Tour No. 49 : The Cornish Riviera Express
(Steam Dreams)
Saturday 26th June 2010
1Z27 09.07 Paddington-Par / 1Z30 19.25 Par-Penzance
Taunton-Exeter / Par-Penzance
This was our first tour for Steam Dreams and D1015 was used very much as the support loco for an ambitious 2 day tour from London to Penzance and return with 6024 King Edward I and 5029 Nunney Castle. The outward journey was on the Saturday and the return on the following Monday with 6024 working the train from London and 5029 joining the train at Exeter.
The original plan was for D1015 to work just the Par-Penzance leg but 6024 experienced steaming difficulties in the early part of the trip and D1015 was called upon to travel Light Diesel from its overnight stabling point at Exeter to Taunton to top the King forward. The two engines worked the train for the 30 mile stretch to Exeter and, in so doing, created a little history as a King and a Western had not headed a train on the main line together since 1962. At Exeter the tour reverted to plan A and the Thousand set off Light Diesel to await the tour at Par.
By the time the tour arrived in Par it was about 20 minutes down, not bad considering that at one time it was around an hour late into Taunton. D1015 took over and worked the train to it’s destination and Penzance was reached around quarter to nine on a perfect Summer evening. D1015 ‘s last duty of the day was to take the stock back to St Blazey.
On the Monday it was an early start, as the loco was used to haul the steam back down to Penzance, with an 02.15 departure from St Blazey. Once the stock was shunted and the steam loco’s ready to return the tour, D1015 departed light back to Eastleigh.
Special Thanks to Simon Howard and Mark Jamieson for allowing the DTG to use their photos.
Below: D1015
photographed from Forty Steps outside Taunton ticks over in the sunshine awaiting
to back on to
Below: Another shot of D1015
reversing into Taunton Station prior to coupling with
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Below:
Busy scenes at Taunton with D1015 backing in to assist with
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Below : A Smokey departure from the pair departing Taunton for Exeter St.Davids Photo: Simon Howard.
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Below : The pair have seen at Whiteball shortly after leaving Whiteball Tunnel. Photo: Mark Jamieson.
