46233 The Thames Clyde Express 18th October 2014

Looking closer at my video Danny I noticed there is a signal in the cutting on the drivers side just as the loco comes under the overbridge . The signal must have been against him hence he shuts off .

 

That sounds most likely Steve and there seems to have been a technical fault as well. I imagine the comments from the crew weren't very complimentary being stopped just when they prepared for getting stuck into the climb! Not easy conditions for a restart either so a proper nuisance.

 

Just one from me from yesterday. 46233 at Howe & Co:

http://www.crozierphotography.co.uk/photos/index.php/Railways/New-images/46233_Howe-and-Co_181014

Steven

 

Indeed Ralph , as in the first part of my video the crew were firing her fairly hard .

 

Evening guys, first time I've come across National Preservation, I was searching for info about yesterday's "Thames-Clyde Express" with the Duchess.
First of all, thanks for the great photos and videos, they really give a good impression of the Duchess hard at work. I was on the train and so missed all of this of course but I hope I can contribute a bit to the chat about the signal stop at Horton.
The loco was going well at that point but shut off and came to a stop at a red signal just past the station. This was a signal failure definitely not the fault of the loco. I spoke briefly to the driver at Carlisle and he confirmed this. After a stop of about 6 minutes she lifted the train away (past a red light with permission) and slogged up to Ribblehead 'proceeding at caution' as the driver said. There was a Class 47 at the rear but as far as I know it didn't give her a shove when she got away - I was leaning out of the window just 2 coaches in front of the diesel and would surely have heard it if it had revved hard. I could certainly hear the Duchess as she got away. If I'm right, she did very well to lift 500+ tons away from a dead stand on 1-in-100.
I thought 'Sutherland' was in good form on the northbound climb - about 19 minutes 20 seconds from Hellifield station to the Horton stop then about 11 minutes 50 seconds from the restart to passing through Ribblehead station. They had had to change locos in the station because the Down Goods Loop was occupied by a failed freight.
Was a bit disappointed by a subdued climb to Aisgill on the return though - she dropped over 8 minutes on schedule from Appleby to the summit - but is 24 minutes a realistic schedule with 500 tons on the drawbar, even for the Duchess? The Ormside-Aisgill time was about 26 minutes 39 seconds. My feeling is that the weather played a big part - wet rail and leaves flying about would make any engineman cautious I think, and the wind was pretty strong and dead against her too. And is that t.s.r near Helm Tunnel still in place? That certainly doesn't help when there's bad rail.
Hope this helps guys.

 

Thanks for all the feedback re the stop. It seems my hunch was correct and the orange men were indeed attending to some sort of signal failure. She certainly came very steadily past Selside giving the impression of proceeding at caution but in complete control. I would say the Diesel was only idling as she came past us.