CME 2023

Looks like something had changed by the return journey - no point speculating. There was a very experienced crew, David Blair (doesn't hang about) and Chris Holmes (known for having steam aplenty) - so, a bit of a puzzle. On a personal level, I see from your notes that the rain didn't start until Whalley; my powers as a "rain magnet" seem to have a range of at least 4.5 miles.

 

Came across some quality work near Salterwath in a fixed new handrail.

 

Foreign builders?....

 

That’ll do mentality possibly .

 

I promised some fellow passengers that I'd drop a report in on the train. Here it is.

UK Steam Hauled Tour 941; 2023 tour 8.

Cumbrian Mountain Express 5th August 2023

First rail tour for us since the 3th June's CME, you remember; the one with the Class 37 shoving on the back due to the hot weather until it expired on the way down to Upperby and we had a diesel free remainder of the day. Well it's rained almost every day since so the only issue might be flooding on the roads and railway. The letter with the tickets was a bit non committal about motive power, 35015 or 46115. Big fan of the Scot and wish it had been allowed down to do the Royal Duchy last Sunday; but then we'd have been deprived of the superb day out with 45699 to Par and return.

The usual Saturday morning for us. Up at 5, 2+ hour drive; went in the Corsa 1.2T. Torrential rain a lot of the time; very windy too, but the little car was stable and fine. We still got to Crewe in just over 2 hours and had another excellent breakfast in the Brocklebank. Train due out at 0918 so we were on Platform 11 well before that time. A couple of stewards and a decent number of passengers were on the platforms. 86259 rolled in with the Premier Dining Carriages on the front, making our seats in the middle of the ninth carriage once the locomotive and POB were added to the front. The weather had relented and as we got further north it didn't look as if it had been raining this morning.

Word came through that we had 35018 today with David Blair driving; Chris Holmes firing for him. An excellent crew. Been a long time since we'd been out on a train driven by David. We were wondering how he'd handle the enigmatic 35018. RTC's MD Kelly was on the train in a Steward's tabard. Must find time to have a chat. In Carnforth loop, the only time we were sure the big Bulleid was on the front was when the distinctive 'hooter' sounded when David was ready to depart with our 11 Carriage train that now seems to be the 'standard' for the CME. We were a bit late as the TPE from Manchester Airport to Edinburgh was running 8 late. When wasn't it late on CME Saturdays? Answers on a postcard...

Out of the loop and past a number of folk photographing on Carnforth Station. After that it's an immediate 3/4m+ charge to the foot of Yealand Bank. Usually gives us an idea of the kind of day it's going to be. On a good day, 40 at the summit. More usually, mid 30s. Couldn't hear a thing from where we were. We passed mp6 3/4 before the start of the 134r at 32.4. No 40 at the summit then. We passed mp8, a mile in at 33.5 and then gained speed to pass mp9 at 36.5 and then the summit at 37.6. A more Class 8 than Class 7 climb.

Down the other side with the best part of 4 miles of favourable gradients to mp13, the foot of the 13 mile long drag to Grayrigg Bank. Will we get to 70 before mp13 this time? Good chance by the way David drove down the grade. We dropped down the bank past Mp10 3/4 at 59.2. 5 mph faster than in May. David then had 35018 purring along and we picked up to 66.4 as we came off the level, with the momentum leading to 67.5 being taken onto the 173r at mp123. Not 70 but in the conditions fine, which the weather wasn't! Dull sky making the Lakeland fells, what we could see of them, more like the fells they are not a holiday haunt. Into the climb now and a mile in, rain virtually stopped, 35018 went past mp14 at 64.7 and mp15 at 61.9. Dropped off more than we hoped and as we passed mp16, the start of the 3/4m steeper 153r, at 61.1. 6 mph quicker than the May CME. We hit a respite then, 3/4m of 392r where we peaked at 63.1 but left past mp17 1/4 at 62.6. Not bad and 40+ at the summit still possible. On to the mile of 111r 35018 didn't give much to it, and we left it past mp118 1/4 at decent 57.5.

