61994

I can now add that those who have never climbed Beasdale berhind a three cylinder machine have never lived - but they do probably still have hearing.

The racket - especially from the front droplight on the return to Glenfinnan is something else. No wonder I have been a fan of this cracking little engine for approaching fifty years now.

Thirty fifth wedding anniversary beer and dinner at The Grog - and headhunted out of potential redundancy at Mallaig - all in all - not a bad day

(Except you don't get thirty five years for murder!)

 

When were you on, I was on the support crew, 10 days running on the trot, got home yesterday, and go back again on Friday!!!!

 

A couple of pictures of The Marquess on yesterdays Jacobite.
Firstly at Mallaig Junction...
Den Anhang 1597 ansehen
...then Loch Eilt.
Den Anhang 1598 ansehen

 

Beautiful shots, Paul, especially Loch Eilt. Well worth the trip!

 

Totally agree - master shot if ever I saw one

 

Thanks for the kind words fellas With The Marquess only working the two weeks, I'm rather pleased with what I've managed to get. I just wish I had a way of recording the sound as well.

Here's another from Glenfinnan on Sunday:
Den Anhang 1603 ansehen

I believe it's due to run Sun - Thu this week and then back to Bo'ness on Friday ready for the SRPS Forth Circles. Let's hope Mr Cameron's got a taste for the Jacobites and we see it back on a semi-regular basis.

 

Paul

Couldn't face that walk along the lochside and not get the other locations - well done!

As for the racket - wait for Mrs TBF's Youtube - she's doing the Tall Ships last week first.

 

I half wished I'd done Loch Eilt the previous week, but didn't want to miss out on the Beasdale climb. Loch Eilt is arguably the best location on the line, but it doesn't provide the same experience as going for the climbs, particularly Beasdale. Seeing as my previous visit took in the climb away from Glenfinnan and Beasdale and I'd already got a few reasonable pics earlier in the day, I decided to go for it this time.

I'll look forward to the video. There don't seem to have been too many gone for it, I guess folk are somewhat put off by the distances involved combined with the generally poor weather, high summer sun, midges, green, green and more green. There were a few out on Sunday, but those I saw were all Scottish-based.

 

Couldn't see a thread in the 'What's Going On' section, so thought I might as well stick some pics of Sundays Forth Circle in here. Turned out to be a pretty reasonable day weatherwise, with a mix of dark clouds and sunshine, but no rain. Trains were both well loaded, but not many folk at the lineside.

Passing Lathallan on the morning circuit - could be heard for a good five minutes climbing up from Grahamston.
Den Anhang 1629 ansehen

Crossing the Forth at the beginning of the afternoon run.
Den Anhang 1628 ansehen

Accelerating away from Lintlithgow at Park Farm.
Den Anhang 1627 ansehen

The Marquess seemed to be on fine form and particularly noisy when racing along the E&G.

 

Well Paul - it put 1500 miles on the Blackbird for the second time this year but it was well worth it - even with Scottish August weather. Well, with Mallaig Cullen Skink and Fish n Chips at one end of the line and the Grog at the other, who wouldn't go? three days running!

We then went south to do the Tall Ships and to help out Captain Clark with Balmoral which was brilliant - turns out he's a Harley Man - but this week we got a silly letter from Northumbrian Constabulary about my front number plates - dear sir - illegal - let off - put right etc! Dear plod - off sod - perfectly legal - Section 6.3 testers manual - leave me alone!

Balmoral vids on you tube - Marquess next! :-

[video=youtube;B-6xqGkq0Hk]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B-6xqGkq0Hk[/video]

[video=youtube;dq8Wwyx9qiw]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dq8Wwyx9qiw[/video]

 

Thanks for those, Paul. I always enjoy your pictures, and that last one near Lintlithgow is a real treat. I'm heading north next week myself, to follow The West Highlander, so maybe our paths will cross.

 

OOhhh! Paul - you missed a trick - the Vista Class Holland America Line Eurodam moored off Queensferry is just in shot under the bridge! I tried to interest Cunard in a tie up when the QE2 came in 2007 and 2008, but they didn't bite.

I don't suppose you got anything a bit more shippy that we could fire off again to try to show them what is possible as a shore excursion.

 

I did try and at least get the front and back of the ship unobstructed - I'm not up on my ships, but I believe it was the "Westerdam". I couldn't manage to find a position where it would fit between the bridge supports. It's a tricky location to get both the ship and bridge well proportioned and I didn't want to compromise the train too much, particularly as I thought the ship was a bit modern looking as a compliment to the K4. The obvious shot would be of something coming under the bridge itself, but even that would be quite trickly to get the composition right. Having said that, there's always Photoshop if the timing wasn't spot on ;-) I did get quite a nice one of some sailing boats and a coal train a few years ago.

 

Does anyone know what the Great Marquess' plans are for the winter? I know she is at the GCR now and will still be there for at least 2 weeks but does anyone know when she is leaving and where she goes next?

 

GCR for the rest of the year,then Crewe .

 

Thanks D7076, this may give my dad a chance to see it at last.

 

At GCR until the end of January at least for the end of January gala AFAIK.

 

Just wondering if anybody knows when the mainline boiler ticket runs out on 61994?