Dalesman 2020

The Chester originating ones appear to be advertised as WCML to Carlisle with steam on at Carnforth, then steam all the way through to Preston on the return. Essentially the same format as a London Euston originating CME.

 

Odd, you've of thought been easier to find paths Carnforth - Hellifield - S&C than via Shap midweek. Interesting though, might look into one of these...

 

Maybe the routeing will change when the Hellifield DGL is fixed.

 

I suspect that this may be more to do with journey times.

Via the Little North Western the times were,
Chester d 07.48, Carlisle a 14.20, Carlisle d 16.36, Chester a 22.35

Via the WCML
Chester d 07.48, Carlisle a 12.36, Carlisle d 15.15, Chester a 20.42

The good folks of Chester (and @RalphW) are back 2 hours earlier.

 

The Dalesman (Western Route) 12 May 2020 – Cancelled

This was to have been my first Dalesman of the season. Last year I managed to “squeeze in” 2 by the western route and 6 from the east; this year I had planned to do more. The western route is a CME by another name; originating in Chester with steam from Carnforth out over Shap and return by the S&C, Wilpshire Bank and back to Preston for diesel haulage back to Chester. WCRC prices these trips competitively and I have only a short drive to Leyland where there is (was?) 24 hour parking for a £1 – probably my least expensive day out with main line steam.

I started last year’s Dalesmans with a trip behind 6201 on her return to the big railway; it was not a day without its problems, none linked to the loco. I wonder which loco would have been out today; Alberta a tour de force on the Cotton Mill, Leander a couple of cracking runs over this route last year, SG always a delight, Lizzie big and a visual treat, BIL quiet but capable of an exceptional performance. We will never know. I try to assuage my disappointment by telling myself that it has been so dry we would probably have had a tail gunner foisted on us but knowing deep down that it has probably not been dry enough for long enough – yet!

I had booked this trip months ago but with Boris’s steady(?) hand on the tiller I judged that steam is unlikely to run for the foreseeable future; at least any steam that I would feel safe enough to travel on. It is the only booking that I had with WCRC and reluctantly I opted for a refund, but as yet I have heard nothing.

I have been including in these reports segments that are intended to show just how much my family history is coincidentally intertwined with the route of the CME (and DalesmanW). Here is the bit I had prepared for today’s run,

[About 1½miles to the east of Yealand summit is situated Dalton (Old) Hall. This was the home of my 27 greats grandfather Roger de Crofte who was Lord of the Manor of Dalton around 1150. (Roger was the 13 greats grandfather of Christopher Croft of Rowell). The de Croftes were of Norman descent and down the generations several individuals held lordships in various parts of north Lancashire including all the route of the railway from Carnforth to Westmorland. The first President of the USA, George Washington was also a descendant of the de Croftes – thankfully Oswald has no known links to the current president. It is yet another coincidence that the de Croftes were Norman, I had an uncle who was a Norman – Uncle Norman (and Auntie Alice) who lived near the summit of Baxenden Bank].

I must admit that I’m a bit puzzled after watching Boris on tv last night, he told me that on Wednesday I should go to the park, alone, where I will meet someone with 2 meters; presumably a representative of my energy supplier who has been pestering me to install smart meters. But Boris didn’t give me a time. Am I supposed to fit them myself? Are they part of the “Track and Trace”? I’m not sure that he’s up to the job! On Sunday he told me to return to work from tomorrow. So early Monday morning I set off for Ashton-under-Lyne; where I last worked before retiring. What a waste of time that was the office had been demolished and a huge IKEA built in its place. However, whilst I was there I bought a flat-pack desk and spent all of Monday afternoon assembling it, but despite my best efforts it remained a bit rickety. Ever helpful, Mrs W suggested that I had a screw loose. Me or the desk?!

Oswald did not leave the building at any time.

 

Thanks for the penultimate paragraph. It should be in "Things which cheer me up".

Cheers, Neil

 

"It is yet another coincidence that the de Croftes were Norman, I had an uncle who was a Norman – Uncle Norman (and Auntie Alice) who lived near the summit of Baxenden Bank]"

Was their surname Holland and did they go on to start the famous meat and potato pie factory established thereabouts by any chance?

 

If only! Holland’s Factory was alongside the railway line. If in the NW I can recommend Clayton Park Meat & Potato pies, made in Clayton le moors. Larger and tastier than Holland’s with thin crispy pastry.

 

Poole's pies of Wigan were always a must visit opposite NW Station. Don't know if they are still going?

 

Pies! Bloody hell I fancy a decent a meat and tattie pie right now! Little bit of gravy and some mushy peas! Yummers! This should really go in the food thread.

 

Thanks Neil. Times are tough but there is no point being miserable about it; keeping a smile on your face may make you feel a bit better. I am finding it increasingly difficult to keep smiling with all of this "staying alert". I haven't slept since Boris first commanded us to "STAY ALERT" then added, "well probably, if you feel that it's the right thing for you to do in a modern liberal democracy . . . mumble, waffle, mumble . . ." If the PM tells me to stay alert then stay alert I will - although I must admit I may have nodded off for a few minutes last night. Mrs W asked me what I am watching or listening for. That is not the point as she very well knows!

 

And before anyone else says it:

Be alert - Britain needs lerts!

No, be aloof - there are too many lerts!

No, be alert - there's safety in numbers!

JS

 

Sorry, John, to be the bearer of sad news: https://www.wigantoday.net/news/end-era-pooles-pies-closes-down-198833

 

Times now up on RTT for the first Dalesman of the year from York on 7 July. Six hours from York to Carlisle--- it looks as if the down goods loop is still not OK for passenger trains, so the fester outside Skipton is still required. Just at the moment, with that restriction at Hellifield, the Chester Dalesman timetable works quite a bit better than the original York.

 

Note that the recent introduction of the thrice daily Skipton - Appleby service in July might have some consequence if paths are limited

 

Been gone for quite a while by the look of it and the shop opposite Wigan NW even longer.

 

Some of the LSL paths have already been uploaded on TSDB and therefore RTT. There are some adjacent freight paths which may well be non runners, for example to and from Drax and Fiddlers Ferry. Hopefully some sort of agreement will be reached between LSL and the FOC's

Cheers, Neil.

 

Fiddlers Ferry is shut, so not much call for those paths except for the FOC to keep hold of them for possible future use.

 

West Coast website now saying Dalesman tours will not start until at least the 28th of July sadly.