The Peak Forester - Sunday 22/05/16

Couldn't agree more. Brilliant day out, but things started to go awry after Peterborough. 34046/52 was labouring up the 1 in 200 grades and losing speed where it shouldn't. Worse still, no advantage could be taken of the downhill and level sections, and we were doing 27 just before we were slotted onto the slow line at Hitchin.

 

John likes his speed. I often bump into him in town and he always tells me how his recent runs have been. He is suppose to retire in August, he will be lost without his steam. Been on the footplate since he was just 16!

 

Here's my video of the Peak Forester from today:

 

My efforts at Lindsells, St Neots and Peterborugh,

 

I remember when he told me he was suppose to retire by August 2014 but WCR needed him so much he stayed on for now another 2 years, he'll be greatly missed from the footplate and very sad to discover he didn't complete the whole journey yesterday especially after the fast line running from Huntington-Hitchin

 

Shame folk didn't get steam all the way back, I spoke to several passengers when doing the stock watering up at Rowsley (all done by LMS Carriage Association members) and no-one complained about the slow outward journey. As mentioned earlier PR amended the normal timetable, and shunted the service stock out of the way. this worked much better than previous attempts to run a service train, and given that we only had an hour to do everything (two hours on previous charters) it worked OK, despite a moan from one quarter about slow shunting. You have to bear in mind that the support coach couldn't be taken off until the loco was watered, and you have to keep herding the large number of visitors off the crossing when several shunting movements are being made. Anyway a few pics from Rowsley.

Dave

 

I am a not WCRC basher but, after their recent tribulations, one would think that they would be rigorous in respect of the quality of coal supplied. To have a charter terminated early (albeit with easy onward connections) because of bad coal is just not good enough.

 

Isn't coal provision the responsibility of the locomotive owner?

 

Before the thread descends into a debate about the sources of good coal and how to avoid a bad batch, I thought I'd post my video of an in form Bullied, regardless of how the day ended ! A Bit drab on a the outward run for me, but a a great sequence through Milford on the return leg. Hope you enjoy

 

Rutland steam 34052

B R Midland region allowed 1hr 15 mins for completely disposing a loco Class 5 upwards ,45min bellow Class 5.

 

My effort from Hitchin yesterday.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/duty_druid/27077456542/

 

Nice footage Mr Marsh. Please excuse my ignorance, but what is the significance of the flashing red signal aspect in the first shot? I've heard of, and seen, flashing ambers but not reds before. I'm not well up in these matters so please be gentle!

 

This is the camera sensor reacting badly to the signal lights. At one point through my viewfinder the signals were not showing, but in reality with my own eyesight they were operational. This happens with some of the headlights of new locomotives, where the lights just continually flash when viewed on playback !