Scotsman set to open for Steam Dreams season
UNLESS the overall Covid-19 pandemic situation changes, Steam Dreams owner and chairman David Buck said that the first of this year's trips will now be opened by A3 4-6-2 No. 60103 Flying Scotsman.
Departing London Victoria, it will head a luncheon train over the Surrey Hills route on May 20 and follow this later in the day with an evening ‘sunset' diner running on the same 80-mile route via Reigate and Dorking.
Paddington to Oxford direct sees Scotsman departing on May 23. A local trip is timed to leave Oxford Parkway at 12.55pm, returning at 5.25pm.
On May 27, the Pacific is booked to depart from Paddington for Salisbury via Reading West, Worting Junction and Andover. A local tour is due to depart Salisbury at 3.05pm, returning at 5.30pm.
The A3 heads for Southampton on June 6, followed by a local tour of the Hampshire countryside.
Departing King's Cross for Cambridge on June 17, an afternoon circular tour of East Anglia is due to take place before the morning train returns to London.
Portsmouth and the Isle of Wight are destinations on June 20, with the tour including a local trip around surrounding countryside.
Circulars
Finally, Scotsman makes its last trip this season under the Steam Dreams banner with three outings in Scotland on June 25. The first is a morning tour and the second an afternoon trip. The A3's visit concludes with an evening diner.
All three trains make a circular tour via the Forth Bridge into Fife heading towards Kirkcaldy, before returning to Edinburgh Waverley. It is understood that some of these trains are fully booked.
Different locomotives will be rostered for other late spring and summer tours, including a June 6 trip to Southampton and the Isle of Wight running direct from Paddington. A local tour of Hampshire leaves Southampton at 2.30pm arriving back at 4.30pm.
A trip to Weymouth on July 31 calls at Reading, Basingstoke and Southampton. As is usual practice, the train will be diesel-hauled back to Southampton, where steam takes over for the return journey via Romsey, Laverstock, Andover and Basingstoke.
Motive power for these trips is due to be B1 4-6-0 No. 61306 Mayflower or locomotives provided by the Carnforth fleet.
The ‘Windsor Steam Express' departures from London Victoria are due to commence on Tuesday, June 1 and are booked to run weekly on Tuesdays until September 21. The ‘Sunset' diners run on the Tuesday evenings taking the Surrey Hills route from London Victoria.