All drivers like to put on a 'bit of a show' through Oxenholme and we heard a bit of noise on the mile of 176r. Mid way we passed mp18 3/7 at 56.3 and picked up to 57 through the station. That was 8 mph quicker than May's CME. We came off the 176r at mp192.1/2, at 56, and that took us onto the wicked 3/4 mile of 104r. This bit but we still took 51.5 past mp20 1/4 onto a bit of 213r, 51.4. No fun for Chris, our fireman this bank. We were on the 3/4m 124r now and left it at mp 21 1/4 at 49.5, 7 mph faster than May. Fingers still crossed for a 40mph+ summit speed. Next followed 2 miles+ of slightly eased 131r that saw a really solid climb. 3/4m in, mp22, passed at 47.8; mp23 passed at 46.5 and then we hit the change of gradient to the steeper 106r, mp23 3/4, at 46.8. We heard BIL back in carriage 9 as the big Bulleid more than dug in. We passed Lambrigg, mp24 1/4 at 45.6; mp25 at 45; mp25 1/2 at 43.5 as the bank took its toll. We crossed the summit as the gradient eased to 396r at 42.6. Always good to top the summit at over 40.

Over the summit we passed mp26 1/4 in the siding at 45.7 and then dropped down the bank towards the Lune Gorge. We passed Low Gill, mp28, 777r, at 61.6, then David set about using the helpful gradients to prepare the big loco for Shap. We passed mp29 1/4, 425f, at 69.1; mp20, 425f at 72.5; then hit the level track, mp20 1/2 at 73.9. noise carried back as we passed the end of the level section at 74.7. Shap approach is 2 1/4 miles at 146r. Not what you really want with 4 1/4 miles of 75r to follow!. We passed mp31 at 74.5; crossed North Lune Viaduct, mp32 1/4 at 70.5; and came off the section, mp32 3/4 at 67.3. Decent enough, but 2 mph slower than May.

Onto Shap proper and past the first post, mp33 at 66.2. The bank bit and by mp34 speed had fallen to 57.5, speed loss 8.7 mph/mile. Plenty of noise but speed fell steadily. We passed mp35 at 48, speed loss 9.5 mph/mile. Pretty much as expected as you really can't push a Bulleid Pacific too hard on iffy rails with a rail greaser in the vicinity. Onwards and upwards amd we passed mp35 1/2 at 43.5 then mp36 at 40.1, speed loss less at 7.9 mph/mile. With the summit cutting in sight we passed mp36 1/2 at 37; mp36 3/4 at 35.1 and mp37 at 33.4, speed loss 6.7 mph/mile. Into the damp cutting and up the final 1/4 mile to the climbing summit, mp37 1/4 passed at 31.7. In May we passed mp37 1/4 at 27.8 in the dry. Hoped for a speed between 35-40 but you get what you get. David will have pushed the big locomotive as much as he thought safe with the rail conditions he saw in front of him and we didn't feel a slip. Very well driven and Chris provided plenty of steam for him.

Time from mp31 1/2 to mp37 1/4 was 6m 51.6s. We took 7m 4s on 13th May. We passed the Summit Board 38m 12.4s from our Carnforth start; 44m 2s on 13th May.

We were a minute early at Shap Summit after a 5 minutes late start. No mean feat to pick up 6 minutes. What of the descent we wondered? An OK and 58 on 130f, at the site of the old Shap station. Then we had an old fashioned proper run down the 142f to mp41, 70.8. Down the long 125f, mp39 1/2, 65.5; mp41 at 70.8; mp42 at 75.5; mp73, 75.3, and remained in the mid 70s and a little higher at times all the way to the end of the 125f at mp48 1/2, 76.8. Onto 191f for 2 miles that we left at mp51, 71.9; then over a mile of 616f round the tight curve through Penrith North Lakes at 72.9. All downgrade, 539f/186f past mp52 1/2 at 73.8. there's a level section then it's 172f for a bit, mp59 passed at 75.7; then mid 70s down the 228f to mp63. Eased to 71/2 for a few miles then 75 down the 131f before the brakes came in. We passed Upperby at 47 then drifted into Carlisle Citadel Station and came to a stand 67m 32.05s after we left Carnforth loop. A very decent time for the 63 miles at an average speed of 56.5. arrival time was 12:36, some 7 minutes early. Nice one.

We decided not to go into Carlisle and went over to Platform 4 and found space around a table in the 'astro turf' area near the south bays. An American lady was sitting at the table and was quite fascinated at seeing a steam hauled train. She was going to the Wordsworth Festival at Rydall Hall, a few miles from Grasmere. When 35018 came past she told us she couldn't even remember seeing steam hauled trains in the States. She was in her early 70s and only remembers big diesel locomotives at the head of trains.

