Pennine Moors Christmas Explorer 17/12/20

Seems to be running. RTT says it left Wolverhapton 1 min late.
https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/U55368/2020-12-17/detailed

 

Copied from Issue 712 :

Thursday 17th December 2020


Saphos Trains

LSL Diesel 46100
LSL Diesel

 

The Railway Herald site was updated either late yesterday or early this morning from Royal Scot to Braunton.

 

It was updated at 9-30pm last night.

 

if you look on railcam crewe its 34046 sitting on the train

 

Braunton and train left Crewe on time at 1207


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

Some footage on YouTube. Seems to be making a fair old racket:

 

Rebuild Bulleid West Country class 4-6-2 No. 34046 Braunton races towards Hartford station at the head of Saphos Trains Pennine Moors Christmas Explorer from Birmingham International to Blackburn and Rochdale via Copy Pit on 17th December 2020.



Cheers,

 

At 13.27 (3E) in light drizzle and with sanders on Braunton, with a tooooot, toot on the whistle and a whoosh, whoosh, whoosh from the exhaust, passed under the bridge at Chapel Lane as she eased her train towards the summit of Hoghton bank. A few seconds later the 47 on the rear passed with only a gentle burble from the exhaust. The train gathered speed and too soon curved away left towards Pleasington and was gone.

An invigorating and sustaining encounter with mainline steam after what has been a very difficult year. Let’s hope for something more normal, hopefully from late spring or early summer when Oswald (and others) will be able to return to the rails. In the meantime may I wish you a very merry (small) Christmas and a happy (even smaller) new year. We should follow Boris’s advice on how to stay healthy over the festive period, “if you have a starter then don’t have a pudding, or vice versa, or you could have a starter and a pudding but no main, or 2 starters . . . ”

Oswald remained in Tier 3 and was socially distanced throughout.

 

I should add that we were not on board. Although we had two dining seats booked, our risk assessment said no. Our family is highly Covid vulnerable and the national Covid situation is getting worse again. We judged that 26 passengers plus staff in a Mark 1 on a cold day (when most people would not want their windows yawning) was a risk too far.

We enjoyed our ride out to Crewe in the morning sun, and watching the engine change. We watched from the car park as the train departerd, then stopped off at Greggs for a sausage roll and a mince pie. Maybe next year we shall make it for the full six-course Christmas feast.

Hope you all have a good Christmas within the constraints, and that 2021 is much better for us all

Peter, watching a cloudy Manchester sunset
https://pjhtransportpix.zenfolio.com/

 

My shot at Dutton viaduct this morning.

 

Disappointing but wise, all the best and stay safe.

 

Quick shot of Braunton approaching Holme tunnel on the climb up Copy Pit...

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=2880202242193668

 

34046 from above and below, crossing Dutton Viaduct

 

Footage of 34046 working past a dull and wet Holme Chapel on the climb to Copy Pit.

 

Not much light left as Braunton passed through Salford.





Phil

 

Add a visual for your description, here blasting under your feet at Hoghton. My second shot at Hapton ruined with steam flopping down.

 

Braunton coasting toward Warrington at Moore.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/164039623@N04/

 

Another example of the inconsistencies which abound at present. The Northern Belle working from London to Salisbury today was cancelled, ostensibly owing to the new tier 3 status of London, but numerous tours in the north continue to run despite being in, or entering/leaving, tier 3.