The Cheshireman - 4464 - Thurs 6th June

Good to read of the safe, early (by 25 minutes) arrival at Euston.
My video of No.9 today just after Crewe this morning, views of her playing at Chester from Chester North Junction and finally at Christleton on the return:



Chris

 

71000 ran northbound via Weedon on a Days Out trip from Euston to Manchester some years ago, but Ithink this was the first southbound run with steam since the 60s.

 

I've only just found out is wasn't Bittern... Lovely footage of it approachin Watford Junction, but just as it was about to pass I was blocked by a Cl.350. I do remember thinking to myself whilst filming that the Garter Blue didn't look very bright...

I was also caught out by the 25 minute early arrival in the evening. Locking the car door at the car park I heard her and told my friend 'she's here'. We rushed into the station and onto the platform just as she started to leave, couldn't see much of her then either. Just listened to that wonderful sound (until the Cl.33 decided to interupt).

 

Cheers Malc. My dad and I did the up working from Liverpool to Wembley but not the return.

 

No it didnt, I would love to have had something exciting to video..... (whatever it was, was south of us, the singleton thunderbird went through at some point)

I too had the fantastic "evening sun glinting off the side of the carriages, orange sun through the exhaust" shot lined up at Long Buckby. However as we now know, it didn't go through Long Buckby and went down the main line.

As someone further up said. "Bugger Bugger Bugger" The mozzies are the biggest hungriness most voracious critters known to man there as well.

 

Picture of 60009 at Rugby:

http://railpicturelibrary.zenfolio.com/p1019110169/h6b0b6c92#h6b0b6c92

 

I believe that Number 9 saved the day at Chester when the accompanying '33' decided not to play...

Mark

 

Hiya Everybody Got a lovely shot of No: 9 powering up the gentle gradient at Wembley-Central and the driver gave me a lovely whistle. This clip can be found at
Decided to do an end of the road shot for a change so I filmed No: 9 arriving, 25 minutes early at Platform 1. Spoke to the driver afterwards and he and his mate were filthy with soot. This clip is at

 

Don't quite understand 'no it didn't' . What 'didn't' ??? But if freight failure and a pendo failure, great to see that No 9 went so well. We hear so much when a steam loco goes wrong, but it does make you wonder what the % rate of modern day traction (ok some of its years old) failures is and how much they hold up the network. There was a horrible press report of ECML problems on day before bank hol just gone when trains were taking 8 hrs + on fast from KX to Edin. Horrible.

 

No it didn't, means a Freight train did not fail at Long Buckby, because I was there. I assume wherever it was was a way south of us because the thunderbird ( I assume it was such) went through at a pace to suggest it wasn't just round the corner either.

 

A quick shot going under Attleborough way Nuneaton on 1Z71:

 

I agree via Northampton is frustrating, but the chances of getting a path via Weedon now are virtually nil, it was the exceptional circumstances on the return leg that made it the better option than to block a platform at Rugby.

 

David, you say 'exceptional circumstances'. but was it right place at the right time, that the control could per her straight on to the direct route ?? Pathing issues are notoriously a problem and I suppose that planners cannot risk the main route on paper. Quick thinking though to get No 9 out of the way and of great benefit to the passengers. I have no issue whatever with the planners, their job is tough as we know, but I guess everyone got lucky here. (apart from others whose trains were causing problems!) . From what mrKnowwun says above, does anyone know what happened on the Northampton line......Pete

 

I presume they'd rather have her out the way via Weedon, even if that meant causing a couple of mins delay to a 390, than a building traffic jam in the platforms at Rugby that could of taken some considerable time to clear awaiting the road via Northampton and meant something like a 2 hour late arrival at Euston, certainly it was the lesser of two evils and the correct call and if any delay was caused to Virgin, then it would be attributable to the failed freight than 60009.

From what I've been told, a southbound freight failed around Long Buckby, so the road via Northampton was unavailable until it was rescued.

Who was the driver in London Bridge's photo ?, I don't recall seeing him before.

 

hello a few photos at grendon and atherstone on the return journey I was so lucky not to get eclipsed at grendon !!!
www.stevebottrill.zenfolio.com
thanks

 

Problems uplaoding clips this week but succeeding.
First one is approaching Lichfield and being overtaken by a pendolino
Second is shortly after leaving Lichfield -too many wires http://youtu.be/vYdY1dZm47M

 

That's not a Pendolino mate, that's a Voyager.

 

Happy to accept your diagnosis - its red/white and not steam so does not excite me much.

 

A bit late, but here is the video of UoSA coming through Watford in the morning.