Fleet Steam

Main Line 2012

	07 January 2012 At the head of the first main line steam tour of 2012, 35028 Clan Line makes a fine sight heading through the Surrey Hills near Buckland.  35028 was hauling a VSOE circular from London Victoria.  In the background is the Box Hill area, location of some cycling events for the 2012 Olympic Games. 35028 is cruising along here so no sound today.
	11 April 2012 35028 Clan Line crosses the edge of charred heathland on the approach to Sunningdale with this VSOE tour from London Victoria to Bristol and return.  An unidentified unit bound for Virginia Water heads in the opposite direction.
	27 April 2012 A fine and clearing evening just outside Andover sees 35028 Clan Line climbing away towards Basingstoke following a water stop at the station.  35028 was heading for London Waterloo following a trip to Swanage. Listen to 35028 in a rather exotic sounding recording at Sound 2012 here.
	03 May 2012 A long trip today for 35028 Clan Line with a 'Cathedrals Express' trip from London Victoria to Exeter.  A miserable and wet morning sees 35028 hammering through Farnborough in this view.  Note the detail on the station building.  This is the original building dating from the track quadrupling at the turn of the 20th century.  The building is currently under renovation and will continue in use unlike the sadly missed building at Fleet.  Note also the remains of the foundations of the old footbridge pier in the foreground now replaced with a sympathetically designed structure providing step free access to the London bound platform.  Finally, in the top right, is the church at St Michael's abbey. 35028 would later tackle the climbs at Honiton and Whiteball with reports of good performance and sound recordings we can but dream about!

	12 February 2012 Very much at home on the Great Western Main Line, 6024 King Edward I pounds through the gloom of a winter morning near Goring with a 'Cathedrals Express' train to Bristol.   Although I attempted some sound at Theale on the return, this was was abandoned with 6024 running around 3 hours late.
	1 March 2012 Having just departed from Twyford, 6024 King Edward I heads towards Reading with this 'Help for Heroes' charter from London Paddington to Cardiff. The slightly delayed return was to London Euston.  At Reading we catch 6024 getting underway following a stop at Sound 2012 here.
	3 March 2012 A busy time for 6024 King Edward I due to withdrawn shortly for maintenance.  This tour was 'The Bristolian', a trip from Birmingham to London via Bristol, with 6024 running between Bristol and London.  6024 is seen here on the return leg, howling across the Thames at Goring on a fine evening, running fast line. (Note: A correctly calibrated monitor should just reveal the bridge carrying 6024).

10 March 2012 A terribly dull morning in Berkshire for 60163 Tornado with a 'Cathedrals Express' train for Plymouth.  This trip was originally to feature 'Kings' Nos. 6023 & 6024 but both locos proved to be unavailable.  60163 hauled the trip from London Paddington to Exeter where a Diesel was attached to assist to Plymouth and back to Exeter.  60163 hauled the remainder of the trip back to Paddington. 60163 is seen here at Ufton level crossing.  This view is from the road behind the crossing and behind a fence.

12 May 2012 A little sun at last as 60163 Tornado with a 'Cathedrals Express' train speeds along the relief near Goring.  60163 was heading for Shrewsbury before returning to London Paddington.  Heading in the opposite direction towards Reading is a Virgin Trains Voyager which despite its modern looks, actually predates 60163 by 5 or 6 years.

24 March 2012 A tough day for the crew and passengers of 44932 with 'The Bath and Bristol' running from Three Bridges to Bristol and return.  A good outward run was thwarted on the return with 44932 developing a problem with one of its cylinders.  The tour was terminated at Salisbury.  44932 is seen here struggling up the climb from Westbury in fading light with the gradient at around 1/70 at this point.  Probably working on 1&1/2 cylinders 44932 makes a tremendous noise which you can listen to on Sound 2012 here.

12 April 2012 A very welcome sight on a dull morning in Surrey sees 70000 Britannia heading beneath Pirbright Junction flyover with a 'Cathedrals Express' tour to Bristol.

19 April 2012 A remarkable story of organisation, good fortune and business is told in this image. It's (very) late in the evening as A4 60019 Bittern approaches a stop at Basingstoke, 60019 is depicted here at Worting.  60019 was returning to Banbury following a trip to Swanage.  The tour was originally planned to be hauled by 6201 Princess Elizabeth, however, the day before the trip 6201 failed its 'fitness to run' exam.  Trip promoter 'Steam Dreams' seemed determined to ensure the trip was steam hauled and managed to source 60019, stationed at Southall, at very short notice to be prepared and moved to Banbury to haul the trip the following morning.  Other options would have been to cancel the trip or provide diesel haulage, neither very satisfactory.  It was very fortunate that 60019 was available for the route and that a support crew could be raised in such a short time. The trip itself was not without drama.  On the outward leg 60019 ran to Southampton via Andover, then tender first to Swanage, some 55 miles.  A late arrival at Swanage was due to poor track conditions on the Swanage branch, leading to a delayed return.  Still fitted side valances for its brief incarnation as No 4492, Bittern currently runs with its original number, 4464.