Great Western Coffee Shop

Passing through Warminster this afternoon (2hrs late...............delay repay ??)

(https://i.postimg.cc/wjz5frg3/20240420-JWN06587-ARW.jpg) (https://postimages.org/)

That's a PROPER train.  ;D

Yes, and not just the power source.
Probably had padded seats, through gangway, a buffet, and other features that are considered unreasonable to provide on new trains.

I've had a look at the Steam Dreams drinks list for those opting for Pullman dining.

FOUR types of Port!

Yes...................and 12 coaches !!

..and a proper photo!

The only thing missing is the Famous Five and lashings of ginger beer....

Don't encourage him.  ;D

No encouragement needed ! FOUR types of port is rather splendid, and verging upon decadent. I have only 3 types* at home
Four types of port, and a buffet, and padded seats, and a through gangway, and 12 coaches might well finish of the poor old fart due to over excitement.

*Some well aged vintage port, very expensive and being saved for special events.
Tesco own brand, everyday port/cooking port.
Cockburns special reserve port, purchased a good supply when it was reduced in price.

I also have some home made "port" made by my Ukrainian neighbours, this is not actually fortified as is real port, but is fermented using a new type of yeast and reaches about 17% ABV. Extra sugar is added, but the amount is critical. Too little sugar results in a dry red wine that tastes nothing like port, too much sugar produces a sickly sweet drink that also tastes nothing like port.

I think I said, 'DON'T ENCOURAGE HIM!'  ;D

Happenstance saw me at Taunton today, June 15th 2024, travelling home to Templecombe at the same time as a railtour to Kingswear was waiting time to depart after my train to Exeter.


I bumped into fellow forum member PhilWakely at Taunton who was also photting the railtour. I made a quick change of plans and joined Phil on the 1039 GWR service to Dawlish Warren ahead of the steam.

The railtour was booked to start at Paddington top and tailed with a pair of Class 47s. However, one of the 47s failed at Southall depot first thing, so the service started at Slough hauled by D1924 (47810) 'Crewe Diesel Depot' as far as Taunton where 'Mayflower' took over for the run down to Kingswear.

At Dawlish Warren I headed to the footbridge and videod 'Mayflower' departing. Phil chose a different location to capture some pics. He'll no doubt follow up this post with his images from a fairly unique vantage point...

At Taunton:
(https://i.postimg.cc/XNFLnydd/IMG-20240615-102908-3.jpg)

Departing Dawlish Warren:



Edit note: I intially titled this thread '60163 Mayflower...' Confusing this LNER Thompson with new build LNER Peppercorn 'Tornado'.  ::)

Who needs a drone when you can have a flight on a 'big wheel' and you are the only customer!  Paused at the top for a few minutes.

(https://hosting.photobucket.com/images/ww255/PhilWakely/DWW1.jpg)
(https://hosting.photobucket.com/images/ww255/PhilWakely/DWW2.jpg)
(https://hosting.photobucket.com/images/ww255/PhilWakely/DWW3.jpg)
(https://hosting.photobucket.com/images/ww255/PhilWakely/DWW4.jpg)
(https://hosting.photobucket.com/images/ww255/PhilWakely/DWW5.jpg)

A great vantage point - although the perspex screen was a little dirty.

The steam engine was ok between Taunton and Kingswear but the diesel failed and the return trip to Paddington was cut short at Slough.

A case of a Duff,Duff if you will.

How late did passengers arrive into Paddington, then, and did they qualify for delay/repay  :D

The original formation out of Paddington in the morning was for Duffs top and tail. Unfortunately, the 'leading into Paddington' Duff failed, so this was dropped at Southall and the tour then officially started at Slough with just the single 47. Hence the return terminating at Slough.  There was no failure on the return leg.

So is steam banned from Paddington then?

No, it was always planned to run the kettle from Taunton. The tour did not run back into Paddington because there was no locomotive to bring the empty stock of the tour back to Southall and no way for the diesel to run around the stock at Paddington.

Another trip to the West Country today for Mayflower and rather eventful for those on board.

Having left Woking just before 6am the tour reached Westbury at 9.30 where one of the diesels failed.  After more than an hour the train reversed and headed up the Avon Valley towards Bristol and down through Bridgwater to regain its booked route at Cogload just east of Taunton over 90 minutes late.

At Taunton it gained Mayflower as booked and headed into Devon. 

Despite the wait there was still a healthy crowd along the sea wall when it passed an hour and a half late.

(https://www.mbob.co.uk/rforum/may22061.jpg)

It was a close thing.   Some might have felt their shot had been photobombed by an interloper which appeared moments before the excursion appeared.

(https://www.mbob.co.uk/rforum/may22062.jpg)

I was not that far away from you bobm....

(https://hosting.photobucket.com/images/ww255/PhilWakely/smug1.jpg)
(https://hosting.photobucket.com/images/ww255/PhilWakely/smug2.jpg)

and I was at Cockwood Harbour for the return leg, where I wish it had been 20 minutes later as the tide was just coming in!

(https://hosting.photobucket.com/images/ww255/PhilWakely/smug3.jpg)
(https://hosting.photobucket.com/images/ww255/PhilWakely/smug4.jpg)