Off to the 301 Miles from London pub then. Haven't had a Hawkshead Bitter off a hand pump for years. As good as I remembered. Their other ale was from the Wilde Child Micro Brewery in Leeds, unpretentiously named "Dutiful Supremacy". Had to try it. Very decent. More malty that the Hawkshead Bitter. Good to catch up with Vince, a regular steam hauled Railtourer for many years. Think we first met in the late 1980s. Like so many of our old mates he's cut back drastically on touring since the age of the diesel on the back came in. Like me he would seriously like to see Great Western locomotives out on proper steam hauled trains. Shakespeare Expresses do nothing for us and that's all Tyseley's Castles do without their Class 47 in tow.

Went back to Platform 3 and had a chat with Kelly about life, the universe and everything. 42 might have been mentioned though I can't remember the context. Good to see the large number of 'regulars' on this train. The CMEs and Royal Duchys are the best trains in the RTC program as far as many of us are concerned and 'doing' both in 7 days takes us back to the old days. Talking of the old days, it was good to see a Cumbrian Mountain Express headboard on the locomotive. Be nice to see a Royal Duchy headboard on the 20th. We had a third run behind steam this week as on Wednesday our Abergavenny and District Steam Society 'did' the Fish and Chip Special on the Dean Forest Railway behind 9681. Must go down there now and again. 9681 performed well. Not bad food and they laid on a very entertaining deluge accompanied by thunder to make the evening.

Back on the train ready for a right time departure. Wonder what the odds were on the return being a good one. There's a weird tradition going back years that says it won't be. Good outward is usually followed by an ordinary or worse return. Control held us for a 3 minute late departure. What of the 7 miles of 132r to Low House? Runs vary enormously. With a Class 8 and 11, it should be possible to hit the high 40s over Eden Brows. We'd soon see.

We crossed Petterill Bridge Jn at 18.8 and after gentle running passed the beginning of the 132r at 23.4. No bank is good from a cold start after the loco has been damped down for well over an hour. Not a lot of noise - we were now middle of the third carriage - and we only passed mp306, a mile into the 'climb' at 26.6. Not what we hoped for and it didn't get much better as we only passed Cumwhinton, mp304, at 29.1, a bit slower than a poor run on 13th May. Not even any great pick up by mp303, Howe and Co, 36 and speed actually fell to 34 as we passed mp302. It didn't get better by mp301, 33.8 and we crossed Eden Brows Viaduct at a miserable 32.6. mp300 1/4 is the end of the 132r and we passed that at 32.7. One of the slowest runs I can remember. Looked like the old CME syndrome had struck.

Off the climb on the 132f we only crossed Low House Crossing at 43.1. that was really unexpectedly low. Didn't see and tsr notices. Onwards and downwards to mp299, 53.9. then back onto a mile and a half of 132r. Through Armathwaite at 47.2; then down the 220f to the viaduct, 53.2 and into the tunnel at 48.2. Up the 220r to Baron's Wood Tunnels, No.1 entered at only 43.5 and only 44 as we came off the short 132r. We were glad to see the 1 1/2m of 165f but we only got to 60.2 at the end of that. 1/2m of 264r into Lazonby and Kirkoswald, 59.6. We passed mp292, 264f, at 61.1 and picked up to 63.4 on the 1/2m level; then crossed Long Meg, mp291, lev/264r, at 63.1. Bit better running now and up the 264r/132r to Little Salkeld, 57.9; but then a couple of miles of 132r/110r saw speed drop to 50. Only 47.9 through Langwathby on a bit of 195f, and nothing much before mp287, 51.3 after some lev/264r/264d. Some rain then and we just about held our own on the 1 1/2m of 330r, into Waste Bank Tunnel, 50.4. Over Culgaith Crossing on the level at 52.6; then despite some decent noise from the front, speed fell over the 3/4m 132f to 47.2; then over 3/4m 220r to 46.1. on the 490r we'd only recovered to 47.3 at Kirby Thore, mp282. Not good at all. We passed Long Marton, just before mp280, 300f, at 51.8. No effort up the mile and a half of 120r, 52.3 down to 44 as Les announced we'd be stopping at Appleby to take on water. We came to a stand at 1513. Time from Carlisle was 47m 33s against a 44m schedule; 7 down in total. Didn't need that as the schedule from Appleby to Hellifield is a very tightly timed 58 minutes.

