CME 05/08/17

Hi
According to RTT and uksteam this trip calls Blackburn out and Preston return. I am thinking of booking but according to RTC website and lady in their office it's out via Preston and back via Blackburn. Don't fancy being stuck at Preston if it's going the other way or Blackburn vice versa lovely places though the are. Anyone know the truth?
Thanks. John

 

Yes thanks for that but that was the point of my question. Surely RTC should know the route of the train but their office and website insist it's out via Preston and return via Blackburn. Could be difficult if I followed their advice and was waiting at Preston ai 08.30 for the RTC train when at that very moment the RTT train is somewhere between Bolton and Blackburn!! Guess the answer is to board at Manchester and see who was right a few minutes later??
John

 

Good point. Thanks!
John

 

Also RTC will always (in my experience) supply an e-ticket with the final timetable.

 

This one is still being shown as out via the S&C, back via Shap on RTT, which is the usual format for the Crewe originating ones these days. Have any passengers received their tickets yet?

 

A cool westerly wind carried the sound of 46233's heavy exhaust for several minutes before she rounded the curve on the approach to Hoghton summit. The patchy cloud gave way to full sun, she whistled, under the road bridge, past the signal and then the exhaust beat quickening as she accelerated away towards Pleasington; a majestic sight. (Running 8L and with 11 coaches).

Oswald T Wistle, News at Ten (in the morning), Chapel Lane, Hoghton

 

Approaching Kearsley this morning, running a few minutes late despite leaving Man Vic on time, nothing in front of him, shut off through the station then opened up. No obvious speed restriction boards to be seen and only doing 25/30mph (guess). Just a little annoying as it was full exhaust few hundred yards before.

 

Britfoamer what you described for Kearsley this morning sounds very much like a gauging TSR for the Duchess. Without seeing the NR sheet that is supposition but there do seem to be more and more of these appearing on the timing sheets these days. I understand one of the last FS Surrey Hills trips has a page and a half of A4 temporary restrictions attached.

 

Without sounding like a forecaster of doom, it makes one wonder if this (and other small things) is part of death by a thousand cuts for steam hauled mainline trains.
Nothing to do with todays gauging issues, but these loco's were never seen over the Preston - Manchester Victoria section in steam days, apparently my mate was told by a Newton Heath driver in the 1960's it was for width issues on some of the local stations, how true this was is probably now lost in time. My mate did see the only (known) time a Princess ventured down and back to Man Vic, I have seen reports in the Trains Illustrated traffic news, a 1960's copy I seam to remember.

 

Approaching Pleasington this morning...................

 

The Duchess this morning at Blackrod, Chatburn and Stainforth Cutting:

 

I know that this is not Preston-Vic and return but on Saturday 27th September 1980 (4)6201 worked from Blackburn to Vic via Sough The best ever trip through Sough for me, the previous best was with (4)4767 on an empty van train.

 

46233 on the return at Harrison sidings .

 

CME dep Lancaster 1840 after unexplained stop in station. AN

 

Speeding towards Ribblehead, LMS 8P Class 4-6-2 No. 46233 'Duchess of Sutherland' makes a fine sight and sound heading the 'Cumbrian Mountain Express'
to Carlisle



With the weather having picked up, LMS 8P Class 4-6-2 No. 46233 'Duchess of Sutherland' speeds through Shap with the return leg of the 'Cumbrian Mountain Express
to Crewe

 

As it's been some time since steam used the Euxton Jn - Bolton line I watched the return through Chorley station. The train had picked up a delay at Lancaster but was eating into the deficit before being held at Euxton Jn for the late running Blackpool North & Windermere - Manchester Airport to pass. A couple of minutes after this service had cleared the station the signal turned to green and 46233 leaning to the long left hand curve powered through the station (33L) - a tremendous spectacle. Following all the recent civil works on the line it's good to know that a Duchess still fits.

 

A few shots from today featuring LMS 8P No.46233 'Duchess Of Sutherland' at Nappa, Helwith Bridge and Great Strickland.

Images Available Here