WCRC Santa Specials 2019

Thanks to all for posting some amazing images and photos, it was difficult to appreciate what amazing conditions it was outside - with all the festivities inside!
This wasn't a day for close performance monitoring. I must also admit I thought there had been a lot more assistance on the northbound climb of Shap than the videos indicate, however this would appear to be an excellent heavy weight performance. We took just under 70mph onto the climb and were really flying with a tremendous noise, until quite a heavy slip which, whilst quickly caught, resulted in a notable drop in momentum. Speed then dropped below 40 and she really dug in as the videos show, with a minimum of 28mph at the summit. With the 47 appearing to be doing very little, this was a very good performance with such a load.
The southbound run had a lot more assistance due to being looped and late running services, which ruined any proper climb.
BIL is clearly a very capable loco which I think has yet to be properly tested.

 

Totally agree with you Ralph. I was also on the train and am glad people were out there recording these scenes

 

As a videographer it was frustrating being onboard in such interesting weather conditions

 

Whilst you may feel you've been unlucky - your second photo above has a bit of a Colin Gifford look about it and it never did him any harm taking photos in such condition's?

PS perhaps we all need to look beyond that perfect front 3/4 look we see and do all too often (me too!)

 

An unbelievably good collection of photos. My big worry is that in the future lack of crews, climate change and costs may mean that these images become rarer and rarer.

 

Chin up, it’s now over 50 years since mainline steam finished forever . . ?! Just enjoy it, the future will take care of itself.

 

Indeed, all the more reason to enjoy what we have today. We used to make fun of Nigel Dobbing for claiming that each Great Britain tour would be the last, but part of the reason that the mainline steam scene is so vibrant is that all involved are aware that its future is not assured; so if you want to run a steam train from, say Penzance to Thurso, you'd better get on and do it while you can.

 

The biggest worry I have is that there seems to be a lot of crews retiring at the moment with not many guys being passed out as drivers. This is a big worry it seems in the north of England & Scotland.

 

I believe that WCRC has a training programme but I'm unsure if it's tied in with the programme for main line tests of overhauled locomotives.

 

Is there?

 

I have heard that mainline test runs have had trainee firemen on them which is really good to hear.

The Rileys boys a lot of them are too young to be driving and are therefore not yet ready. I believe that Ron Smith may have retired.

 

https://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/f...-steam-ahead-for-youngest-uk-locomotive-crew/

No idea about Ron Smith, but in two posts we have gone from a 'lot of crews retiring at the moment' to one gentleman?

 

I believe Vintage Trains have passed out a new driver.

 

I would suggest it is a far bigger issue in the south than the north.

 

As evidenced by the WCRC retreat from much southern working, which I recall was specifically justified by a number of drivers retiring?

 

Great sequence at Plumpton!

 

Great stuff, Simon!

 

This has to be one of the shots of the day Duncan, if not THE shot.....