Diana popped off the train to get us some ice cream, delicious Jersey Cream Variety. A fellow passenger got back on and said they weren't under the water crane as David had decided they didn't need water. Big 6000 gallon tender on 35018. Long blast on the hooter and everyone piled back on. We'd only been stationery for 7 minutes so left 4 down at 1520. The run to Ais Gill Summit had to be a good one or we'd hold up the following Carlisle-Leeds service.

Light rain was falling as we left so a careful start not to slip. That David achieved and Chris had a good fire shown by a safety valve lift. We passed mp277 on the 440r at 18.4, then after a short level bit and down a mile of 176f, we passed mp275 3/4 at 47.9. Not great but only a short bit of level before the start of the 100r, mp274 1/4, passed at 53.9; way below the 60+ we'd need for a good climb to Ais Gill. We crossed Ormside Viaduct at 53.9 and with not that much noise, we passed mp275, 100r, Mike Notley's start of the 'Blue Riband' section to Ais Gill Summit, at a below par 53.5. Not Class 8 with 11 performance at all. Based on our many years experience we'd be lucky to pass the climbing summit in the low 30s. And that could take close to 30 minutes when we need to get there in 21 minutes to get back on time. This was of course impossible unless we went via the Total Perspective Vortex which we understood was under repair.

The first mile will tell all. We passed mp274 at 48.2. That wasn't good only but we didn't suffer much of a fall to Helm Tunnel, entered at 45.4. Bit of a false dawn as out of the tunnel we only passed mp273 at 42.5. Really surprised at the drop in speed with a Class 8 and only 11. Even 30 at Ais Gill wasn't really that likely. Onwards and upwards

We passed mp272 at 38.5 and needed the respite 1 1/4m of 166r, left at 40.3; then over the 3/4m of 220r, we passed mp269 1/2 at 45 on Crosby Garret Viaduct. Bit of level over the viaduct and through the tunnel got us to 48.6 as we returned to the 100r. Speed dropped immediately and we only passed mp268 at 42. The section through Waitby Rock Cutting to Kirkby Stephen has baffled us for a year or more as the speed loss is often very disproportionate. There's a curve but nothing tight like Dainton in Devon. We hit this invisible wall and only passed mp266 3/4 at 33.6; then through the station, 264r, at 33.2. at least we lost no more speed as we passed mp266 1/2 alongside the Signal Box, at 33.1. The next mile saw a small increase of speed to 35.4at mp266. That didn't last and we only passed mp265 at 32.2. Into Birkett Tunnel at only 28.9 with a short slip that dropped speed to 24.1 at mp264 back out in the sort of daylight. We still had 4 miles to go to the summit.

At mp263 3/4 we hit the final respite, 3/4m of 330r. Chris must have maintained a good fire as speed rose to 34 by the end of it. It times gone by we used to have a charge around Mallerstang to the summit. Sometimes even picking up speed. Not to be but speed fell slowly. We passed mp262 at 31.7; mp261 at 31.9 and crossed Ais Gill Viaduct at 30.8; then on the final curve, we passed mp260 1/2, at 30.4; mp260 1/4, at 30.1 and mp260, the climbing summit, the end of the 100r, at 29.3. On the May CME we were down to 27.9. We passed the still unrestored Summit Board, level, at 32.8. We'd taken a really disappointing 24m 49s for the Blue Riband Section; 25m 19s to the Summit Board. Appleby to Ais Gill Summit Board took us 30m 42s against a 25 minute schedule. So we were now 14 down and we'd held the service train up.

We needed smart running to make up some time on the run across to Garsdale. David used the 2 miles+ of 165f well and we ran through the station, 288r, at 55. Very decent and we got to 56.9 before the 3/4m of 330r into Rise Hill Tunnel, at 54.6. Decent running. David braked for us to run through Dent Station at 28, just below the 30 limit. Down the 264f then 330r to Arten Gill Viaduct, 44.4; then 264r to Dent Head Viaduct, 45 before the short 264r into Blea Moor Tunnel, 43.6 in; 45.9 out. We passed the signal box, 248 1/2, 100f, at 30.4, still 14 minutes down. We crossed Batty Moss Viaduct at 25ish and passed Ribblehead Station at 31.7. Now the gradient is 100f for most of the 12 miles to the end of the S&C. We expected the usual 60 and a bit run down but didn't get it. We got to mp243 at 55, then David braked and we passed through Horton-in-Ribblesdale, mp242 1/2, at 56.6 and didn't get to 60 until mp240.

