Saphos Trains - The Golden Arrow - Sat 26/10/19

trainmania100 · 25 Oct 2019

Text taken from the Saphos Trains website.

Tickets and confirmed timings will be forwarded by post 7 days prior to departure

This is a train with a real ‘wow’ factor offering a circular steam tour of over 200 miles hauled by one of our immaculate steam locomotives – complete with the Golden Arrow regalia she used to adorn whilst hauling the famous continental boat train. Features include the journey through the picturesque Garden of England and around the beautiful Kent coast with the beautiful white cliffs towering above the train – the highlight of the day being an afternoon break for sightseeing in historic Canterbury.

After making our way through the London suburbs we continue into open countryside and through the pretty Garden of England, rich with an abundance of Oast Houses and Hop Fields. After passing Ashford we soon arrive at historic Canterbury around lunchtime for an afternoon break of about three hours in this city of narrow streets and ancient buildings, the incomparable cathedral, setting for so many dramatic events stand at its heart.

Travelling on through the beautiful Kent countryside the engine works hard to haul the train over the stiff gradients along the coastal line through Dover and Folkestone with dramatic white cliffs and spectacular views across the English Channel. After a brief stop to replenish water in the engines tender we continue along the high-speed route through Tonbridge recreating the former ‘Golden Arrow’ from the glory days of rail travel.

There are 3 different classes of travel available, but whichever you choose please book early to avoid disappointment

RailUK Forums

Deepgreen · 26 Oct 2019

This tour will go down as a disaster, sadly. It slipped to a stand just outside Maidstone East on a 1 in 60 bank covered with leaves with 12 coaches and no assisting loco at the rear. It has been there nearly two hours now, and the down line is obviously blocked to service trains. No idea when assistance will be able to get there and no idea why it was allowed by Network Rail to traverse this notorious route in full leaf fall and drizzly conditions without the diesel attached. There is talk of summoning the diesel from its daytime resting place in NW London to assist, when it should have stayed on the rear all along! This is so disappointing because it casts steam in a poor light through no fault of the operator or the motive power. Network Rail's planners have much to answer for, again. BTW, it hasn't even reached the most notorious section, Martin Mill bank, yet!

Dr_Paul · 26 Oct 2019

According to the National Rail delays website: 'A steam train has broken down between Maidstone East and Bearsted, blocking the line from Maidstone East towards Ashford International.' This would be the Golden Arrow from Victoria to Canterbury West and back again, code 152H, see Real Train Times here.

Does anyone have any more details?

Hughqq · 26 Oct 2019

Looks like adhesion issues on the climb out of Maidstone, rescue loco on scene. not sure what they will do with the rest of this trip

FlippyFF · 26 Oct 2019

Traksy is showing a 1Z99 now in the block behind it.

Simon

Deepgreen · 26 Oct 2019

A class 66 has assisted and the train is now 162L at Ashford.

Peter C · 26 Oct 2019

Yep, Ashford International P2. 0Z99 seems to be the headcode on Traksy for the railtour.

-Peter

Peter C · 26 Oct 2019

Does anyone know when the service will leave Ashford?

-Peter

FlippyFF · 26 Oct 2019

Just seen it on P2 at Ashford, looked like a 66 on the rear. It's well overhanging the platform - the assisting loco is on London side of the road bridge!

Simon

Deepgreen · 26 Oct 2019

FlippyFF said:
Just seen it on P2 at Ashford, looked like a 66 on the rear. It's well overhanging the platform - the assisting loco is on London side of the road bridge!

Simon

It's the equivalent of a 14 coach train.

FlippyFF · 26 Oct 2019

It's currently sat at P2 at Ashford with what I think was a 66 on the rear (hurrying to get my bus). The assisting loco is on the London side of the road bridge the train is overhanging the platform that much.
Simon

Deepgreen · 26 Oct 2019

Arrived at Canterbury West 192L, a few minutes after the return leg should have left!

TimboM · 26 Oct 2019

66726 (ex-Tonbridge as 1Z99) assisted from the rear to help the train up Bearsted Bank where it slipped to a stand. The 66/7 detached at Ashford (which was the 0Z99 on diagrams) and Britannia took the train forward solo to Canterbury.

A DB 66 from Hoo Junction has run as 0Z84 to provide assistance for the run back - it's currently at Chartham, en route to Canterbury West.

ainsworth74 · 26 Oct 2019

Deepgreen said:
Arrived at Canterbury West 192L, a few minutes after the return leg should have left!

I mean is there really that much to see in Canterbury anyway? :lol:

BRX · 26 Oct 2019

This was it near the beginning of its journey this morning. I was surprised there was nothing on the back, especially given the length of train and time of year.

KingJ · 26 Oct 2019

Something with a headcode of 251H has just departed Canterbury West towards Ashford - a (numeric) reversal of the 152H headcode it had on the way to Canterbury West. Given the return schedule had a headcode of 156H, i'm wondering if it is being routed back to Victoria along the same route as the outward schedule, rather than via Tonbridge as planned?

Edit: This has now taken the line towards Maidstone after Ashford, so presuming that headcode is indeed the Golden Arrow tour, looks like it'll no longer be going via Tonbridge.

Edit 2: A passenger onboard has said they're still in Canterbury as of 19:00 so disregard the above!

Deepgreen · 26 Oct 2019

A shambolic failure by Network Rail (again). They have utterly failed to ensure the train was suitable to run, i.e. with the required assistance at the rear. Some people have baled out to catch service trains to make sure they can get home in time tonight.

