Tour No. 10 : The
BOURNEMOUTH BELLE.
Sunday
27th July 2003
1Z82
12.18 Salisbury - Bournemouth
1Z92
14.12 Bournemouth - Eastleigh
1Z93
16.45 Eastleigh - Poole
1Z94
18.08 Poole - Bournemouth banking 34045
0Z94
18.45 Bournemouth - Southampton Central
1Z94
19.52 Southampton Central - Victoria
This
tour started at London Victoria with 34045 (34027) Ottery St. Mary (Taw Valley)
hauling the train to Salisbury. A very heavy train forced some slipping on the
way to Clapham Junction and just outside there we slipped to a stand. Some 30
minutes later an EWS diesel (59204) came and pushed us over the top and we were
soon speeding southwards again.
On
this tour D1015 was renamed at Salisbury Sir Misha Black by his son Oliver. Sir
Misha was the designer of the Western class locomotives and recent revelations
by author and railway historian Adrian Curtis has shown the Misha had a
considerable input into the locomotive design. Livery suggestions recommended by
Misha included red buffer beams and a cast metal 'lion & wheel' crest on the
cab sides and it is in this livery, as suggested by Misha, that we have
repainted D1015.
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On
departing Salisbury we headed for Bournemouth via Eastleigh and
Southampton. Having sat under the station canopy for some time at
Salisbury awaiting a replacement guard D1015's exhaust fumes set off the
station fire protection system and shortly after we had left all the
passengers at Salisbury had to evacuate the station! Thanks to Andrew
Cameron we have various pictures of the train throughout the day, left, on
the outward the Bournemouth Belle is seen at Romsey
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By
the time we arrived at Bournemouth we were near railtour standard time but this
did not seem to dampen the enthusiasm of those on board. After running around
D1015 headed for Eastleigh where the train terminated and went to the sidings
for servicing.
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Above :
D1015 seen at Bournemouth.
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At
Millbrook Andrew was lucky enough to be in the right place at the right
time and captured 34045 pass Sir Misha Black as it headed for Eastleigh
for servicing.
From
Eastleigh D1015 hauled the heavy train with 34045 on the rear to Poole,
stopping on the way at Bournemouth to pick up those passengers that had
chosen to spend the day at the seaside.
From
Poole D1015 had the task of banking the train to Bournemouth Up the steep
bank.
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The
plan was to have Sir Misha follow the train to Victoria and take away the empty
coaches to Stewarts Lane and then remain overnight. In the morning it would go
light to Old Oak Common.
However,
at Southampton, it was realised that 34045 had used considerably more water than
it should have and concerns were raised that it might not have enough to make
Victoria alone. The decision was
made
to put D1015 on top as insurance, rather than risk a failure on the main
line and, left, the train is seen at Southampton just after D1015 had
coupled.
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This
meant that D1015 would work through to Victoria, the first visit of a
member of the class to that London terminus. In fact the previous
hydraulic to grace Victoria prior to the 27th July 2003 was
Warship D821 (which is also part of the Diesel Traction Group collection)
when working
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Emperor
Hiro Hito's Royal train in October 1971!
From
Victoria D1015 went home to Old Oak Common, running the scenic route via
Kensington, Acton, Ealing and Greenford!
This
was D1015s heaviest passenger train to date, some 700 tons on the drawbar and
again performance was exemplary. Only two weeks to wait until the next tour and
D1015 would be off to its most popular requested destination, that of Penzance.
Below
is 34045 at Redbridge, travelling light from Salisbury to Eastleigh (A.
Cameron).
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