Forum Topic

Steam Trains

I work at Grove Park School and we  would love to walk to the level crossing in Grove Park Terrace and watch a steam train travel go through. Does anyone have any ideas about days/times?Many thanks!

Alison Walter ● 1844d21 Comments

Alison Walter asked" I work at Grove Park School and we  would love to walk to the level crossing in Grove Park Terrace and watch a steam train travel go through"A quick google suggests you may be referring to the "RoyalWindsor Express" a steam train which runs between London Waterloo and Windsor. Their website promises information on "The Route" - but this turns out to be  "via leafy suburbs, reservoirs, and lakes".Very helpful, I must say.Other than that it seems will run twice a day on Tuesdays between 31st May - 30 August 2022 at times to be announced.This particular service if that's what you're referring to is run by a company called Steam Dreams.Who may be be contacted, so they claim, viainfo@steamdreams.co.ukmichael adamshttps://www.royalwindsorsteamexpress.co.uk/page.php?pageid=12

Michael Adams ● 1844d

Sorry my mistake. It seems it runs from London Victoria not Waterloo which it did formerly. And would be rather a round-about route to go via Grove Park,michael adams

Michael Adams ● 1844d

More info on https://www.railadvent.co.uk/steam-locomotives-on-the-mainline. The Windsor Express came through a number of times this year. Whether it goes ahead next year will depend on demand. Michael seems to cast doubt on Steam Dreams validity but I can confirm that they are a great company

Iris Hill ● 1844d

Thank you everyone! Absolute long shot but someone told me that there is someone in Chiswick who rides a Penny Farthing. I don’t suppose anyone knows who this is? We are studying the Victorians so the children would love to see a real one. Thank you!

Alison Walter ● 1844d

" Michael seems to cast doubt on Steam Dreams validity"Steam Dreams may well be a "great company" but that doesn'texcuse their hosting a totally uniformative website.Clearly their "offering" is directed solely at paying passengers, not at any non-paying members of the publicsuch as the OP or her charges who might happen to live in those self same "leafy suburbs" - should they justknow it - and as a result who might like to watch the train going past. And might like to know if that might be possible. That's not really a lot to ask, is it ? For such a "great company" You know just a single sentence listing these "leafy suburbs". Same with the nomination of J.C. Decaux for this award. I suspect this may in fact be the result of their sponsoring some local event or similar. However if you try and check on their website for confirmation its the same totally uniformative PR guff along with large colour photos as features on so many websites the Windsor Express site included. So if instead people want to suspect the worse then Decaux aren't doing anything very much to dissuade them of that.michael adams

Michael Adams ● 1844d

"someone told me that there is someone in Chiswick who rides a Penny Farthing."The person riding a penny farthing in Chiswick is Jeremy Vine.

Gail Busza ● 1844d

https://www.railwaytouring.net/the-yorkshireman-16-10-21The above link will take to to info about a steam train leaving Ealing Broadway on Saturday 16th hauled by a Jubilee class engine heading to York.It's worth getting on to the mailing list of this company as they have many wonderful outings.

Adrian Irving ● 1844d

GoshA website selling train rides that is aimed at possible customers! Good grief. Whatever next?

David Halliday ● 1844d

Gosh - what a bilious post from Michael Adams!

Iris Hill ● 1843d

Iris Hill suggested" Gosh - what a bilious post from Michael Adams!"In claiming as you did " Michael seems to cast doubt on Steam Dreams validity "You totally misrepresented what I posted.  Basically if what you posted were true - that I cast doubt on their "validity" then that would amount to defamation on my part, and render me liable for damages.All I did was comment on the uniformative natureof their website. Or put it another way, if I really had doubts about their "validity" then do you honestlybelieve I would be suggesting them as the solution to the OP's problem ?  Such that the OP and her charges would end up standing patiently by a level-crossing for a train that would never come. Why would I do that ?    You are of course perfectly entitled to provide arunning commentary on any of my posts, should you so choose. But please don't claim the right to misrepresent what I post without my having right of reply. And without my quite reasonable reply beingdescribed as "bilious"  michael adams

Michael Adams ● 1843d

Michael Halliday said it all

Iris Hill ● 1843d

Iris Hill explained" Michael Halliday said it all" Another running commentary, I see. Originality doesn't exactly seem to be your strong point, does it ? (Nor mine, by the looks of things)Oh and BTW, if you're trying to butter people up, it probably helps to get their name right. It's *David* Halliday, not Michael. Unless you're thinking of somebody else entirelyof course. Michael Holliday perhaps ?All together now !" Someday I'm goin' to writeThe story of my life"michael adams...

Michael Adams ● 1843d

Have a good weekend Michael - go on- write the story of your life - I am sure it will be fascinating

Iris Hill ● 1843d

Iris Hill suggested:" Have a good weekend Michael - go on- write the story of your life - I am sure it will be fascinating"Thank you for your kind sentiment; your obvious sincerity shines like a beacon in these troubled times. However I feel obliged to point out, that that was Michael *Holliday*.  He sang that song in 1958Whereas, I'm Michael *Adams*.While the other poster was *David* Halliday.But that aside, have a good weekend yourself.michael adams...

Michael Adams ● 1843d

You mean you aren't going to write the story of your life? How very disappointing.

Iris Hill ● 1843d

If we can get back on topic .......The best place to look for likely trips appears to bewww.railadvent.co.uk/steam-locomotives-on-the-mainline but you'll have to wait until it says "Timings?: Yes" against likely trips before you can find out if they will actually pass through Chiswick.For example, there are some circular trips starting and ending at Victoria, e.g. on 29 October and a number of "Christmas Lunch by Steam" trips in December.  I've no idea if they pass through Chiswick. Despite Michael Adams's doubts, a number of steam trips from Victoria do pass through Chiswick.Once the timings are available, it should be possible to get a detailed route from realtimetrains.co.uk.  Let me know if you need help with that as I'm familiar with that site.

Richard Jennings ● 1843d

Thank's Richard, very informative.For the record, I have done a steam hauled excursion that passed through Chiswick that departed from Victoria.

Adrian Irving ● 1842d

Any steam being let off today ?

Julian Pavey ● 1842d

There was a steam train passing over one of the level crossings on Bollo Lane on Thursday afternoon.  A green engine pulling about eight maroon coaches, and with an old diesel engine attached to the back – presumably as back-up if the steam engine breaks down.  Never thought of Acton as one of the leafier suburbs, but then . . .

Robert Shaw ● 1841d

Could be locomotive Mayflower

Julian Pavey ● 1841d

Realtime trains had this path from Windsor to Reading via Ascot (and South Acton Junction) on Thursday afternoon :https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:U13642/2021-10-07/detailedSteam dreams say they intend to " chug through the neighbourhoods of Barnes and Chiswick before returning to London Victoria" for their Santa Steam Express trips starting on 13th December. https://www.steamdreams.co.uk/santasteamexpresstours.php

Tim Henderson ● 1841d