5043 -The Christmas White Rose - 9/12/17

Great footage from Arley Bank thanks for uploading AlexGWR1994

I was at Burbage Common near Hinckley and what a sound the Castle made on the approach to the foot crossing you could hear 5043 well before she came into view.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/10257146@N05/38055768635/in/dateposted/

 

Thats a cracker Simon

 

ILN to EMD 18m 13s.
EMD to LEI 31m 57s, only 48 max on up fast after Syston.

Things perked up away from MML.
LEI to NUN 25m 44s. 64 max before Croft, min 51 before Hinckley then rallied to 64 before Nuneaton.

 

Thanks Henry appreciate that coming from a top photter like your good-self. It was the perfect morning to be out and only three of us at the foot crossing but many more on the one further up the line. Sadly the light didn't last for when we went over to see 46100 working to Lincoln.

 

Henry Elliott FRSTP
pmsl

 

NUN to CEH 20m 55s. Good climb to Arley Tnl, loco audible from back of train. Into Tnl 46 mph, but cautious down other side.

 

They sure are beautiful machines. (Castles)

Many thanks to those who have posted pics and vids.

 

Top marks to the folk who turn the Castle out looking like that. A fine sight on a cold winter day.

 

Yes indeed. It was hideously remiss of me not to acknowledge them first and foremost!

 

Indeed I must

 

Whaaat a racket, incredible!

ULLESKELF INGS

 

My offerings from yesterday

 

To add to this, I had to get off at Nuneaton, which is a bit unusual, so I took the opportunity to stand and watch it disappear around the corner to Abbey Lane. I walked off as the sound disappeared and then when we were half way down the platform, someone turned the noise on again loud and clear, and we stood and listened for several minutes until it suddenly stopped as the loco entered Arley tunnel. My OS map tells me that the tunnel entrance was just over three and a half miles away. Most of Nuneaton must have got to hear it!
Regards
Bob

 

Here's my log of the outward trip.

Too many timing points, but not a route I know well and want to pick out the locations for max and min speeds, changes of gradient etc.

Whilst the route may not have many set piece climbs I suspect all those slacks make it a harder proposition than say a simple run down the ECML from the 'Cross, despite the shorter distance.

Load 10 plus water carrier 99610. Need to check the weight - I can see it's 'plated' (painted) as 30 tons tare but is there more to add for any strengthening, pipework and the water vessels? From previous gen I'm assuming 3,000 gallons of water weighing say 13 1/2 tons so say 45 tons gross at the start? This would give a gross load behind the tender of say 424 tons.

Lying snow at Tyseley and some fantastic videos posted of the climb to Arley Tunnel in the early morning sunshine. My only previous steam run on this section was Feb 2017 with Tornado on a similar load, which the Earl beat by a minute on the uphill section from Whitacre Jn to Arley (or Stockingford) Tunnel West end.

The booked pathing stop at Whitacre was not required, so we were early at Nuneaton.

There appeared to be clearance slacks at Hinckley and Barrow upon Soar.

We used the high level goods lines at Trent, and ran parallel with Taunton - Lincoln Spl, 2 x 67 top and tail.

Mayor in full regalia was there to meet us at Ilkeston, where we were the first steam hauled train to call at the newly-reopened station.

GWR 5619 was in the Midland Rly Centre headshunt at Ironville Jn.

Checked at Masborough by Cleethorpes - Manchester Airport 185.

Delay to watering at Pontefract. Took the Leeds lines from Church Fenton after an unexplained signal stop during which no other trains passed. Perhaps signalman was checking the route?

Power Outputs
Arley ( 1:132) 1,384 edhp @ 46 mph
Codnor Park ( 1:258) - 1,365 edhp @ 55 mph
Doe Hill ( 1:230) 937 edhp @ 61 mph
Bolton - Frickley ( 1:150) 1,066 edhp @ 63 mph
Colton Jn ( Level) 1,197 @ 62 mph

Return trip to follow.

 

So here's my log of the return.

ECML to Doncaster and slowly increased speed to a max of 73 at Balne. Then checked before Donny.

Nice noise on the mile or so at 1:112 past Hexthorpe Jn.

Water taken after Mexborough on the freight loop near Thrybergh Jn. Then delayed by more service trains.

Uninspiring running on the Midland Main Line, slow lines after Toton.

Perked up after Leicester, nice climb after Elmesthorpe worth say 1,063 edhp on the 1:162.

But the highlight undoubtedly was the acceleration on the climb to Arley Tunnel, entered at 46 mph.
Calcs from a couple of different bases suggest 1,729 and 1,744 edhp on the 1:126, although I should probably reduce the weight a tad as I would assume rather less water in the carrier? Still a very nice way to finish off.

After Coleshill I was more concerned at driving back to Bristol before the approaching bad weather than the running. We were lucky really, as folk would have had great difficulty in getting to Tyseley had it run on the Sunday.

Let's hope Clun Castle is as good!

Power Outputs
Moss ( Level) 778 edhp @ 73 mph
Hexthorpe Jn ( 1:112) 836 edhp @ 26 mph
Morton ( 1:160) 949 edhp @ 40 mph
Elmesthorpe ( 1:162) 1,063 edhp @ 55 mph
Arley Tunnel ( 1:126) 1,729 edhp @ 43 mph

 

Looking back at this log, it occurs to me that as a presentation of VT’s penultimate 2017 outing, it provides a timely memento of the passing of an era now that, as things have turned out, Vintage Trains is going to be subjected to an enforced interregnum before its coronation as a full-bloodied TOC. Very glad that Sean was there to chronicle this outing; and I would just reflect that, as swan-songs go, the climb from Nuneaton to Arley Tunnel on the return, so graphically described by Bob Meanley, might be characterised as a memorable “Last Post” as it brought down the (almost) final curtain on the pre-TOC era.

Inevitably, as and when VT get back onto the main line in a serious way, the focus of attention will shift to Clun Castle, and no doubt expectations will be high based on the trail of strong main line performances that the Earl has blazed over the best part of the last decade. Definitely “a big act to follow”, and I for one would be very disappointed to see 5043 playing second fiddle to Clun in the future main line programme for so long as its main line ticket has left to run; I’m sure that VT has much bigger things to think about for the time being, but I do hope that in due course VT will continue to give to at least equal prominence to this magnificent machine for the duration.