LMS 5699 The Winter Cumbrian Coast Express 4/3/17.

45699 near Silverdale on the return .

 

Footage of 45699 flying past a dull and wet Arnside this evening.

 

Galatea at Shap Wells, Nethertown and Seascale.


https://www.flickr.com/photos/iancawthorne/32868197370/


https://www.flickr.com/photos/iancawthorne/33095138252/


https://www.flickr.com/photos/iancawthorne/32868204960/

 

Many trips in the last year or two have had diesel assistance that arguably could have done OK without. It would be interesting to know what tipped the balance against it this time.

 

There is probably only one contributor to NP qualified to offer an insight about that decision making process and would have done so before now if he was of a mind.

 

Market forces? I know from the Buxton trip that there were many conversations about the unsold seats and even a Steward conceded a loss of confidence in the market.

More recently, @meltonnorth has acted in a way to restore credit with postings on here reassuring potential customers. His posts about this tour were open and frank. I for one could have understood assistance yesterday due combination of an extra coach being added before a more powerful loco failed. It was a confident decision to run unassisted. The result looks excellent.

 

Must admit the speed of the climb from Greenholme had me convinced a can was on the rear but I was glad to be proved wrong with a stunning show from crew and loco .

 

It seems to me that morning path is a bit marginal. A look at RTT suggests that there is maybe a 10-15 minute margin for the crucial decision to loop at Grayrigg. If the preceding VT and TPE run late or the CME is slow away from Carnforth, that margin can get eaten up. Then you are looped at Grayrigg for the Glasgow, pass Tebay at 50 instead of 70, looped at Penrith for the Edinburgh, 30- 40 late into Carlisle and late out to the coast. That's the risk. Maybe if the weather forecast had been wet with 40mph winds the decision may have been different-- other circumstances. When I saw Oxenholme 1141, I breathed a sigh of relief, it was going to work. Great.

 

That's an interesting spin. So it's ok for VT and TPE to be a bit tardy having an impact on the Charter path? That happened when Galatea first ran the route. We were held up by the TPE. That meant a late start from Carnforth and the fantastic sight of Oliver Cromwell chasing Galatea up Shap.

VT and TPE have their responsibilities too. If they run late and create a delay then THEY are at fault for subsequent knock on effects. We have to stop beating ourselves up.

 

My post was not about who is responsible. Take a look at RTT, responsibility could be back in the Manchester area, and late running of the Tesco train has in the past had knock on effects. My point is very simple. The CME is due to pass Grayrigg at 1152. If it gets there after say 1205 for whatever reason and the Glasgow is on time at Oxenholme (1206), it's going to get looped. I'm not beating anyone up. I'm saying that that is the key risk to consider. Actually the most important section is the one between Carnforth and Oxenholme. Well done to all those who prepared Galatea and to Mr Chipperfield and crew for doing it in the scheduled time yesterday.

 

And the point I am making is that it is perceived as OK for the TPE or VT to be late and delay the Charter and there not to be any knock on effects for the later VT?

 

Just back home from this trip. It was really good and especially as blessed with good weather until the end. Galatea was a worthy substitute. RTC can't be faulted on this one, and my confidence is returning!

John

 

I think that it was Britannia hot on the heels of Galatea, not Oliver Cromwell that day!

 

Yesterday's trip was my 4th Northbound over Shap behind a Jubilee

45690 9/2009 Load 10 24 mph at Shap Summit
45699 10/2013 Load 10 14 mph at Shap Summit
45699 2/2014 Load 11 15 mph at Shap Summit
45699 3/2017 Load 11 28 mph at Shap Summit

The first it was steam from Preston, while for the others it was Carnforth.

 

Which means that this same loco was delivering a lot more power yesterday than on those previous runs. We can only surmise the reasons, but probably all of crew skill, coal quality and loco condition.

 

Indeed it was. All these BR Standard Class 7's look alike

 

Actually, Yes it is ok!
NR will Nearly always delay a charter if it means keeping the FOCs trains running to time. The NR performance regime that all operators had to sign up to demands it....
A charter train that is delayed gets paid peanuts in delay penalties in comparison to delaying an FOCs train.

 

That TPE is often late but I have been lucky on the CCE/CME so far