35028 Clan Line shines in the bank holiday sun on the Atlantic Coast Express | 23/5/26

Today’s video is of SR Merchant Navy Class 4-6-2 35028 Clan Line hauling RYTC’s “The Atlantic Coast Express” from London Waterloo to Exeter. The train travelled along the classic ACE route of old, out of Waterloo and via the SWML through Woking to Basingstoke before taking the West of England Mainline through Salisbury, Yeovil Junction and up Honiton Bank for an afternoon break in Exeter. The return travelled on a more GWR style route, through Taunton, Bristol, Westbury and back to Salisbury whereupon the outward route was followed back to the Capital. Today also saw some of the hottest temperatures of the year so far, with beautiful sunny weather all day! As a result, this tour was under Amber fire caution risk level. Some days are wins, others are pure losses. Today likely falls into the latter category unfortunately! I headed to catch the 6:40 from my local, which was necessary to get to Honiton. Unfortunately, when I got to the station, the train left well ahead of its booked departure time, meaning I now couldn’t make my planned first shot at Honiton Tunnel to watch 35028 attacking the 1 in 66 bank. Instead, I headed down to Exeter on the next train, planning to decide whether to proceed to Feniton or to Axminster. In the end, I chose Feniton due to the single line charm, which was a huge mistake, as here 35028 was seen coasting past at 30mph and unfortunately the entire village came out, which included one guy who said he wouldn’t get in my shot and then proceeded to be about as in it as possible. Feniton also proved to be another error when a signalling issue shut down Exmouth Junction whilst I was waiting for a service back to Exeter. This should have been easy to do, and had I done Axminster, I’d have gone through the affected area prior to the incident. Unfortunately, suspecting a prolonged issue and the cancellation of my service, I headed out on foot in the blistering sun towards Ottery St Mary to get a bus, before the line was reinstated and I had to head back to catch a faster service to Exeter. This train arrived in Exeter St Davids mere minutes after 35028’s departure and most certainly prevented me getting my planned shot at Tiverton Parkway. After this, I chased 35028 to Bristol Temple Meads, where a simple pass through the Up through followed by a service to Keynsham was the plan. Due to late running in the Weston Super Mare area, however, 35028 arrived at Bristol 13 late, and stopped. My attempts to get the Weymouth service to Keynsham as 35028 pulled in were futile, and so a departure shot is all that was featured, which looked lovely in the sun and made a decent noise. 35028 then pulled in for a water stop at Bristol East. The next train to Keynsham was the 18:45, and given how the day had gone I wasn’t particularly willing to gamble on 35028 remaining late after her water stop, so I headed to Bath on a faster service. In the end Keynsham would have been possible, though I suspect I would have been bowled and the shot at Bath was enjoyable, with 35028 lightly chattering through a busy GWR station. With that slightly disappointing day over, I headed home. Thank you to everyone I spoke to today and to 35028 and her crews as always, and though today really did not go as planned, I hope you can still enjoy the result.