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35028 Clan Line returns with the VSOE 14-04-10

This is my first steam train chase in over 3 weeks after getting back from America just 24 hours previously.

What a fantastic steam loco it was too. Ex SR Merchant Navy 35028 Clan Line heads the VSOE stock back from Bristol to London on the 14th April 2010 at Thatcham and Theale.

First is Thatcham, and a delay on the A34 meant that we barely had any time to set up our tripod. Running 5 minutes early, we only just make it as Clan Line rounds the bend at Calthorp Road and cruises over the crossing with her gallop.

Then comes Theale, where the Daffodils are blossoming out all over the place. We missed Clan Line' arrival into Theale by under 5 seconds, as we were pulling into the carpark as she was hitting the brakes.

Nevertheless, we make our way to our usual location by the side of the loop at Theale and a very spectacular departure by Clan Line. With a couple of whistles, she is soon on her way to London.

This will be on Steamvideos.net' DVD, Southern Steam 2010 Check out our website for more details.

The images from the trip will be uploaded onto our Fotopic site as well.

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Phew! That was close! 35028 Clan Line at Balham. VSOE. 12-Apr-2013

British Railways Rebuilt Merchant Navy Class No: 35028 Clan Line, in BR Brunswick Green livery, passes Balham (BAL) in South London hauling the Up-VSOE Luncheon Special. Well this was nearly a filming disaster. Enthusiasts can't stand on the island Platform between the Down and Up Main Lines. Those Platforms are only used in emergencies.
So I stood on the island between the Down and Up Slow Lines and was hoping there would be no Up Metro or Down Main Line Trains. Well, I was encouraged. Even though Up Southern Metro' were running late there were to be Up Metro' at 15:35 and 15:39. Clan Line was due at 15:37. Just as I see the exhaust from Clan Line I could not believe my eyes. An Up Southern ecs unit came towards me on the Up Slow, slowly, even though the Up Slow Starter was Double Yellow. I frantically waved to the motorman to get a move on and, bless him, he accelerated just enough so I, and you, can see Clan Line and its train speeding past Balham' Up Main Platform.
It was a warm, wet, cloudy early-Spring afternoon and Clan Line was on the last leg of its run from Shalford (Surrey) to London-Victoria. It's Friday 12th April 2013 and Clan Line was right on time. Clan Line was pathed to follow the 15:28 Southern Main-Line service from East Croydon (South London) to London-Victoria (ex-14:50 from Horsham). No worries today about lineside fires. The Down Southern Metro departing on the Down Slow was the 15:35 Southern Metro from Balham to Epsom (ex-15:23 from London-Victoria).

Trivia time. This was the 16th Up main-line steam excursion of 2013 in the London area. By this stage last year (12-Apr-2012) there had been 15 Up specials, so we've had 1 more than at 12-Apr-2012. This is Clan Line's 8th Up London run of 2013. At this stage last year Clan Line had run to London 7 times. This is the 7th Up VSOE steam special to London of 2013. The same number as this time in 2012. This was the 5th Up steam special of 2013 to run past BAL towards London-Victoria. At this stage last year there had been 6 Up specials past BAL.

BAL is a busy commuter station in South London and an important hub as enabling interchange between Southern Metro trains and London Underground Northern Line services. Also, it's a junction station with Down Metro trains heading South either going towards Crystal Palace or staying on the Main Line towards East Croydon. On a weekday afternoon there are 13 Down Metro trains per hour calling at BAL. 3 trains take the Crystal Palace line to London Bridge and Epsom. Then there are 10 Main Line Metro trains to Caterham, South Croydon, Epsom, Epsom Downs and Sutton. All Up trains head for London-Victoria except 1 which goes to Milton Keynes-Central. The Main Lines are also very busy with Southern and Gatwick Express trains heading for destinations in Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Surrey and Hampshire.

The line through BAL was opened by the West End of London & Crystal Palace Railway in November 1856 as a commuter line from Crystal Palace to Wandsworth Common (the next station Up the line from BAL). In 1859 the line and BAL station were taken over by the London, Brighton & South Coast Railway (LB&SCR). In 1862 Balham became a junction station when the LB&SCR opened its new line from East Croydon to Balham Junction. In May 1911 the LB&SCR electrified the line to Crystal Palace with overhead cables. In January 1923 the LB&SCR was absorbed into the Southern Railway. In April 1925 the main line from Balham to East Croydon was electrified with overhead cables. However, Herbert Walker, the General Manager of the Southern Railway preferred the 3rd rail system and so, by 1929, the overhead cables had gone and been replaced by the 3rd rail system.

