Cotswold Venturer 16/02/19

60009 absolutely romped up the incline towards the summit at Sapperton tunnel this morning.
Yes, I know that the incline is steeper in the opposite direction but wow, that was shifting.

Always a pleasure to see the old girl in full flight. Long may it continue.

11 coaches today, no banker. <BJ>

 

Here are a couple with 60009 having just gone through the level crossing at Wadborough. The light was absolutely rubbish but there you go.

 

The ever reliable 60009 on time approaching Ashchurch.

 

Great sight and sounds up Sapperton this morning

 

Number 9 crossing the Avon at Eckington this morning about 15 minutes after the cloud arrived.

 

Leaving Worcester and passing the pulverised remains of the old Metal Box factory and loading bay

 

60009 roaring up the 1 in 100 gradient on the final approach to Campden Tunnel.

 

On the return at Fladbury. Bit grainy due to the low light.

 

My efforts from today, both in relatively dark conditions.

Passing the box at St Mary's Crossing, and remarkably no cars on the road as she passed!


Approaching Evesham at the start of the double track section.

 

Seen at Tredington and Campden Bank.

 

Captured her at Steventon and Campden Bank/Tunnel. Would have caught her more (Kemble and Cheltenham), but a pot hole and puncture decided otherwise!!

 

Campden Bank:

 

That location at Campden tunnel has completely overgrown in the space of five years when they did all the excavating.

 

Yes, it's going to be difficult to get a decent shot there before too long if the vegetation grows at it's current rate.....
It's an interesting location. Quite a few people wandering around freely yesterday although I'm not entirely sure if it is in fact private land or not.

 

My footage of the A4 roaring up Campden Bank heading back to London after her stellar performance throughout the day. Enjoy.

 

Hard to imagine a loco so ‘on song’ is coming up to its final retirement.

 

Great to see such comprehensive video coverage of No.9 on the upper reaches of Campden bank. In recent times, this route has seen far fewer southbound steam excursions than its near neighbour at Sapperton. But despite the misgivings expressed about the clockwise routing for this tour and the denial of one last blast on Sapperton for UoSA, I would contend that the climb through the Cotswolds in this direction, as captured by these videos, is in reality every bit as interesting as Sapperton – and not just for the comparative rarity value of southbound steam along this route.

The timing sections of the respective climbs to the respective tunnel mouths are very similar in length, at about 3.6 miles – Sapperton’s serious climb commencing from roughly the former Brimscombe station site and Campden’s from Honeybourne. But essentially these are different climbs in character and thus one would expect to observe a rather different performance profile. Sapperton’s 1 in 70/ 75/ 60 is approached via a line-speed restriction to 50/ 60mph south of Stroud, whereas the steady, constant 1 in 100 climb of Campden is approached at the full ruling line-speed (for this section of the North Cotswold line) of 75mph.

So the performance interest for Sapperton is always going to be about how much grunt is invested in minimising the drop in lower overall speeds from a mildly-handicapped start along progressively steepening gradients; whereas with Campden, the ability to approach the climb faster means that the observed performance is more about experiencing a straightforward rate of attrition of speed from an unconstrained start, attacking a uniformly adverse rising gradient, with higher attendant overall speeds and likely higher entrance speed at Campden Tunnel.

And No.9’s speed is indeed the distinguishing and distinctive feature of these videos. The evidence portrayed in these extracts suggests a speed of just under 49mph at the Mickleton Road overbridge (just north of MP99.5), and an entry speed into the tunnel (a few chains north of MP98 inside the tunnel) of just over 45 mph. If these figures, or anything close, are borne out by on-board timers, (can anyone confirm??), then this will indeed have been a very special swan-song from a still-strong 82 year-old.

There aren’t many recent comparisons from which to draw, to form a view of just how good this climb really was. Clearly Tornado’s Cathex run in March 2013 was something almost off-the-scale outstanding. Honeybourne passed at 66 mph; thereafter a fall only to 57.5mph at MP99.5 and 53.5 mph at the tunnel entrance. With a similar 11 coach load (425 tons gross). Indeed a machine in the prime of its youth.

But glancing quickly across a representative collection of logs of runs on up Hereford/ Worcester services in the last season of BR steam on this route (1963/64), more typical Castle/ Load 9 or 10 performances saw Campden bank surmounted at speeds no higher than the low 30’s, and perhaps this is the fairer benchmark by which to judge yesterday’s achievement.

Hard to come to terms with the fact that this may be the Final Curtain for No.9’s main line appearances in the South of England. So I hope that yesterday was a suitably fulfilling day for all travelling enthusiasts, timers and line-siders alike. Looking forward with great interest to reading the accounts of this run from those on board.

 

Photo from yeaterday in beautiful sunshine: https://flic.kr/p/2eHGg8o

 

I totally agree with you that the railtour on Saturday with no.9 was excellent.

In my opinion the approach to Campden tunnel is on a par to the approach to Sapperton tunnel but in a west bound (Stroud) direction. Although shorter, the Coates to Sapperton climb has the same 1-100 incline as Campden bank and full line speed. The climb to Sapperton in the opposite direction is more strenuous due to having a steeper incline and continuous reverse curves.

Just a thought. <BJ>

 

There's class 5 & class 6 comparisons in the form of Mayflower and Galatea, both were mid 30's into the tunnel on load 10, I think Mayflower was a tad quicker. Rood Ashton has been up a few times too.