6024 backs away from the diesel fuel point, past 5029, and towards the turntable at St. Blazet depot. April 23 2005
Current 6024 News and Photos
Railtours and Other Running: UPDATED APRIL 25 2005
Booked railtours are:
May 21: "Cathedrals Express"
Didcot - Oxford - Worcester Shrub Hill - Oxford - Willesden. Starts and finishes diesel hauled at Alton. Run by Steam Dreams.
June 4: "Cathedrals Express"
London Victoria - Acton - Newbury - Castle Cary - Weymouth & Return to Willesden, diesel onward to London Victoria. Run by Steam Dreams.
June 18: "Cathedrals Express"
London Victoria - Acton - Swindon - Gloucester & Return to Willesden, diesel onward to London Victoria. Run by Steam Dreams.
July 2:
75th Anniversary Tour
London Paddington - Newbury - Taunton - Kingswear - Taunton - Bristol Temple Meads. Run by Past Time Rail.
July 16: "The Devonian"
Bristol Temple Meads - Exeter - Plymouth and Return. Run by The Railway Touring Company.
July 31 "Torbay Express"
Bristol Temple Meads - Taunton - Kingswear & Return. Run by Past Time Rail.
August 14 "Torbay Express"
Bristol Temple Meads - Taunton - Kingswear & Return. Run by Past Time Rail.
September 4 "Torbay Express"
Bristol Temple Meads - Taunton - Kingswear & Return. Run by Past Time Rail.
Any other tours listed elsewhere should be regarded as provisional or even incorrect.
"The Eden Limited"
On Saturday April 23, doubleheading with 5029 Nunney Castle, the loco hauled "The Eden Limited" from Exeter St. Davids to Par and return with associated engines and support coach moves from and to Bishops Lydeard on the West Somerset Railway. The tour ran very successfully throughout the day with on-time or early running being the norm thanks to some spirited running with the 13 coach train. Especially impressive were both sections over the Devon banks with near even time achieved in both directions.
At St. Blazey depot, Par, both locomotives were serviced at the old steam depot and were turned on the turntable in front of the old partial roundhouse.
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6024 backs away from the diesel fuel point, past 5029, and towards the turntable at St. Blazet depot. April 23 2005 |
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Inspector Jones looks forward with the loco positioned on the turntable. April 23 2005 |
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St. Blazey turntable is equipped with vacuum operation gear but 6024 was moved around by hand. April 23 2005 |
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The turntable used to serve the partial roundhouse at St. Blazey. This part of the depot has now been turned into industrial units. April 23 2005 |
6024 has recently been in action on the West Somerset Railway at the line's Spring Gala and over the Easter weekend. Preparations for the run to Par on April 23 are now in hand. 6024's support coach has paid a visit to the WSR's Minehead carriage works for minor attention to one vital fitting - the toilet!
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6024 at Williton station on March 25 2005 whilst engaged on private charter work. © Colin Henderson |
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A right pair at Minehead. Huw Button (left) and John Salter alongside the support coach awaiting the return trip to Bishops Lydeard. March 26 2005 |
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6024 runs-round at Minehead. Note the HST set in store, earning the WSR a nice bit of money! March 26 2005. |
"The West Somerset Wanderer"
Another run, this time a short one, completed successfully. The load of 13 bogies plus an idling Class 50 diesel, 50049 Defiance, at the rear to keep the stock heated was a bit of a heavy one!
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6024 climbs away from Charfield towards Wickwar on the Midland Mainline from Derby to Bristol. March 12 2005 |
Two video clips of this trip are available:
Charfield/Wickwar |
Flax Bourton  |
6024 is now on the West Somerset Railway for a two month stay broken into two pieces by the next mainline duty on April 23. In the meantime the loco will be used on the WSR, starting with the Gala next weekend. See you there?
"The Lickey Incliner"& "The Staite Pullman"
The two most recent tours on February 26 & 28 were run successfully but with a few dramas along the way! However all is well with the loco which is now residing at EWS Barton Hill in readiness for her duty on March 12.
"The Lickey Incliner", run by Vintage Trains, ran from Tyseley (Warwick Road) to Newport and return, both ways via the Lickey Incline. Fellow 6024 support crew member Huw Button has kindly allowed the use of a couple of photos:
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6024 near Wye Valley Junction, Chepstow, after a speedy run along the Severn Estuary. February 26 2005 © Huw Button |
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6024 at Severn Tunnel Junction running under adverse signals, hard on the heels of a preceding train. February 26 2005 © Huw Button |
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A support crew rogues gallery as the train passes through Severn Tunnel Junction. From the left are Steve Underhill, Dave Fuszard, Colin Henderson & Leon Salter. February 26 2005 © Huw Button |
A video, shot by my father, is a of the train on Lickey Incline is available here: Windows Media Player WMV Format: 3.8MB © Brian Bane |
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An excellent day out was had with plenty of sustained high speed running in both directions along with a noisy climb of Lickey Incline.
On Monday February 28 6024 doubleheaded with 7802 Bradley Manor on "The Staite Pullman", marking the retirement of Bernard Staite. This train, utilizing the VSOE Pullman coaches, ran from London Victoria to Paignton and return. The steam section was from Taunton to Paignton and return with the Western type diesel D1015 Western Champion handling the other sections. Problems with the air braking system whilst shunting at Goodrington sidings required some work to be undertaken at Churston works on the Paignton and Dartmouth Steam Railway. This work caused the return leg of the train to run late and lead to the termination of the steam at Taunton instead of Bristol Temple Meads as had been originally intended.
Huw Button has again made some photos available from the day.
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"The Staite Pullman" at Creech St. Michael near Taunton behind D1015 Western Champion. February 28 2005 © Huw Button |
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On the other side of Taunton 6024 and 7802 race up Wellington Bank. February 28 2005 © Huw Button |
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In much nicer conditions than further north 6024 and 7802 run alongside the Teign Estuary near Bishopsteignton. February 28 2005 © Huw Button |
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6024 runs light across Broadsands viaduct on the way to Churston for turning and air brake system repairs. February 28 2005 © Huw Button |
Two videos of the trip are also available below:
Wellington Bank  |
Torre Station  |
See the News Archive here.
