Dalesman 2017 from York or Chester to Carlisle

left Hellifield 95 late, arr Carnforth 64 late

 

LMS 8F Class 2-8-0 No. 48151 approaching Ribblehead with the northbound 'Dalesman'



Running late for whatever reason, LMS 8F Class 2-8-0 No. 48151 appeared to be taking it easy as it works away from Garsdale with the return 'Dalesman'

 

46115 and load 13 today.

 

and train only about 5 late at York!

 

@46236's post was about the light engine movement back to 10A. The train itself was "only" 32 late leaving Hellifield.

The fact that 46115 is on today tends to confirm a problem with the 8F yesterday.

 

realised that! ;-)

 

Sorry, my irony detector must have been in sleep mode.

 

46115 in the sunshine at Waitby Common .

 

Oh dear another chance to have a final (?) run behind this superb loco on maximum load lost. Its a very long way to go in hope rather than certainty.

 

LMS 7P Class 4-6-0 No. 46115 'Scots Guardsman' seen working away from Lazonby & Kirkoswald with the northbound 'Dalesman' rail tour



Going well at Temple Sowerby , LMS 7P Class 4-6-0 No. 46115 'Scots Guardsman' works the return leg of 'The Dalesman' to the water stop at Appleby

 

Good to see the stalwarts are coming up with new locations

 

Difficult to do something new when I only finish work at Five LOL

 

For Temple Sowerby read Newbiggin

 

Breaks Hall.


https://www.flickr.com/photos/iancawthorne/35044910400/

 

You got there thats what counts, I know a guy who is on location hours before arrival time and shakes when he hears train coming

 

Mid-August from what I hear when 46115 will now bow out. I guess the tricky thing is it will likely only do Dalesman's until then and it could be 46115 or 48151 pot luck.

 

That is different Ian

 

Thanks Henry. Breaks Hall is getting increasingly difficult to capture due to further lineside growth. It's better in the winter of course, but it's much harder now compared to just 2 years ago.

I can't help thinking the S&C is overdue some vegetation clearance in several places. I noticed a tree overhanging the line by Crosby Garrett tunnel over both tracks, with the shape of a train to the bottom of it! The Howe & Co. to Armathwaite section is a vast improvement since it was cleared out and meshed in 2015.

 

Deleted.

 

Having been on tenterhooks since Saturday, first with the possibility of a ban and then with the possibility of 48151 being replaced by a diesel, it turned out to be an excellent day out yesterday. I spoke to one or two people and it seems the 8F had a problem on Monday with the pony truck running hot and there were also problems with the track circuitry which caused the stop at Kirkby Stephen on Monday afternoon.

So on Tuesday we found 46115 waiting for us around the corner at Hellifield, with Chris Cubitt in charge northbound and Steve Chipperfield southbound. You can see from RTT what sort of run it was with maybe 450 tonnes to pull. 33 mins from Hellifield to Blea Moor tunnel working hard all the way, even time from Garsdale to Appleby and Appleby to Howe and Cos. A good hard run all the way from Carlisle to Ais Gill and then even time again downhill from Ribblehead to Settle Jct. Let's just say that in good weather conditions, the train was timed and then some and the loco seems in very good nick. Thanks to all at WCR for making it happen.

Responding to @gricerdon above, yes there are obvious risks but it might be worth noting that 48151 is due down south for a few days from July 6th. So an educated guess would be that the odds might be in your favour for the Guardsman to be on duty on July 3 and 4. But stuff happens.