Steam to the Rescue?

Hi all,

A thoroughly positive Friday afternoon topic here (hopefully!)

A friend of mine was telling me about an incident where the 'Blue Pullman' ended up being rather embarrassingly rescued by a GWR Prairie tank near the end of steam, and it got me thinking- presumably this was not an uncommon thing when diesels were new?

However- have there been any instances of this (or similar) happening more recently or any particularly remarkable instances from the dim and distant past?

The two that immediately come to mind are -Tornado in the snow picking up commuters and 61264 last year at some point picking up commuters with its support coach on its way somewhere?- Possibly 7827 Lydham Manor coming to the aid of a stranded 'Bittern' on one of the Torbays as well?



Chris

 

5690 rescued a failed 25 on a freight train over the S&C famously in the early 80's.

 

Is this the incident mentioned here? I wonder if the cine film ever got uploaded?

https://www.national-preservation.com/threads/the-leander-incident.26119/

Chris

 

I think Goodrington Bank has caught a few out - Tangmere had to be rescued by a 2-8-0 tank
Plus Bittern had same trouble

Wasn't the B1 a case of the timetabled unit didn't arrive and they all piled into the support coach as she was making her way off the NYMR?

 

In the late 80s / early 90s, a preserved 8F that happened to be in steam at Carlisle was summoned South. There had been a chemical spill and steam was an ideal way of clearing the tracks. Technically that 8F became a PW train.

 

I remember there was a picture of it appeared in steam railway.

 

Staem rescuing failed diesels was so common in the 1960s that BR was concerned for the reputation of the new traction, foisted on to the public at massive expense. They were sufficiently concerned that instructions were given that, in future, no referrence was to be made in announcements to 'diesel failure' but instead to 'locomotive failure', the thinking being that the public regarded diesels as 'engines' while 'locomotives' were steam.

A few years ago, the 8F Society's magazine contained a photo of a Black Five drawing a passenger train because of the failure of the original diesel engine. Between the tender and the train were TWO Peak class diesels. I pity the poor fireman with that lot!

 

Seem to remember vaguely either 850 or Wells on a York Circular, working all stations to Leeds from York, due to a failed unit, mid 80's

 

Also definitely 850 at Settle Jct. rescuing a tanker train & EE type 4, about late 70's

 

And a bit nearer home an Steam dreams railtour picking up commutors , from clapham wasnt it, i think it was a Poole to waterloo and return working,

 

Thought it was a class 40.

 

Does anyone have pictures of any of these occurrences? Even in the pre digital era some of the above mentioned must have caused a bit of a stir?!

 

I remember that at Reading in the early 60's, I think the term used was "Engine Failure" instead of "Diesel Failure".
Of course at a time when Warships/Westerns & Hymeks were dropping like flies. At least the Warships & Westerns could struggle on for a while on one engine.

 

I can remember being on Carnforth up main line platform one day in June or July 1968 when a D.M.U. on a Windermere - Morecambe service turned up behind a tender-first Black 5.
This was the only time I ever saw this happen & took advantage of my Rover ticket to have a ride.

Bob.

 

That certainly happened, I have a book with a pic of 5690 towing a failed 40 and freight into I think Garsdale.

 

Apologies!

 

Didn't 4498 rescue a ballast train near Settle sometime in the 1980s?

 

Sounds vaguely familiar. Was it a 25?

 

I think it was.