More braking down through the rocky bits, Taitlands Tunnel at only 44.3. The safety valves lifted as we passed mp238 1/2 and didn't drop for half a mile. Think Chris expected more speed from the big loco and had a good head of steam available. The brakes were back in through Settle Station, mp236 1/2, 200f, 49.2 but speed rose to 57 as we came off the S&C. Down on the Leeds line we passed we passed Settle Junction Signal Box, mp234 44c, at 56.1, still 14 minutes down so needed a fats run to Hellifield. We were on the 181r of Bell Busk and passed mp234 at 52.8 but speed fell rapidly. We passed mp233 1/2 at 44.4; mp233 at 37.1; Long Preston, mp232 1/2, 290r, at only 26.5; mp232 at 12.4 then a bit later swung left into Hellifield loop and came to rest at 1632, 18 mins down, at the time we should have left. We'd taken 1h 11m from Appleby against the scheduled 58 mins.

The time away from Hellifield is important as we have to get to Horrocksford Jn close to our booked time of 1701 to be allowed up Wilpshire Bank before the Rochdale Flier, due to leave the Jn and cross over to run back into Clitheroe Station at 1715. The schedule for the section to Horrocksford Jn is 29 mins. The distance is only 12 3/4m but the line speed is only 45 as it's a freight only line as far as Horrocksford Jn. It would be just possible for us to get to Horrocksford Jn before 1715 with a liberal interpretation of 45 here and there. We'd done it before on more than one occasion.

Today we had to wait in the loop until the Carlisle-Leeds service we'd held up with our slow climb to Ais Gill passed us and stopped at the station. It was 12 down and left at 1651. It would take a couple of minutes to set the road for us and we duly left at 1654 after a 'top dead' start. It took us 2m 17s to pass the signal box. It's a bit of an undulating route with the first 2 miles at 200r/90r/127r/277r to mp32 1/2, passed at 35ish. Then level/430f to mp31, passed at 35; 3/4 of 175r, mp30 1/4 passed at 35. Then it's 105f/level/204f to mp28, 42.5. a mile of 362r followed, left at 38. Then there was 2 1/2m of 101f, left at 46.7. a mile of level dropped speed to 43.2; 3/4m of 543r saw speed fall to 34.3. it was now gone 1715 so we'd be held in the area for the Flyer to get to Daisyfield Jn due to the steepness of Wilpshire Bank and the shortage of signals.

We were underway at 1724 and passed Horrocksford Jn, mp21 2/4, 170f, at 17.7, at 1727, 26 down. We ran through Clitheroe Station, 104f, at 10.9, now 28 mins down; passed mp20 1/4, 127f, at 25.9 but then slowed and by mp19 1/4 were down to 5 mph. Light rain was falling, just what we didn't need. We passed mp18 1/4, 203f, at 30.7. Odds were we had a clear road to Daisyfield Jn close to Blackburn. Just after Whalley Station are the famous Whalley Arches, the start of the very steep first 3 miles+ of 811/2 r of Wilpshire Bank. More often than not there's been a restriction over the Arches so I was surprised we ran through Whalley Station at 36.5. Straight out now onto the famous Whalley Arches at 36.7 so no restriction today. There used to be a 1/2m post and there was a wooden upright on the outside which could have been where it was. We passed it at 35. We came off the Arches at 33.3 then passed mp17 1/4 at 32.4.

The climb took its toll and by mp16 we were down to 27.7. The safety valves lifted and didn't drop until we passed through Langho station, over half a mile later. Speed was 27.2. Ever upwards climbing hard we passed mp15 at 26 and the end of the 811/2 r at 25.2. only 88r now and we passed mp14 1/4 at 24.2 in the very damp cutting. One short slip in Wilpshire Tunnel, in at 23.5; out at 23. We passed mp13 3/4, where it steepens to 68r for a very short bit, 21.3. Now on the 86r and we passed the mid-point of the old Wilpshire Station, where mp13 1/2 was, at 22.4. the realistic summit is on Ramsgreave and Wilpshire Station, where we passed mp13 1/4 at 23.1. I watched the GPS Elevation and at the steepest point, 527 ft, we'd picked up to 27.1. The old Summit Marker had disappeared into the very long grass. A very good climb on a damp evening.

On May's CME on a dry sunny evening we had a seriously good climb. We'd only crossed the Arches at 25, but the big Bulleid increased speed up the bank and passed through Ramsgreave and Wilpshire Station at 28.2.

