Cumbrian Mountain Express 13/5/17

Email came from RTC. Was expecting the Duchess on this one but letter states Guardsman again. Load 12, 10 Passenger + Kitchen Car + POB. (Same timings as 22/4/17). Still quoting Class 86 for Euston-Carnforth and Farington Jn-Euston.

 

Was looking forward to the Big Girl, but SG rarely disappoints - we need some rain in the next week or SG may be have an oily companion. There is a slight retiming of the return; Carlisle dep 12 min earlier now 14.40 and the generous booking from Hellifield to Blackburn has been cut, resulting in arr at Blackburn 17.52 (was 18.19). This should help passengers travelling further south, but I'll be waiting for the same connection back to Preston.

 

Apologies for that. Lazy reading as I did notice the return to Crewe time was the more usual 1930 ish. Reminiscent of the 2015 timings. Better for us for the Cardiff. If it remains dry perhaps they will switch to the Duchess as Guardsman's got form for fire setting with 12 on already this year.

 

I'd probably have missed it too but for the "exactly 2 hours in Carlisle", which I hadn't noticed on the last trip so I checked. Of course this is the plan, actuality may be significantly different.

 

Email from RTC £20 off code CMQ

 

Hope Guardsman keeps cinders to itself, then. I'm due to be going down the coast on the 37 hauled set, which is about an hour later (or thereabouts, as I don't have either set of timings open at the moment - sloooowwww connection today).
(Wish I could hitch a ride as far as Whitehaven ...)

 

Aye, that would be a good excuse for planning a diversion. Will settle for watching the CME set off ... and hope the station stays clear !

 

Times now up for this .

http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/U50710/2017/05/13/advanced

http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/U50723/2017/05/13/advanced

 

Lets hope 86259 is not unwell again

 

WCR could top and tail the stock into Euston just in case...

 

If memory serves me correctly I think a couple of class 68's deputised last year when a similar scenario arose for one of the CME's.
But no idea of availability for this one.

 

There's a WCR LE move from Rugby CS to Euston this morning. Presumably our locomotive??

 

Into P17 now on front of train on P16 according to RTT.

 

Les Ross on front. On time leaving Crewe.

 

Based on running from Crewe it looks as if 86259 is being restricted to 90.

 

Don't some Mk1's have a 90 restriction based on what bogies they are on ?.

 

Noisy drain cock from the off today. Steady climb of Yealand Bank, min 30. Milnethorpe, MP13 64.4; Oxenholme 52; Grayrigg 38. Charged around the Lune Gorge, mp31 71; mp32 71; mp33 65; mp34 56 then the 1 in 75 bit. Mp35 44; 35 1/2 39; mp36 35; then by qtr, 33; 31; 29; mp37 28, 37 1/4 27.2. One too many but still got into Carlisle 5 early.

 

46115 in the cutting after Shap wells and Waitby rock cutting on the return .