Bath Newseum follower Rob Coles reminds me – in an email – that there was once a much bigger power produced by boiling water than a whistling kettle or steam iron.
The age of the railway locomotive. l am old enough to remember being pulled all the way to London – on a school trip – by one of these smoke-belching monsters.
It’s good to know that there are still working engines making guest appearances up and down our lines.
Rob writes:
‘I have just sent you a copy of an email that I send to a few selected people informing them of special trains calling at Bath. Please let me know if you would like me to include you in the future.
There are a couple more trains before the end of the year. In normal years there were several Bath Christmas Market Trains, I tried to inspire the City to have special name boards made for the front of the engine and even distribute leaflets either on the train or at the station.
Fell on deaf ears, with so many Christmas Markets I felt that we should ensure that we were at the head of the game. With the train being watched and photographed down the line it would be good advertising
Me passing the info on often has the magic of ensuring the trains are late or worse!!’
In a second email he delivers the expected timetable for the next steam train we hope to see.
‘The steam train next Tuesday, November 30th is timetabled to arrive in Bath 13.04 and depart 16.55. It will be LMS Class 5 No 44871. Not Tornado.
Today, Saturday the 27th there will be a diesel-hauled excursion (2 Class 47’S) from Chesterfield for the Salisbury and Bath Christmas Market (hope they know Bath is off) 13.41arr 16.55dep A long day Chesterfield dep 06.17 return 23.37 pm.
On Wednesday 1st Dec, the Belmond ‘Christmas at Bath’ train Deutsche Bahan Class 67 Diesel 13.01 arr 15.56 dep
All three trains will travel through the Limpley Stoke Valley.
PS With the recent record of delays it might all go wrong, often does when I tell people!!’
