RTC 2022

Some NR managers and indeed TOC managers would ban mainline steam because they see it as a nuisance.

Just at the moment, NR Senior management are a bit busy trying to negotiate with RMT, with one hand tied behind their backs by DfT.
So have less time and maybe inclination to smooth the way for mainline steam.

 

Indeed John, the Jacobite has run with steam all last week and except for today will run steam hauled this week as well. There were 20mph restrictions on both Sunday and Monday due to previous heavy overnight rain. Scotland may be a different country but it is still part of the national Network Rail system, for now at least.The ASLEF drivers strikes do not prevent trains running in the same way that RMT strikes can do. With the Banavie control centre shut today (and the swing bridge swung open for canal traffic) there was clearly no way the Jacobite could run, but it would run on Saturday even if Scotrail drivers were on strike, which they aren't.

Peter

 

Isn't it both hands?

 

It's sopping wet here in the North West, rained every day at some part since last Friday, including last night, temperatures down in the low teens despite optimistic higher teens forecast . Rain is due yet again tonight and Saturday.

 

Can we have some down here in Sussex, please? All we have had in the last week is a few spells of light drizzle, which is doing nothing for my water butts!

I certainly don't see 45596 being allowed to run to Canterbury next Thursday as things stand.

 

BBC weather yesterday showed rainfall total so far in July for both Hurn and Odiam as 0mm.
Whilst here in Swanage we had a couple of thunderstorms one afternoon and some rain early hours Tuesday morning, shows how what little does fall is very localised.

 

The weather here in the NW (Darwen) has been exactly as described by @Britfoamer and the countryside has "greened up". The hills and moors to the west of Darwen rise to around 1300ft and have much in common with the upper parts of the S&C. Yesterday I took a stroll around the hillside to see what was happening on the ground; I suspected that it would be very different to some of the drier regions of the country.



This is the highest hay meadow in Darwen (c 925ft), the hay was gathered around 2-3 weeks ago and the field is now green. The moorland in the background rises to about 1200ft and is also green. None of the trees have suffered leaf loss as might be expected in very dry conditions.



Now at c 1000ft the track has been grazed by sheep. The peat moorland rises steeply to the left and no longer appears dry. The moorland in the distance rises to c 1300ft and is green. In other drier years the moorland has been straw coloured and there have been extensive fires.



The path is located on top of a tramway embankment (c 950ft) and curves gently to the right behind the horse. The tramway was built around 1850 to carry coal from the nearby Dogshaw colliery. From 1859 the traffic was hauled by a locally built steam locomotive, "Pluto". The line closed around 1870. The embankment is made from colliery spoil and is usually dry, as is the grass. The house on the hillside, Lords Hall is at about 1150ft.



It has been dry. In more usual years the two horses would have been standing in a pond around 2ft deep, and not just a muddy puddle. The pond is fed by a spring and water from the pond was reputedly used to water the locomotive.

If Shap and the S&C are similar to locally prevailing conditions then some sort of appearance by steam should be possible. With more rain in the forecast fingers crossed - NB on Saturday and Pendle Dalesman on Tuesday.

 

Thank you for sharing these delightful pictures, David. Not a train to be seen, but I thoroughly enjoyed looking at them. Some spots still look a bit brown, but overall, your neck of the woods is definitely greener than this part of Sussex and, I suspect, most of the South East. A glance at the forecast this morning suggested it might rain on Sunday and Monday here, but that has now changed to cloudy and dry. It seems that if you want a fix of main line steam in the next month (either to travel or photograph - or both), the further north the better.

 

I wouldn’t recommend that now, high season for midges.

 

Thanks John. We had another couple of hours of rain yesterday evening, a little more overnight, a shower earlier this morning with more forecast for tomorrow.

Now if you want a train, try this . . . Pluto hauled the coal trains along near level track around the hillside before connecting up with an even older tramway from where the trucks descended down the steep valley side by means of rope/gravity (full trucks hauling up empties) to Hilton's Paper Mill. This engraving of 1847 (Blackburn Library) shows the final approach to the mill. The woman and child are viewing the scene from the east side of what is now the A666; the wagons passed under the road via two narrow tunnels (arches still visible). The trucks were braked by a man riding on one of them who held an iron bar against a wheel rim.



This is part of the pond in wetter times (March 2021) with MALLARD!!

 

This post on Facebook suggests the ban stops tonight.

 

Maybe the steam ban will be lifted for LNW North and the northern end of LNE Routes, but I very much doubt it for Kent/Sussex, Anglia, Wessex and Western routes.
Any rain south and east of the Wash/ Severn axis has been very patchy and often light. Southern Water is imposing a hose pipe and sprinkler restriction from next week.

Cheers, Neil

 

The indication is Sundays Royal Duchy will hopefully feature 6233.

 

47813 moved to Rugby this morning, seen parked in front of 6233 this evening. My dad didn't notice if 6233 was in steam though.

 

It should be in light steam if its being moved

 

Pretty sure down South will still be under some sort of steam ban or helping hand from diesel assistance Neil but thankfully where I am up North has seen proper rain for a good week or more now .

 

Better a pony than a can

 

It will be a can with the Duchess behind it doing next to nothing from what we've heard. Not really got a lot going for it the Duchy. We could have saved nearly £47 a ticket if we just wanted to go to Par on Sunday; off peak return £82.30 cf £129, outward on the 0800 Castle Class off Bristol that gets to Par over an hour and a half earlier at 1136. More than an hour longer in Cornwall, returning on another Castle Class at 1554 to Exeter, arriving at 1800. Then there's nearly an hour to have a pint or two before a Cross Country back to Temple Meads, still arriving over an hour earlier at 1957.