Winter CME's, February 2012.

Got in to Euston and joined the taxi queue.
after 10 minutes saw the error in this (as tubes had gone down the tubes, buses were few and far between and taxis had nested).. I wandered the snow with my suitcase (I flew in to man airport that am) to st pancras... Where there was a ready sheltering line of cabs waiting..
took a 15mph journey to canary wharf which took 1 hour ! And got in at 1.10am... Thus ending a day which at 8am ET Friday in Columbus, and apart from 4 hours sleep on a 6 hour flight was a 36 hour day... I have just surfaced around 1pm.

What a fantastic trip ! Seeing a Black 5 do what It should, certainly didnt set any records, but the time keepers records are a testament to the job. have some fantastic sounds on the video (but the blizzard made the video a bit naff.. Well it's a true record of what it was like and will be something I will watch over and over). Wouldn't have swapped the day for any other tour.

Fyi noticed they dropped the pantograph and shut up the 86, so assuming it was pulled with the stock to Southall. Will put up some pictures of the ice covered stock later.?. Euston was full of nesting pendos.. Do they normally just platform them overnight ?..ther was only 2 more departures on the board after we arrived ( and a few thousand waiting for them)

 

Has anyone gone to UKsteam? Instead of 45305 going solo on it's second run there is a possibility that 44932 shall be added to make this train a doubleheader!

 

Thanks for all your positive comments and thanks to all concerned with the running of the tour...............Cheers Phil.

 

Here's my very poor quality video from the climb up to Ribblehead, just to give you an idea of the conditions. It was taken with my mobile, so I could keep my hand inside the train, but it still froze my fingers. The snow also clogged up the lens, but at least this gave me a natural "fade-to-white" at the end!

Enjoy the wind noise etc.

[video=youtube;SV1SdvL6_l8]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SV1SdvL6_l8&context=C314bc2eADOEgsToPDskLsv8jotlNXi1od_cwbXmNj[/video]

The operating arrangements for this trip had obviously changed a few times in the run up to the event. The railtour programme handed out by the stewards said a Class 47 would be on the back from Carlisle to Carnforth, but this never happened. The loco and support coach were the only things which turned - the stock was left in the platform. The delay getting into Carlisle station was due to "congestion" according to the announcements on the train.

Some more bleak and windswept photos from my mobile on my Flickr page:
Winter Cumbria Mountain Express - 4 Feb 2012 - a set on Flickr

By the way, does anyone who was driving the Black 5? He looks very young:
IMAG0134 | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

Richard

 

This was also mentioned by one of the stewards on yesterday's trip - and that this train would have 3 extra coaches.

Richard

 

Nigel mentioned to me tonight that the FEB CMEs were almost full or completely full.

 

Hey na then owd lad, don't go upsetting thissen, not in tha delicate condition. Ar'd a thooart that thee of all folk would know that us Tykes, wi us delicate ale palates, av to be re-calibrated on't yearly basis, and JS is offical standard f'zero on't ale scale. So now am all ready to goo f' another years quality supping :thumb:

 

It was good to finally meet Nigel, I hope our chat bears fruit.

 

S&C reported closed later in the day after a Skipton train came to a halt on Stainforth.

well, later in the day more snow had fallen, so 5305 mite have stalled as well

 

So the shed full of bankers at Tebay were there to do err, exactly what Ralph?

You were damned lucky yesterday as in those conditions adverse railhead conditions could well have been encountered. The Network is no place to play damned silly games of my engine can pull more than yours!

TDA calculations take no prisoners.

 

Thanks for the videos, Steve, Mike, Phil and Austin. "Challenging" conditions indeed! Steve deserves special mention for remarkably clean audio at the first two locations.

 

Out of curiosity does 45305 have gravity or steam sanders?

Regards,

Dan

 

What an engine, what a day!

My footage from Blea Moor Tunnel and Shap now uploaded: 45305, Winter Cumbrian Mountain Express, 04.02.2012 - YouTube

 

There was any doubt? There is nothing controversial about scheduled passenger trains being given higher priority than charters, if nothing else its just simple common sense given the potential knock-on effects to other trains. Delays, especially on such a lengthy tour as this are always a high possibility - i think people would rather take the risk of a late arrival time back in London than no tour at all.

Chris

 

That weather whewwww. I'm glad the tour went well and that people got home safely. The timing over the S&C, It was a good thing that was the route to Carlisle.

The majority of Texans, so to speak are cold when it is 50 degrees. Having lived in cold, snowy places before it is amazing to see this. It makes a difference to dress in layers. I wish you could send some of that weather our way.