Down to Daisyfield Jn then. We passed the LX at 15.7; then found the old mp11.1, 118f, 15.7; another old post, mp11, 118f, 24. Then we ran across the junction and down through the tunnel to pass through Blackburn Station at 23.8. we were now 38 down and would be very dependent on Network Rail to make up some time in Preston. First we had to get there. Down grade past mp9 1/2, 110f, 48; through Mill Hill, 105f, 48; Cherry Tree, 286r, 47; Pleasington, level, 48.2. Down the 3/4m of 396f to mp7, passed at 50.9. Down the 101f to Hoghton LX, 55.1; brakes in at Mintholme, 58; hospital LX, 99f, 55.7; Bamber Bridge, 99f, 43.1. Then down the 224f to Lostock Hall, 38.8 and down the mile + to Farington Curve Jn, mp0, 30. Bit of a trundle then down the WCML. We passed 86259 on the way in ready to back onto the train. We arrived in Platform 6 at Preston at 1828, 33 down. Another not quite Class 8 performance from 35018 and the 11 coach train.

Went up for a wander to the front. David did say he was being careful to avoid slips with the big Bulleid as the railhead wasn't the best for parts of the day. The coal was just about OK. Weather-wise, despite the strong winds, we'd been really lucky not to have been under the heavy downpours we'd experienced further south.

Loco and POB left reasonably quickly and the cords were pulled on the coaches as quickly as possible. 86259 was attached PDQ and we were ready to leave just after 1845. The TPE to Manchester Airport didn't have a driver and the Glasgow-Euston was 6 down so perhaps they could have let us out earlier to avoid having to use the slow line through Leyland to Euxton Balshaw Lane. They did and we didn't leave until 1903 with the Glasgow-Euston only 4 minutes behind us. We had to cross onto the slow and we got back to Crewe at 1954, 27 down, but only 2 down on the electric's 49 minute schedule. Not an issue for us as we had the car at Weston Road. Hope anyone with connections got them OK.

Much nicer night for the drive home and we were in the cottage just after 2200.

Many thanks to RTC for running the CME. The Euston starts are the only ones we can sensibly do and there's only one more on October 7th, borderline leaf fall season. Thanks to WCR for the provision of the immaculately turned out 35018; the excellent crew; the stock - though the seats in 5032 really are 'tired'; and the support crew and guard. Thanks to Les, our redoubtable Train Manager and the Stewards who all did an excellent job. Many announcements about not hanging anything out of the top or drop lights; and instructing passengers to ensure only Stewards opened the doors. A very well managed train. Thanks to Network Rail for letting our proper steam hauled train on the big railway. We didn't give them much hassle. I suppose we ought to thank the Train Operators for leaving the 42 (that figure again) minute gap between northbound trains through Carnforth North Jn on Saturdays. Long may it be so, though TPE often eat into that with their late running trains.

Footnote: The great Range Predictor on modern cars. Our Corsa 120T blew all records to smithereens. We left the cottage in the pouring rain and howling wind with the range showing 360 miles. Out on the road it rose to 372 miles then fell over a distance back via 360 to 348 when we parked up in the Brocklebank Weston Road Car Park 122 actual miles after we left home. Qué? as a certain Spanish Waiter was heard to exclaim many times!!

Next one for us is the 20th August's Royal Duchy. No idea yet what the motive power will be. The Scot would be good...

Everyone stay safe and well out there.

 

Thankyou so much for preparing and publishing this in all its length and detail - nearly 5,000 words in all ! Alongside the logs that you have already released, it paints such a comprehensive picture of the day's progression of events that will surely be unsurpassed by any amount of video coverage as it lives on in the memory !

 

Worth considering an annual performance review art the end of the season ?

 

Has anyone seen timings yet for Sat CME?

 

https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:U66018/2023-08-26/detailed
https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:U66020/2023-08-26/detailed
There you go.

 

Thanks I've heard it's B.I.L

 

66 mins Carnforth to Carlisle. That looks a very good run.

 

35018 at Paddy Lane 26th August

 

What load???

 

BIL at Carlisle before the return journey. Load 10.

 

35018 passing Shap Wells heading towards Shap Summit, Shap Summit, Angerholm and near Aisgill summit .

 

Pretty steady running I’d say Al .

 

Ten

 

Excellent stuff.