Wed 20th April - Cathedrals Express to Bath and Bristol

Post by **James** » Mon Apr 18, 2005 11:32 pm

Steam hauled by Rebuilt West Country 34027 "Taw Valley" (disguised as 34045).

Outward leg times.

London Victoria 0845hrs (dep)
Clapham Junction 0901hrs
Staines 0934hrs
Basingstoke 1055hrs
Salisbury 1151hrs
Bath 1256hrs
Bristol 1311 hrs (arr)

I assume she will then be turned to haul the return leg, but I have no times as yet

Any good photo spots between Bath and Bristol? Ones easily reachable by rail where I can take a few pics before she vanishes?

Post by **James** » Tue Apr 19, 2005 12:27 pm

I've found another strange ticket price thing:

Taunton - Bath Spa:

Cheapest day return ticket is Ãº13.80 (Supersaver Return)

Taunton - BTM and BTM - Bath Spa on Cheap Day Returns would be Ãº8.60 + Ãº5.20 = Ãº13.80! Same as the Supersaver!

Alternatively...

Taunton - Keynsham:

Cheapest day return is Ãº8.60 (Cheap Day Return - same price as to BTM)

Keynsham - Bath Spa:

Cheapest day return is Ãº3 (Cheap Day Return)

So it's Ãº13.80 direct or Ãº11.60 via Keynsham, and I'm sure you don't have to actually set foot on Keynsham station to qualify

That's a Ãº2.20 saving!

Post by **AJR** » Tue Apr 19, 2005 1:21 pm

In theory the train has to stop at the station, although most guards turn a blind eye.

A similar pricing 'oddity' is a return from Swindon to Paddington. This costs roughly Ãº31 for a Saver Return (or some such thing), however if you buy two Cheap Day Returns (one from Swindon to Didcot the other from Didot to Paddington) the cost is roughly Ãº22.

I don't know if this still applies, but a fair few years back, if you wanted to travel to Cheltenham or Gloucester from Taunton, it was cheaper to buy a ticket to Stonehouse, even though it took far longer to get to!!

Post by **James** » Tue Apr 19, 2005 3:58 pm

Pete: How high are the sides on Keynsham footbridge? It's a bit hard to judge from the pics

Can you see over, and more importantly get a camera over without holding it up in the air?

Post by **madhattie** » Tue Apr 19, 2005 5:15 pm

I was just going to suggest Keynsham when you posted this!

You can certainly take pics from the footbridge, and I imagine it will give you quite a nice pic. Ground level wouldn't be too bad either.

The footbridge would be useless for the return, but the roadbridge would give a great view down the line, especially for a zoomed shot.

Post by **madhattie** » Tue Apr 19, 2005 5:16 pm

Return Times:

1605 Bristol TM
1621-1627 Barth Spa
1632-1648 Bathampton Junction
1711 Westbury
1746-1804 Salisbury
1847-1849 Basingstoke
2038-2040 Clapham Junction
2055 Victoria

Post by **James** » Tue Apr 19, 2005 5:25 pm

madhattie wrote:I was just going to suggest Keynsham when you posted this!

You can certainly take pics from the footbridge, and I imagine it will give you quite a nice pic. Ground level wouldn't be too bad either.

The footbridge would be useless for the return, but the roadbridge would give a great view down the line, especially for a zoomed shot.

Yeah I was thinking of photographing (or maybe filming

) 34027 passing through the station (hopefully at speed) from the footbridge, and then going back to Bristol to get some shots from the platform. I like the shot taken from the end of Bath Spa looking east over the viaduct...

http://www.bristol-rail.co.uk/images/bathspa8.jpg (error on that pic?)

...but she'll be slowing down there...good for pics, bad for video. Maybe I can get the service to Bath just before 34027 and have some pictures of her leaving instead.

The amount I move around all depends on what the ticket collectors are like...sometimes I can get from Bristol-Bath with no checks!

Post by **madhattie** » Tue Apr 19, 2005 6:01 pm

James wrote: http://www.bristol-rail.co.uk/images/bathspa8.jpg (error on that pic?)

Ta for that, looked like it hadn't uploaded properly. Don't know how I hadn't noticed previously!

Post by **James** » Tue Apr 19, 2005 11:15 pm

madhattie wrote:
James wrote: http://www.bristol-rail.co.uk/images/bathspa8.jpg (error on that pic?)

Ta for that, looked like it hadn't uploaded properly. Don't know how I hadn't noticed previously!

Are you going to be out and about tomorrow? You really need to experience the sight and sound of a Bulleid in full flight

Post by **madhattie** » Tue Apr 19, 2005 11:24 pm

James wrote:
Are you going to be out and about tomorrow? You really need to experience the sight and sound of a Bulleid in full flight

I'd love to, but we're really short-staffed in work at the moment and there won't be cover arriving until Friday. I'm all cooped up in work at the mo, needing to get out and about with the camera!

Post by **James** » Wed Apr 20, 2005 9:24 pm

I got a great video from Keynsham footbridge but I haven't installed my photo software so can't get it on PC yet

I was talking to another photographer on the footbridge: I said how APW had his day ruined when an HST went through blocking his view of the Castle at Parson Street, and I pointed out the people on Keynsham platform one and said "Sod's law, it'll happen to them"...

..and it did!

It's kinda cruel to laugh, but...

I actually got a ride on the train from Bristol - Bath...for a fiver! Apparently you can just get on and ride from Bath to Bristol and return for Ãº10...no advance booking required!

I saw two 20's in Bridgwater yard on the way up, and they went through BTM while I was waiting! The driver opened up just as he left the station and what a fantastic racket they made! It sounded like a Chinook helicopter...I'm guessing this is where they got their "Chopper" nickname!

I've gotta go on more mainline steam trips...it was FANTASTIC

p.s. there's 4 37's at Barton Hill now, including one that is completely grey with no markings

horace · Post by **horace** » Wed Apr 20, 2005 10:34 pm

have sent a picture to the boss of a beautiful sight in wiltshire today, got covered in black smoke but was worth it. Cant work out how to put a picture in here, so as i say sent to the boss, hopefully he can show it here.

Post by **madhattie** » Wed Apr 20, 2005 10:53 pm

horace wrote:have sent a picture to the boss of a beautiful sight in wiltshire today, got covered in black smoke but was worth it. Cant work out how to put a picture in here, so as i say sent to the boss, hopefully he can show it here.

Here you go 'horace'

A great tonic for 'stuck in work' me!

Post by **James** » Sat Apr 23, 2005 12:08 am

Here's the video...don't even think about downloading it unless you're on unlimited broadband...it's 23.3mb

http://www.steamvids.freeuk.com/tvkeynsham.avi

Post by **madhattie** » Mon Apr 25, 2005 11:28 am

James wrote:Here's the video...don't even think about downloading it unless you're on unlimited broadband...it's 23.3mb

http://www.steamvids.freeuk.com/tvkeynsham.avi

I tried this last night (been away for the weekend) but never got to see it!

Shall try again tonight when I'm sure I won't fall asleep on the computer!!