By 1933 Metro and Main Line services were electric, with steam restricted to a few main line service trains, specials and freight. In January 1948 the Southern Railway was absorbed into British Railways. The present station buildings date from 1954. Steam disappeared from BAL in the 1960's and all trains were electric except for diesel-hauled freight. In 1996, as privatisation rolled forward Connex South Central won the franchise for services stopping at and passing through BAL. However, due to poor performance Connex lost the franchise to the present provider Southern Trains in 2001.

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35028 Clan Line speeds north thru Purley. Up VSOE Lunch Special. 07-Jan-2012.MOV

British Railways re-built Merchant Navy Class No: 35028 Clan Line speeds North on the Up Fast Line at Purley (PUR) at the head of the Venice-Simplon Orient Express Up VSOE Luncheon Special from Guildford to London-Victoria. Clan Line hauled the Down train earlier this afternoon. It's Saturday 7th January 2012 at about 15:28 and Clan Line was roughly 7 minutes late. It was running on clear signals and hurrying as not far behind was an Up First Capital Connect Class 319 on a Brighton to London Bridge fast service.
Unfortunately because Clan Line was slightly late I suffered an attack of bowlage. A fast Down Southern express cuts the view of Clan Line from my camera just as Clan Line was passing me. Not a good way to start the New Year but this is my 103rd film and only the 2nd time I've been bowled. Not a bad strike-rate.
From PUR Clan Line would head North, passing East Croydon, where the main lines to London-Victoria and London Bridge divide. Then turn North-West and run from East Croydon to Clapham Junction. On the approach to Clapham Junction the Southern main-line curves North-West to North East to run parallel with the South-Western main-line coming up from Wimbledon. The two main-lines parallel each other through Clapham Junction and divide again at Pouparts Junction.
Here, Clan Line drops between the two main-lines as it needs to run via Stewart's Lane Junction to access London-Victoria on the South-Eastern side.
Trivia time. This was the 1st return steam excursion of 2012 anywhere in Great Britain. It was the 1st return steam excursion of 2012 in the London area. In 2011 there were more than 100. This was the first return run of 2012 by Clan Line. In fact it's the first time I've seen Clan Line, as Clan Line, since 13-Aug-2011.In December 2011 Clan Line made 5 runs running as sister engine 35017 Belgian Marine.
It's the first return VSOE Luncheon Special of 2012. In 2011 there were 16 VSOE Luncheon Special's including the four Christmas trains and the 1 Valentine's Day Special. Today's train was the first steam special to run through PUR in 2012. Last year there were 24 steam specials.
PUR is a 6-track, six-platform station. Platform 1 is on the Up Fast and is little used. About 14 trains per hour pass Platform 1 bound for London-Victoria or London Bridge. The train operators are First Capital Connect, Gatwick Express and Southern. Clan Line ran past Platform 1 and it was nice to see steam on the fast-line. Platforms 2 and 3 form an island. Platform 2 serves the Down Fast and like Platform 1 is little used. It's now fenced off from Platform 3 which is where I stood so I had to film over the fence. Platform 2 has 14 fast trains per hour bound for Gatwick Airport (4 Gatwick Express trains), Horsham, Brighton, Lewes and other South-Coast destinations. Two per hour First Capital Connect for Brighton. All other Down Fast trains are Southern.
Platform 3 is the Up relief where four Southern trains per hour call. Two for London-Victoria and two for London Bridge. Platforms 4 and 5 form the 2nd island at Purley. Platform 4 is the Down relief and is served by two Southern trains per hour to Horsham and two Southern trains per hour to Tonbridge. Platform 5 is the Up slow served by five Southern trains per hour. Two to London Bridge and two to London-Victoria. The fifth train is an hourly shuttle that terminates at PUR and runs to and from Tattenham Corner. Platform 6 is next to the still-used goods yard and is the Down Slow and has four Southern trains per hour. Two to Caterham and two to Tattenham Corner.

The station at PUR was opened by the London & Brighton Railway on 12th July 1841 and was called Godstone Road. The following year Parliament decided that the South Eastern Railway route from Oxted should be abandoned and that the London & Brighton Railway had to give their main-line to the South Eastern company. You see, politicians were strange even 169 years ago so don't be surprised if they do stupid things today. So, in 1842 Godstone Road station served South Eastern trains to Tonbridge and London & Brighton trains to Hayward's Heath.

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