West Highlander 2009

Alberta,
this tour is expensive and has been slightly watered down.
The changes have been made to save money and the risk of being fined for the possible delay of other services.
I am not carring on as you put it,just disapointed at the late changes again.

 

No idea why this train is being looped at Tebay on the outward run but it seems the most silliest of places to stop a steam hauled train. To me this is a disappointment. Surerly it would have been preferable to have waited the extra time at Oxenholme. At least there are no plans to loop the train a Beattock Summit. A banker out of Queen Street always happens, I never thought anything other than this would be the case again, I am grateful it is coming off at Cowlairs and not going on to Craigendoran Jn as happpened last time. My understanding is the Jubilee is continuing to Preston on the return but that a diesel will be attached to the back of the train at Carnforth UDGL to drag the ecs with "Leander" still attached from Preston back to Carnforth. I suppose time will tell what happens.

 

On the basis of past WCRC prctice, the Carnforth - Preston ECS move on Fri will comprise a class 47, ECS + 5690 tender first. The 47 is booked to shadow the train all the way to Glasgow Central, where it will tie on to extract the ECS and Leander. Sat will see a similar move into Queen Street - 47 + stock + 61994 tender first. The 47 will bank out of Queen St. AFAIK 5690 will work the return through to Preston on Sun with the 47 shadowing and tying on to take it back to Carnforth, with 5690 again tender first on the rear.

Dunno about the stop at Tebay so soon after watering at Oxenholme. It may be a regulating stop, and not happen.

Cheers

AN

 

47 should be (pest loco) 47760 i'm told

 

Whoever put in a pathing stop at Tebay blatantly has little or no knowledge of steam operation as that will make it even slower up Shap, surely better to loop it at the top of Grayrigg and let it pick up some speed through the Lune Gorge ?.

 

Well i just looked on National Rail, the next one off Oxenholme after us is 12:24,this presumably is what passes us at Tebay as it arrives in Carlisle at 13:01 (Jub passes at 13:28 ).

The next one is an hour behind,so surely it would make sense to hold us at O'E for another 10 mins? Oh well....

 

Lets hope someone in authority is looking at this site.Maybe then common sense will prevail.

 

I beleive that the Water Stop at Oxenholme has Know been changed to arr 1103 dep 1227 missing out the stop at Tebay.

 

News travels fast, considering it was only changed, just over an hour ago!

The reason for the looping at Tebay was a following freight, which also had to get out of the way of 1S54, and was pathed to go inside at Oxenholme. That train is now not running, so the charter will follow 1S54 from Oxenholme.

The GBPTT does not reveal everything; likewise, NR's timers can only go on empty space on the timetable graphs, not merely assume a freight won't run, so it is unfair to blame them for 'poor pathing', as they have very firm rules to follow. Train operators pay hansomely for their paths, under their 'firm contractual rights'; open access operators, such as ourselves, under our charter access agreement only have 'rights to bid', in the spaces that remain.

James Shuttleworth
WCR

 

That is great news,nice to know,cheers James. Should see a good climb over Shap then .

Cheers,
Mark

 

5690 reported going well past Tebay a few minutes late. Load about 10 vehicles.

 

Going Well through Carnforth, about 5 early. Pic in the dull at http://philmetcalfe.fotopic.net/p61183698.html

 

5690 sounded good going north of carstairs

pics later, after my tea

 

First Jubilee in Scotland since ermmmmm??? Magic stuff!

Opened up my home email and someone had sent me a picture of me climbing Beattock!

Weather forecast not promising - but not dire tomorrow and we aren't getting up at 0 silly o clock either!

5690 was not being pushed hard anywhere - the schedule didn't need it - I presume she got a free shot at Carstairs as we never saw her at Cleghorn.

Don't expect any masterpieces of photography - cloud cover was almost total except for a few yards on Beattock!

Lets hope for some sun - just a little bit - tomorrow

 

And here are my images of this event:

Pettinain: http://jack.prentice.fotopic.net/p61190129.html
Carstairs: http://jack.prentice.fotopic.net/p61190130.html
Ravenstruther: http://jack.prentice.fotopic.net/p61190132.html
Bargeddie (Between Carmyle & Coatbridge): http://jack.prentice.fotopic.net/p61188148.html

And also 47760: http://jack.prentice.fotopic.net/p61188146.html & http://jack.prentice.fotopic.net/p61190128.html

Light was no good yesterday

 

Think I may have you on video Frank. Good to meet you and your good lady at Abington



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CL4EIas51bU

 

Nice one Mike - do you a DVD swap sometime

Day two has gone well - weather better than forecast. Peter making the Marquess sing and dance and the K1 driven just as capably - even got to Mallaig with the top down - but not back!

Dinner was a pint of An Teallach and a Venison Burger in the Grog as promised

Just the run home now!

You can't beat Scotland in the autumn!

 

5690 worked the 5Z33 Bo'ness - Cadder via Inverkeithing this morning

Pic later