On another sunny still morning, 34046 Braunton took charge of the Steam Dreams Excursion to Bath, travelling from London Victoria via Streatham, Wimbledon, Salisbury & Westbury.
The route would see Braunton return to her former home metals along the SWML to Basingstoke. With a path on the down fast from Surbiton, the train is captured passing through Esher, with a need to make up time evident having been brought to a near stand outside Surbiton by a late running service train. A water stop at Winchfield allowed for an overtake, so I headed for Andover where 34046's passing was perfectly timed with a DMU, but it didn't drown out the sound of Braunton's whistle as she charged through the station leaving plenty of smoke behind.
Unable to chase further, the video moves onto the return journey, which would see history being made, as 34046 became the first steam engine to traverse the route from Wimbledon to Streatham in nearly a decade. It's true that steam has travelled along here towards Wimbledon on many occasions, but rarely away from Wimbledon, the last one being 34046 herself on a Christmas Diner in 2013, which ironically only traversed this route because of weather conditions. The train is captured through a deserted Haydons Road shortly after pausing at Wimbledon to drop off passengers, as 34046 powers through on the final stretch back to the capital.
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11 окт 2024