Deepgreen · 26 Oct 2019

KingJ said:
Something with a headcode of 251H has just departed Canterbury West towards Ashford - a (numeric) reversal of the 152H headcode it had on the way to Canterbury West. Given the return schedule had a headcode of 156H, i'm wondering if it is being routed back to Victoria along the same route as the outward schedule, rather than via Tonbridge as planned?

Edit: This has now taken the line towards Maidstone after Ashford, so presuming that headcode is indeed the Golden Arrow tour, looks like it'll no longer be going via Tonbridge.

Edit 2: A passenger onboard has said they're still in Canterbury as of 19:00 so disregard the above!

Out of interest where did you see the train with head-code 251H? I found nothing on RTT.

ainsworth74 · 26 Oct 2019

Deepgreen said:
Out of interest where did you see the train with head-code 251H? I found nothing on RTT.

They'll be watching it on Traksy which is a website which shows a view similar to one that a signaller would see.

Deepgreen · 26 Oct 2019

Left Canterbury now, approx. 190 late.

KingJ · 26 Oct 2019

Deepgreen said:
Out of interest where did you see the train with head-code 251H? I found nothing on RTT.

ainsworth74 said:
They'll be watching it on Traksy which is a website which shows a view similar to one that a signaller would see.

Indeed - that's what I used to see it (and/or Open Train Times - I prefer the design of their diagrams but the network coverage isn't as extensive as Traksy).

The original return path, 156H, has just left Canterbury West.

Man of Kent · 26 Oct 2019

Has run direct to Ashford (i.e. not via Dover), so presumably being hauled by the 66 with the Brit dead on the rear. Now only 111 minutes late!

theblackwatch · 26 Oct 2019

Given that the tour needed a loco to take the stock into Victoria, I am quite surprised that the TOC decided to detach it from the rear before departure and run 'Britannia' solo. When they ran the 'Pennine Moors Christmas Explorer' circular from Crewe via Copy Pit with no loco on the back last December, a 47 shadowed the tour which I thought was a sensible precaution.

Hope the shorter return journey allows enough time for dinner to be served and consumed!

ainsworth74 · 26 Oct 2019

theblackwatch said:
Hope the shorter return journey allows enough time for dinner to be served and consumed!

This is the real story I think. Will there be enough time for the cheese and biscuits?! Will anyone suffer crippling indigestion?! :lol:

Malcmal · 26 Oct 2019

theblackwatch said:
Given that the tour needed a loco to take the stock into Victoria, I am quite surprised that the TOC decided to detach it from the rear before departure and run 'Britannia' solo.

Surely this isn't true? At least looking at this video which was published today so I am assuming it's of today's tour. Clearly being pushed out of Victoria by a class 47:

ainsworth74 · 26 Oct 2019

Malcmal said:
Surely this isn't true? At least looking at this video which was published today so I am assuming it's of today's tour. Clearly being pushed out of Victoria by a class 47:

I mean the video linked earlier in this very thread shows the train running without the 47...

BRX said:
This was it near the beginning of its journey this morning. I was surprised there was nothing on the back, especially given the length of train and time of year.

Controller1701 · 26 Oct 2019

Of interest it would appear that no-one tried to self evacuate from this train despite it being at a stand for a good two to three hours, and I notice no mention of any call from various quarters that being at a stand for more than 15 minutes is more than an adequate time for the operator to have full rescue in place otherwise self evacuation is justified (just to be clear, I'm not advocating this course of action) so why so many cries of foul when it is a regular service train but none in this case....?

MotorcycleAlan · 26 Oct 2019

Controller1701 said:
Of interest it would appear that no-one tried to self evacuate from this train despite it being at a stand for a good two to three hours, and I notice no mention of any call from various quarters that being at a stand for more than 15 minutes is more than an adequate time for the operator to have full rescue in place otherwise self evacuation is justified (just to be clear, I'm not advocating this course of action) so why so many cries of foul when it is a regular service train but none in this case....?

Everyone comfortably seated, toilets working, windows able to be opened, plenty of food perhaps? We had a similar situation on a tour approaching Southampton docks a couple of years ago. Nobody even thought of evacuating despite being yards from the city streets.

fgwrich · 26 Oct 2019

MotorcycleAlan said:
Everyone comfortably seated, toilets working, windows able to be opened, plenty of food perhaps? We had a similar situation on a tour approaching Southampton docks a couple of years ago. Nobody even thought of evacuating despite being yards from the city streets.

Agreed, being stuck on a rail tour where you’ve paid specifically for is a very different beast to being stuck in a packed commuter train (eg a Networker in the rush hour vs a Railtour where most likely most of the passengers will be enthusiasts) where the amenities are a lot less. I’ve had it happen to me a few times (braking issues with one of the coaches, to an unfortunate incident where one of the footplate crew was injured through falling rocks). Although not ideal, at least the passengers on that will be likely to be well fed and looked after by the stewards. And probably offered refunds as well.

BRX · 26 Oct 2019

Looks like the 47 gave it a shove out of victoria but then detached.
It's pretty unusual to see a steam tour without a diesel on the back. I'd assumed that it was compulsory, to help avoid the sort of thing that happened today. I'd be interested to know why they decided not to. Was there a problem with the 47 perhaps?

Saphos Trains - The Golden Arrow - Sat 26/10/19

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