Midland Pullman HST (2025)

With the current dry spell now causing restrictions on steam operations, I thought that I should take the opportunity to watch The Midland Pullman HST on its jaunt to Carlisle. Whilst certainly not steam, it does look very fetching in its blue and white livery. (Talking of things blue and white, Mrs W & Oswald Jnr were out last night to watch their team. They eventually salvaged a point after being two nil down; their first point for a long time.)

I had an appointment at lunchtime and so the S&C was out of reach. The train was due thro' Blackburn at 11.23, so before or after? I finally settled on after and had almost decided on Langho station until I noticed that at Langho the HST was scheduled to cross with a stationary Rochdale flyer; rethink required. A little further down the line and the overbridge at Mytton Fold. (The bridge is known as Asylum No3 or Doctor's Rake.) It gives a long uninterrupted view back up the straight all the way to the curve on the north side of Wilpshire Tunnel.

Plenty of space on the car park, I thought that it might have been busier with golfers taking advantage of the dry, sunny weather. The green keepers were out with their mowers but they quickly finished the last of the grass verges near the bridge and headed off into the distance. A quick check on RTT revealed that the train had already passed Cherry Tree (17E). Would it get a clear path thro' Blackburn? No time to wait and see. I gathered up my stuff and headed for the bridge.

The plan was for 2 cameras, one zoomed right in to get the train from the distant curve and thro' Langho station with the second camera just a standard shot, start to finish. There was a cool easterly breeze blowing down the hillside but its speed increased as it was funnelled by the walls of the bridge. From out the distant haze the train emerged on the curve and slowly made its way down the hill, all very uneventful, thro' Langho station and as it drew nearer its smart livery looked splendid in the morning sunshine. A wave to the driver and a "parp" on the horn and a wave in return - thanks. 12C & 10E. Not very inspirational but it did get me out of the house.



[But what happed to the long shot? Too much shimmer from the track, a bit of camera movement in the wind and no sound - probably an Oswald issue.]

(Maisie notes: For the last couple of weeks Maisie has not "used" what had been Mrs W's chair at the dining table so Mrs W decided that she would reclaim it. It was reclaimed without a hitch. But what goes around comes around and Maisie had a plan. Later the very same evening that Mrs W had reclaimed her seat at the table she went upstairs and returned to find Maisie sleeping on the settee - in what had been Mrs W's place. Maisie has now claimed Mrs W's spot on the settee. There will only be one winner and my money is on the little furry one.)

 

Midland Pullman by Harry Bradley, on Flickr

I too ventured out today for the Pullman. Wanted to try a new location for me, not sure if it will be much cop for the steam later in the year.

Langcliffe Footbridge, heading north.

 

For me it's a better shot from the other side of the footbridge, the favourite spot being partway down the steps. The location can get very busy in the summer, from the nearby caravan park, which tells the people staying there when steam is due.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/90397953@N02/53014760064/in/photostream/

 

I was on this yesterday. Thanks for coming out to see it, some great footage there. Quite an interesting return journey as shortly after we hit the coast the lead power car (didn't make note of number, sorry!) suffered a power failure and was basically stuck in "limp mode". The rear power car had to push us the rest of the way around the coast and down the WCML to Crewe, where the problematic one at the front was taken off and replaced with "Loch Eil" - one of the ones normally used on the 2+5 West Highland Pullman set. For those tracking us on RTT, that was the reason for the delay at Crewe.

 

Yeah I did have a look at the other side but with the sun yesterday it would have been a bad angle, and that side in complete shadow.

A 4pm path up the S&C would be a beauty at that bridge with steam….Have to hope the GB goes that way one year in the afternoon.

 

43046 Geoff Drury 1930-1999 Steam Preservation and Computerised Track Recording Pioneer was the power car that was removed at Crewe

 

Seem some suggestion on Facebook from passengers that it got rather toasty on board round the coast (which is lovely in the afternoon sun!) as the single power car couldn't power the train and AC?

 

Yes, correct. Not enough power for AC so we were all sweltering!

