60163 "Ticket to Ride" 19/09/20

Yes indeed - it was stressed to me by some senior staff that the dead weight at the rear would only have been called on 'in extremis' - and rightly so.

Mark

 

Another video still frame from Edge Hill

 

Missed the sun by seconds, seen here at Ulleskelf ...


60163 Tornado crossing the Wharfe at Ulleskelf by Inspiring Images, on Flickr


Tornado on the the scousers express by Phoenix Images, on Flickr

 

With the ball of fire setting in the western sky 60163 passes Gregson lane

 

Yet again Bob and Joan take the image of the day, superb work.

 

A fairly last minute booking for what was an unusual itinerary to, rather than from, Liverpool from the eastern side of the country, thereby cutting out any need for a hotel. I also wanted to get another trip in before things get difficult again.

Some good, no-nonsense running ahead of schedule on the outward, top speed being a nice +/- 65mph sprint between Colton Junction and Church Fenton. Interesting to note that while I drive past it on the A1(M) fairly regularly, the last time I spotted the now closed Ferrybridge power station from a steam special, it had six cooling towers. It now has three.

The BR green machine took the Calder Valley in its stride, with top speeds hitting around 52-54mph, with a nice stretch heading downhill. Manchester is a crowded place, and there were several stops needed to get through Victoria and onto the Liverpool and Manchester Railway. We reached about 64 over Chat Moss until the schedule started to fray at the edges after Huyton - we had caught up with local line congestion, with the result that arrival was about 4 late.

I spent a glorious late summer's afternoon wandering around Liverpool - the Anglican cathedral is a favourite spot, through Chinatown and down to Wapping to the Baltic Fleet, my favourite pub. Had three pints outdoors in the sunshine before bidding farewell and wandering around the docks and through the Cavern Quarter. It's quite a good circuit of Liverpool.

There were a few slips on presumably greasy rail leaving Lime Street, but thereafter, the climb was steady to Edge Hill. The main reason I was on the trip was Huyton-Wigan via St Helens, a route that sees steam once a year on RTC's odd-one-out Cumbrian Mountain Express from Liverpool as part of a multi day tour. It seemed remarkably steep in places, and there was plenty of noise from the front as the locomotive got stuck in. 50mph was the maximum speed clocked on the GPS for this section. All in all, a nice stretch of line, and I now know where people who throw stones shouldn't work - Pilkington's!

The best bit of sustained high-speed running that day came next, with a solid climb to Coppull, and a good 75mph sprint down the other side past Euxton Balshaw Lane. It was nice to be on the fast line for a change.

Branching off at Farington Junction, we waited time to be let loose on Copy Pit. Unfortunately, we were delayed at Rose Grove - trespass was cited by the steward, and a struggling Northern unit on here. Either way, it ultimately cost us around 20 minutes, which we never really shook off. The still-rare southbound climb of Copy Pit seemed good, I noted down 23mph being a minimum during the climb, but I'm not wedded to that - it might have been a bit more or less. Nevertheless, it seemed like no time at all before we were having a tightly-controlled coast down the other side in the darkness, maximum speed being 37mph on the GPS. Not being certain of line speeds on this section, this would seem to give credence to the delayed unit.

There was another rarity of steam running from Stansfield Hall to Hall Royd Junction for an eastbound run through the Calder Valley. I'm nothing if not thorough with my line coverage, so this was a refreshing change from going the other direction, which is the usual case. Now to get the new curve in the down direction!

Again, some steady running to Brighouse and beyond, before a final 60+mph flourish before slowing for York. All in all, a pleasant way to spend a day, and thanks go to everyone involved, particularly the booking office.

A note on the diesel, while it was off as far as York, there was a clunk every time the brakes were released. Not great when having your tea!

 

Thanks for your kind comments ,it was very touch and go .

 

Regarding the clunking and the brakes - it's my understanding that it's probably due to a slight mismatch on brake response between coaching stock and the 47. The weight and/or inertia of the diesel does the rest. The only way of minimising this would be buckeyes between locomotive & stock - even with the screw link tight, there is still the movement of the springs in the buffers and the couplings permitting this 'snatching'.

Mark

 

Bamber Bridge.

 

I think it’s more to do with the fallout from the Ebor Flyer incident and a falling out with DBC. One day the story, whatever it is will be told I’m sure.