The Winter Cumbrian Mountain Express 2015.

The fire at Tebay was a few blades of grass either side of the M6 bridge, when the Fire Brigade turned up, one of them said is that it? He could have put it out with his feet, The Network Rail man then said what about the other fire up the line? So the fireman said we will walk up the line and put it out, to which Mr Network Rail said, I don't think you are passed for walking lineside, the fireman replied, well we will go home then, so Network Rail man got the line closed for half an hour ( The Fire brigade obviously cant be trusted to walk safely alongside the line) while they all walked 1/4 mile up the track. The farmer who owned the adjacent land thought it was hilarious and said they should have just left it to burn out, unfortunately in todays world that isn't possible.

 

Mine was coffee with a friend at Bilborough Top services!

 

My effort from Salterwath on the northbound run, just a pity it was diesel piloted over the S&C.

http://www.crozierphotography.co.uk/photos/index.php/Railways/New-images/46115_Salterwath_210315

Steven

 

The only shot I managed of 46115, since I was on board the tour (and appear to have got myself into a few people's photographs...). This was after they had shunted the stock out of 3 and moved it into 4, which made for the classic Carlisle shot of a Scot (ignoring the wires).


46115 Carlisle 21-3-15 (V19868) by TimEaster, on Flickr

I've got one or two rear end shots from the reverse curves around Grayrigg, but it was a long day yesterday and I still need to recover a bit!

Cheers,
Tim

 

One hopes WCRC has not got a marked card in terms of a perceived elevated risk to the network following the debacle dispute last summer. The positive aspect from yesterday was that 45690 did not fall subject to a blanket decision. Hopefully each issue will remain subjectively considered.

 

It was 45 mins after the steam had passed that the fire Belgrade were at tebay, so the problem is if someone for instance on the m6 phoned the emergency services to say the railway is on fire, the call out will be logged, then network rails attendence will be logged and then all the wheels are set in motion to turn it into an incident, regardless of how minor the fire may have been.

 

The next question is whether 46115 will be allowed out solo on Saturday.

 

Sorry I don't do precise timings, line closed for half an hour was based on what the fire brigade and the network rail man said, and that nothing passed for sometime while they all walked up the line.

 

mmm! that should be interesting.....

 

Your spending too much time with BEOC!!!!

 

46115 passing Well Heads yesterday - http://philmetcalfe.zenfolio.com/p558690749/h93022e2#h93022e2

 

I don't trust the Scot when it comes to matters like these. It will be interesting to see how supposedly Galatea does this week because Leander was brilliant yesterday.

 

Of significance is who's decision the diesel pilot was. If it was WCRC it will no doubt do them great credit with NR.
It can only have been a precautionary measure because the evidence implicating the loco can be circumstantial at best.

 

Indeed, and the fact that 45690 was allowed to continue unassisted suggests we are not yet into a yellow or red fire risk category. So hopefully this Wednesday's run will be unassisted, and also hopefully will pass without incident.

 

In the present climate of H & S and perceived 'danger' its just not viable to trek long distances hoping all will be well. Anything more than a few miles from home is or can be a waste of time and money. Its a sad fact but increasingly true as trains can be terminated or diverted, retimed or cancelled at short notice. I believe with a heavy heart we have seen the back of a 'golden age' of tours. Its just got too frustrating working out the best options for a day out, so for that reason 'I'm out'

 

Guardsman is performing like an engine coming to the end of it's ticket. When the power is needed it falls away a bit too rapidly. We topped Yealand bank at an excellent 37; passed Milnthorpe (13) at 65, passed Oxenhope (19) at a creditable 45 but only topped Grayrigg (26) at 30. Hence the need for some serious acceleration approaching Tebay, passed at 72. We hit the 1:75 at 65. At mp34 speed was 54; at mp35 speed was 43; mp36 was passed at 32, then the quarters went 29, 26, 23, 22, then the top of the 1:75, mp371/4 21. At her best she was 7/8 kph faster. Still decent enough for a Class 7 with a narrow firebox.