boxing Day.

 

 

Happy New Year

 

Nick

 

Would be interesting to know how much (or little) "glare" the lights on the loco(s) produced (particularly on the steam engine, can't really see the diesel loco), and how this might affect "signal sighting" from the cab(s)? No, not a "Scrooge/Bah Humbug" type question to spoil any festive spirit, just genuinely interested to know from a "footplate perspective" that's all.

[woodenhead]

Trains are a good way to see the outdoors from the inside on a nasty wet day - but I guess it comes down to footfall - how many people want to visit in the winter - the timetabling on preserved railways no doubt links to the level of people out and about hence most trains in the middle of the summer.

[EddieK]

From past experience working at a steam railway, the steam locos generally undergo a period of maintenance over Winter, also if there are steam locos running then that would divert Boiler Shop staff away from boiler repairs and overhauls to do washouts. 

Also, those p-way blighters usually want to rip out large chunks of track and re-lay them...

[Steamport Southport]

Keighley and Worth Valley run all year round. Obviously not every weekday.

 

https://kwvr.co.uk/2019-timetable/

 

 

 

Jason

[The Evil Bus Driver]

Bluebell have been relaying some of their track over the last few weeks. They also tend to use a reduced loco fleet to avoid overloading the boiler shops, by winterising some of the larger/more expensive locos. On the other hand it is a good time to see engineering stock running that would normally be seen shunted into a siding out of the way.

[AMJ]

The lights trains are rather American, went on two different rail roads in November in California, they didn't seem to have any issues viewing signals.

 

Had a nice day out on the KWVR on Sunday, the ELR and GCR also runs a weekend service.