Spring/Summer/Autumn 2018 CMEs

From RTC e-ticket.

 

Thanks for that. Shame, but inevitable.

 

No problem. I was speaking to Sir Peter Hendy earlier this week and he made a comment that had this hot weather occurred two or three years ago every trip would've been cancelled due to steam bans. While he was under no illusion the current situation is ideal, he said processes have improved quite a bit within NR over the last few years.

 

Very hollow 50th Anniversary Celebrations of the end of steam. I hope you berated Sir Peter about the shocking state of the line side. NR are a big contributing factor to steam bans from fire risk and leaf fall in the autumn.

 

What's happening on today's CME? Diesel tucked inside or on the back??

 

Double headed. Scotsman leading with a Brush Type 4 behind the tender.

 

This mornings outward leg at Beckfoot

 

Footage of 60103 at Grayrigg summit and Waitby Rock cutting .

 

Was great to see the number of butterflies on the Grayrigg shot

 

It was Henry , thought I spotted a Cabbage white

 

Drone footage of Flying Scotsman approaching Preston

 

My video of the CME and Royal Scotsman

 

Scotsman and “Friend” to Carlisle 4 August 2018


This RTC tour was advertised with the same steam hauled route as the traditional January Cumbrian Mountain Express ie Manchester Preston Shap Carlisle Ais Gill Blackburn Manchester. This reminded me that in 2016, that train was to have been hauled by Flying Scotsman on completion of its massive overhaul at Riley Engineering in Bury. That was not to be as there were last minute adjustments to be made to the locomotive before it could go out on the big railway. I guessed this tour may have been the fulfilment of Ian Riley’s ambition to do this big tour from his ‘home shed’, so I booked on it.

Once again, it was not to be, as several weeks of hot dry weather had put paid to almost all unaccompanied steam outings across the network, due to the risk of lineside fires. A number of trains were still running, with diesel assistance immediately behind the steam, and that was to be our fate. Moreover, the steam leg was cut short, and Scotsman would pilot us only from Carnforth over Shap to Carlisle, then back over Ais Gill to Blackburn and Preston.

So we set off from Manchester Victoria to Carnforth behind No 47237, and eventually after the usual procession of expresses, Scotsman headed the diesel and 11 coaches out onto the main line. The figures of performance are meaningless as far as Scotsman’s performance was concerned, but a brief selection of speeds is given to show I was awake: Yealand summit 46, Oxenholme 57, Grayrigg 55, Tebay 69, Scout Green 47, Shap Summit 39, Little Strickland 70, Penrith 63, Wreay 71 and then we were at Carlisle.

A good development at Carlisle was the placement of crowd barriers around the stopping place of the steam locomotive. This helped reduce the usual scrum and made it easier to get an uninterrupted view of the engine. The other thing to note about my photographs is that on many of them, I have gone in very closely on Scotsman, to try and minimise unwanted intrusions onto the photos.

The return journey followed a similar pattern: Howe & Co 45, Low House 47, Lazonby 56, Culgaith 63, 47 at Kirkby Thore and four minutes early into Appleby. No water was taken (presumably not needed) but the ice creams sold like hot cakes. Then 40 at Kirkby Stephen, into Birkett tunnel at 41 and 42 at Ais Gill. Downhill was even less remarkable with 62 at Selside our maximum speed. After watering at Hellifield, the only remarkable thing was that after 41 over the viaduct at Whalley, we suddenly slowed into the 20s on approaching Langho and hit a minimum of 17 before gradually picking up speed to 35 on entering the tunnel and 37 through the station. We were 15 minutes early into Preston, where Scotsman plus escort and support coach left us for Carnforth.

So it was a pleasant day out on a fine summer’s day amid magnificent scenery, and I never tire of admiring Scotsman in her beautiful BR livery. It’s just a shame we did not have her unassisted on the full itinerary. Ah well, third time lucky?

24 photos are at https://pjhtransportpix.zenfolio.com/p819600309

Peter, on another hot sunny day in Manchester

https://pjhtransportpix.zenfolio.com

 

I captured these shots at Carnforth as the train departed north on the main line. Not sure what is being tossed towards the photographers, but it looks like a piece of coal.

 

I should have added this one, taken a few seconds earlier.

 

Nice souvenir for someone perhaps.

 

Health and safety has to come into play here totally irresponsible and know one watching the road

 

Maybe somebody in the crowd was heard referring to "Grotsman".....…?
or a misheard report from the Test match that Kohli's out?

 

and did you see where exactly it went, how far ?, or not ?

 

Wasn’t me as I was at Grayrigg me lud ( meant as a joke before it gets jumped on )