Steam on Settle And Carlisle 27/04/19

Super footage there SGT. He who dares wins!

 

Running ahead of the hailstorms at Lunds viaduct ...


Running ahead of the storm by Phoenix Images, on Flickr

 

27/04/2019 -The sun pokes its head out against a murky sky as Gresley A4 - 60009 "Union of South Africa" (with leaky steam cock) approaches Helwith Bridge with "Steam on the Settle and Carlisle" special, steam hauled from York to Carlisle..

 

One tries

 

My daughter well impressed with the second part of your vid

 

One of them days today I think...... With a tighter schedule than the summer 'Waverley' tours, I just managed to chase it from Bolton Percy to Gargrave and then to Horton In Ribblesdale, the sun a minute after the train was wonderful at Horton........

Images Available Here

 

My latest footage, enjoy

 

I thoroughly enjoyed yesterday's trip. I managed a very brief word with JC at York, thanking him for all that he has done for us.

I was lucky to be in coach A with only the support coach and the generator coach in front of us, so we heard plenty of sound from the loco (not just that unfortunately blowing drain cock), even though we were pootling along behind service trains for some of the time, both on the approach to Leeds, having been slightly late at Micklefield and thus got behind a train from Selby, and then behind a Bradford-Skipton stopper.

It must have been an easy schedule as far as our water stop at Long Preston, as we got there near enough on time despite those slow bits, but we did get somewhat behind after that, eventually arriving 16 late at Carlisle. Climbing long banks with heavy trains is rather different from what the A4s were originally designed for but she seemed OK at a steady slog, with only one slip that I heard on what were certainly wet rails.

I hope someone will post some timings and analysis. Meanwhile thanks for all the stills and videos already posted.

 

All in all a brilliant day out, thanks to UKRailtours and all concerned. We were mostly lucky with the weather after an awful forecast, a couple of spells of heavy rain did not spoil the wonderful run over the Settle and Carlisle too much.

I'm an enthusiast rather than a purist but it seemed a great performance by 60009 U. of S. A. hauling 13 up the long drag. 30 through Horton-In-Ribbelsdale, then up to 36 but back to 29 2 miles short of Ribblehead and we held that only dropping to 26 at Blea Moor, recovering to 31 at Dent. The ascent to Aisgill was much quicker at just under 50 and 52 over the summit. Great to hear 60009 chattering away and unassisted.

Nice to meet you MellishR.

Interesting run back from Carlisle, mostly at 100mph and gaining time, but several times checks meant we lost all we gained and more. We hopped platforms at Peterborough, as the meal had finished, and caught the LNER express in the adjacent platform and got to KX 50 minutes earlier than the charter!

Mucky weather shot going over Ribblehead Viaduct below.

 

Likewise.

I'm sometimes hesitant about announcing on a public forum that I will be on such-and-such a train as it could be an invitation to burglars, but it would be an unusual burglar who would look on this particular forum and then work out my identity and where I live.

 

True, but 60009 does hold the preservation record for single headed load 12 plus for the climb from Settle Jct to Blea Moor, so she's clearly been capable during her career to compete with the best on long climbs. Maybe being nursed a little more now coming to the end of her ticket.

 

I see they've fitted LMS drain cocks to her.

 

When was that set?

 

The 28th of April 1984. But such performances should come as no surprise since the secret of high speed schedules is uphill performance. But 60009 is one of those engines that are more than the sum of the parts.

 

35 years ago to the day.

 

Going well, 'Number 9' lifts her 13 coach load through a damp Horton-in Ribblesdale.
©copyright 2019

 

I well remember that run! She set fire to half of Ribblesdale as I recall......

 

I think you'll find that the fire raising run northbound was the previous week on Good Friday. The return run with with no.9 on Easter Tuesday resulted in more lineside fires all the way up Mallerstang.

92220 Evening Star ran north on Easter Saturday and South on Easter Monday without any problems.

 

60009 first northbound tour over the S&C was on the 21st April 1984 and the 24th April southbound caused fires in Baron Wood. As I understand it, from several sources including timers, the record run was 28th April 1984 as first mentioned. Fire precautions were already in place, steam coming off at Appleby and it was cut down on the south end too coming on at Hellifield, but there appeared to be some kind of miss-communication to the driver!
One online source is here:
http://locoperformance.tripod.com/edition08/settlecarlisle1.htm