Although it was calm and pleasant from Crewe to the south coast, a weather front (unusual in August) was forecast to hit Portsmouth while our train was in the city. By Watford Junction where the Hovertravel team boarded, we confirmed that the Hovercraft could not fly (they can't if the wind is above 40mph). The Hoverteam stepped in, providing options, ideas and spoke to every table of participants on the train. Many opted for the Class 37 mini-trip 'Cosham Completer' to Eastleigh boosting our donation to the RNLI - it's an ill (Solent) wind that blows no good... A revised date for the Hovercraft and IOW tube train trips was quickly arranged.

On arrival at Portsmouth I did something that I don't normally do. I passed my phone to my better half and got her to take a picture of me by the locos on the buffer stops of Harbour station. I can only say sorry if I photobombed anyone's pictures, but it meant so much finally standing there.

When I started to organise the tour the locos needed a certificate to run over the Southsea to Portsmouth Harbour A3 road underbridge ('RA4' for many years). Double headed trains were banned on Portsmouth Harbour station (effectively a pier) for as many years as most people can remember. Strengthening work to the 'pier' and aforementioned bridge meant that in 2018 we completed something that was impossible in 2016.

I thought Portsmouth was rather good as I had never been around HMS Victory and the people in Coach 'E' on the way home all talked about the different things they had done, seen and wanted to do again. The 'Visit Portsmouth' team wanted people talking about Portsmouth and what it has to offer; here was the coach discussing going back to stay another time. I was off duty heading home so managed to try a pint of the very kindly named 'Captain Dan' as well as one of the 'lifeboat' beers.

By Reading my works phone indicated a major signalling failure on the Trent Valley, but thought we would call at Nuneaton then maybe run via Sutton Park to Penkridge and Stafford. We ended up on the West Coast Main Line with some 16 green signals ahead of us which most tours do not have the pleasure of. Due to a signalling fault our train ran with emergency signalling from Lichfield to Rugeley. Normal traffic was diverted via the West Midlands and we had the Fast lines to ourselves!

Our tour was back at Crewe after 524m 59ch, including the Portsmouth - Eastleigh and return mini-trip, in 17hr 35min (with a break), two minutes early which just shows what can be done!.

The Sun 11 Aug 'Tri County Triple Tractor' with 37706, 37518 & 37669 all on the sharp end was a cracking run back to Lancaster taking over £666 in pay on the day, in addition to advance bookings of £2k (for what was effectively an ECS move) and £337 real ale revenue (3 x 37 how spooky is that?). The atmosphere around both of the days was excellent and raised £10,346 for the RNLI Shannon-class Pwllheli lifeboat appeal; a new lifeboat station is under construction for it. Kev Adlam made a special trip to Pwllheli on Mon 23 Sep to present the cheque on behalf of the Society. On Saturday 5 October 'The Underground Flyer re-inflated' trip with Hovertravel and Island Line took place (the wind was below 40mph!). So the last of the joint Virgin Train specials finally ran but we didn't know then that just four days later (14 Aug) the DfT would announce the winning bid of the West Coast Partnership...

Thanks again to everyone who helped run the train, particularly the enthusiastic RNLI fund raising team who educated participants on how to survive at sea. Next time you sit back and enjoy a day organised by the Society, please remember that it's not always possible to see the background planning that goes on. Normally around 18 weeks to plan a train, sometimes something a little special might take 52 weeks. A few of these bigger things do pop up from time to time - GBFf15 & GBRf18 for example. 2020 has a few BLS things bubbling away but most tours do not take 153 weeks to run! I've just returned from a week in Scotland and it was nice not to have Portsmouth in my head. I will leave you with the words of Michael Caine in the Italian Job: 'Hang on a minute, lads. I've got a great idea...'
































































































Geoff Plumb is our official Society Photographer; https://plumbloco.smugmug.com/ is his website with a great variety of interesting pictures, modern and old. http://bit.ly/2T69Aom has 34 Photos of 'Type 3 to the Sea' with much more detailed captions from which the above were selected