 

I did note that whilst descending through Langho, as expected, the lead power car was not under power but the rear car was “power on” with a healthy shimmer from the exhaust, this can only have been for the ETS.

 

Not all of us! I was in coach D, the aircon kept a nice steady temperature throughout the whole trip. My understanding is that the front powercar was supplying hotel power throughout the trip, the front kitchen car had power all the time, except when the front powercar was taken off at Crewe. The problem was an intermittent fault with the traction power system. Happy to be corrected by someone fully in the know.

 

I was in G towards the back of the train and it was like a sauna for us. A couple of ladies had to stand in the vestibule and get some fresh air through the droplight windows, as they were feeling very faint. Luckily, as you know, there are plenty of bottles of water behind all the seats, so we were all managing to keep lubricated.

 

No rain hereabouts for three and a half weeks and whilst steam operations may be in jeopardy Maisie loves it, she has been playing out most of each and every day. That is until yesterday when Fluffles put in an appearance; Fluffles is a long-haired ginger cat with a bit of a bad attitude. She lives in the next road and is never to be seen during the winter months and then come summer she appears in our neck of the woods; yesterday was her first show of the year. Fluffles tries to get into everyone's house and bullies all the other cats in the neighbourhood; Diego kept out of her way, Misky runs away at the merest glimpse, whilst Dennis and Alan will cross the street to avoid her. Maisie was out yesterday evening when Fluffles plonked herself down in our porch, Maisie was waiting hesitantly on the front path; there was plenty of growling on both sides. We shooed Fluffles away and Maisie shot in and promptly hid behind the settee for over an hour. Eventually she settled down and today was back to normal and with no sign of Fluffles and Maisie back out and about.

Early on it was cloudy but sun was forecast by mid-morning. There was no steam within easy reach but the "Blue and White" HST was scheduled to pass through Blackburn (11.16) on its way to Carlisle before returning via the Cumbrian Coast - why not?!

Now, be afraid, be very afraid, Oswald has got a new toy - a "sky hook" otherwise known as a drone. Got it a week ago and have had a few practice flights and haven't hit anything - yet! It has the reputation of being virtually idiot proof, well they've come to the right man! The places that I would normally go to watch/video are not necessarily the places to go to use a drone, so thinking cap on. I settled on somewhere safe, Orams Road/Gregson Lane in the countryside and around the mid point of Hoghton Bank. I haven't yet sorted out a sound recorder, I could use a video camera or even a phone but "baby steps", added to which I'm looking to carry less equipment, not more. I did think of taking a photo(s) but, "Today Matthew, Oswald is going to do a silent video!"

I left home a few minutes later than I had intended and heading "towards the train" loses even more minutes; I would be fine providing there were no hold ups. Thankfully traffic was light and I was soon parked up and walking the 500yds towards my chosen spot. The train was due to pass Bamber Bridge at 11.08 and be with me around 2/3 mins after that. I arrived near the line at 10.55, a quick check on RTT showed that the train was still around Wigan and 6L. Time enough for a practice, accomplished and drone returned to base. I followed progress on RTT and then allowing enough time (for pilot ineptitude) returned the drone to my pre-chosen location. A distant blast on the HST horn announced its imminent approach and shortly afterwards it came into view. It was shifting and in no time at all was speeding towards my location, horn blasting for the succession of crossings. The striking livery looked great in the strong sunshine, it was gone in a flash horn still blasting out. Nothing left to do but pack up and go home. 15C with a cool ENE breeze, 6L and around 63mph on the 1/99r - easy, peasy!

 

Oh Hell.. Oswald has a drone...if Maisie gets her paws on that...watch out all local mogs....

 

The world may not be ready for me flying a 249g drone never mind one that could do serious damage with me at the controls.

 

She’s thinking of launching her own airline, Catair

 

Catair Pawcific.... I'm..Maisie..Fly Me..

 

"Chairman's Train" branded hand-wash on today's Midland Pullman!

 

43047 at Carlisle

 

Midland Pullman HST passing over the newly installed quarry connection at Horton in Ribblesdale, a shot taken from the newly installed footbridge. Progress on the connection and also the lifts for the accessible footbridge seems painfully slow.

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