The Sunset Steam Express with 34046 Braunton, 61306 Mayflower and 70000 Britannia - Summer 2023

Steam Dreams Sunset Steam Express made a return for a 4th year, and this year would see a variety of locomotives haul the service from London Victoria to Chertsey and back via the Surrey hills.
The trips would run weekly on Tuesdays from 4th July till 29th August, omitting 1st August as the stock was needed elsewhere for a Saphos Trains excursion on the 2nd. There was also a run which started the season on Thursday 22nd June.
The first three runs were advertised to be 61306 Mayflower, however the first and third were instead hauled by 34046 Braunton. The run on 22nd June is seen at White Down Ln with 34046 reaching the summit of Gomshall bank. Onto the weekly Tuesday trips now, with the 4th July run with 61306 seen in rather wet conditions passing Gomshall station. A week later Braunton is seen pounding through Chilworth viewed from the bridge near the station.
The rest of the season hereon was rostered for 70000 Britannia, which would be a real treat to have a loud Brit barking its way through the Surrey hills on a weekly basis. Starting from the 18th July with the light fading, Britannia is seen passing the bridge just after Redhill station. A week later a chase was made and captures the Brit at Lyne Ln near Virginia Water, departing the Chertsey waterstop with the train living up to its name, and Gomshall station. A less intensive chase was made the following week, with the train shown passing through a field near Egham, and Hackhurst Ln near Gomshall. Here, the Brit could be heard all the way from Shalford for at least 8 minutes prior to its passing. The following week was the real highlight however, as the Brit is captured from Shere Heath, with the regulator wide open and plenty of whistling for us all on the bridge.
The following week, disaster struck, as Britannia failed at Chilworth with her right hand crosshead failing and requiring to be removed. The train sat there for over 2 hours while the motion was removed, before the diesel dragged the train back to Guildford, and then Victoria, to detrain passengers. Having been waiting at Betchworth, no shot was achieved of this run.
It therefore came as no surprise to see 61306 Mayflower rostered for the final run on 29th Aug. What did come as a surprise however was the change of route, as this run would instead reach Guildford via Tooting, Wimbledon & Weybridge. With the train avoiding Chertsey, water would instead be taken at Guildford before travelling back to Victoria via the Surrey hills, though a bit later than usual. With that in mind, Mayflower is seen chasing yellows through a rather wet Hersham, before ending the season in style through a well lit Reigate station.
It was another rewarding summer filming these runs, and nice to have some variety, and more importantly, the Brit, hauling the trains through the Surrey hills. A pity the latter ended up with a failure on its penultimate run. I look forward to what next year brings, maybe even with just as much variety locomotive wise!
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[@SimonTog]

Good video Thomas :)

[@themodster]

Cheers Simon!

[@iandocwra1169]

It's a wonder we didn't bump into each other a few times, as these are most of the locations I used - obviously on different days! Very nice.

[@themodster]

Cheers Ian. My usual plan with this is to do locations based on when the longest day was, in order to get the most daylight as possible. Equally, I wanted to save the best spots for the Brit, having filmed 61306 along there enough times. Thomas

[@callumthornelow2936]

Brilliant footage Thomas. 👍 Doesn't matter if it's the exhaust or whistle, Britannia will make a good noise. 😉

[@themodster]

Thanks Callum. It was always going to be a treat to see her on this route. Just a pity it ended sooner than expected.

[@UK_Railways319]

AYE its Chris 10:17 driving

[@themodster]

He was on most if not all the trips, lovely crews they are. Thomas

[@kipsome45]

I’m generally more of a diesel man as a rule, but the Brit does have a very distinctive staccato exhaust beat.

[@themodster]

Love the sound of a Brit. Knew it would be good through the Surrey hills. Thomas

[@locomotive6727]

Hi Thomas, Great compilation, shame about Britannia,,,,...Dave 😀👍👍👍👍🚂🚂🚂🚃🚃🚃

[@themodster]

Thanks Dave. Yes indeed, it was a long wait at Betchworth for nothing to turn up but can't be helped.