LMS 45699 Galatea The Pennine Limited 3/03/18.

There has been much talk of the 'Beast from the East' well this is the 'Beast from the West', 'Galatea' racing through Lancaster with Mick Rawling driving and Frank Chippendale on the shovel with 'The Pennine Limited'



Absolutely bitter today but 'Galatea' put on a real show climbing Copy Pit with the return leg of 'The Pennine Limited' Mick Kelly driving and Martin Soames on the shovel

 

Brilliant Shep especially Copy Pit . Did you order the clag ?

 

Or the 'Best from the West'

 

Couple of superb pictures Shep - thanks for freezing your shutter button finger off for us!

 

But how much extra water does steam heat require?

 

Just give it a rest.

 

The second one, thats the one with the WOW factor, its a stunner Shep...

 

Nothing wrong with steam heat, I travelled with it regularly in the 50's,60's, and 70's. Much nicer heat, electric is much too dry (and too hot), and gives me a sore throat. Anyway it's more appropriate, and realistic for steam trains.

 

Southbound through Brock at 08:13, with the cold east wind I was the only photographer there...

 

As I am sure you know Ralph, if the steam heat piping is properly functional and most of the top lights are opened a crack but not more than recommended, there are no draughts, no condensation and it is warm.

 

That is a perfectly reasonable policy argument and I do accept it was exceptionally cold yesterday. However, trains seem to have run with 45699 using steam rather than electric heat regularly, often with more coaches than yesterday so its perhaps understandable if there is some confusion about the function of the diesel.
As far as I can see the rear loco was there as a reasonable precaution in the circumstances with the added benefit of ETH supply. The only surprise to me is that it was a late decision to add the rear loco, given the itinerary and forecast.

 

Completely agree, under the circumstances, and no brainer for me, what would people want, a longer day, temperamental heat, and no fall back in case of a problem.

Justified in my view.

 

what apart from the hour or two when the Locomotive is being serviced? Mk 1's cool down very quickly in sub-zero temperatures!

 

Give it a rest Ralph. My comment had nothing to do with the operational reasons that decided WCR to tag a diesel on the back. I just pointed out that your claim about the effectiveness of steam heating was incorrect. However, @sycamore has a valid point in his post above.

 

Particularly given this was the first train of the day northbound over Copy Pit. The conditions up there must have been uncertain. Fabulous photos and video!

 

It does baffle me how people are prepared to have this same argument in I presume every thread in here. I only look in on maybe one or two threads a year in this section that are pertinent to me and I see it almost every time, and *I'm* bored of it, how those folk who contribute in this section more often have the stamina to go on and on about it in each thread I don't know.

 

In what way did I ignore James' comments, I even referenced them for goodness sake and concurred on the rationale? Just because somebody challenges YOUR opinion about steam heat efficacy your sanctimonious bleating begins again, inferring some sleight on the rep of a firm you are not a spokesman of, AFAIK. I would refer you to Mr Shuttleworths most recent post in this thread and suggest you act accordingly .....

 

In which case by writing this comment you have just used up about 4 years of the otherwise wasted time you might have saved by just scrolling past the diesel on the back posts!