Lune Rivers Special 25/9/21

Not seen a thread for this tour with no allocation announcements engine wise yet .
https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:U13597/2021-09-25/detailed

https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:U13600/2021-09-25/detailed

 

Was told that it's 35018, both Thursday and Saturday . Don't know how accurate the info is.

 

Hope they’ve got plenty of sand left Ralph

 

Sand.... Castle..?

 

No it has a tour down south tomorrow!

 

Think the 37 would be best served when 35018 restarts from passenger pick ups .

 

After the Merchant ran into trouble on Tuesday and had to have her sandboxes refilled the powers that be will want to avoid a recurrence similar to this from last year.

 

Half dollar/tanner time on the footplate there.

 

SRMN class No. 35018 'British India Line' makes a fine sight and sound as it works 'The Lune River Trust' away from Clapham with Mick Kelly driving, Martyn
Soames firing and Roly Parker Guard to Chester. On the return journey Steve Chipperfield driving, Craig Todd on the shovel and Matt Miller Guard

 

Footage of 35018 at Starrick's Farm, Clapham and shortly after Hellifield .

 

There had been overnight rain which had been replaced by some intermittent drizzle that was proving slow to clear. A class 37 was going to be attached to the rear. My flu jab, that should have been last Saturday, had been rescheduled to this morning thanks to the shortage of HGV drivers. Even if I got the jab on time it left precious little time to drive over to Ramsgreave. I didn't know if I could be faffed but morning climbs of Wilpshire bank are rare - I decided to go for it. I turned up at the health centre 15 mins early and was in and out within 5 mins. Traffic was light but parking near Wilpshire station was a bit more of a problem than usual with most spaces taken by customers and staff of the local shops; closed in the evening. A bit further to walk and then down to the station to set up in my usual corner of the down platform.

Ralph was stewarding and sent me some progress updates. At weekends, the service trains are less frequent at this time of day and it was no surprise when the Lune Rivers Trust Special was let straight out at Horrocksford Jn and passed through Clitheroe 11E. The drizzle had stopped some time ago, it was 17C and felt pleasantly warm, any patches of damp on the platform were drying rapidly. The "word" was that the driver, Mick Kelly had arranged that the diesel would provide assistance ONLY when requested and would not "push at will".

That gentle exhaust gave no warning of BIL's approach before she rounded the bend in the distance. Then she could be heard, working quite hard, that light characteristic 3 cylinder beat. Plenty of exhaust in the still damp air, making good progress and no sanders. As BIL passed alongside, the briefest glimpse of the crew, Martyn Soames? Then under the road bridge and off towards the summit. The coaches rushed by, halfway along and a lady at an open droplight waved, then at the very last droplight a wave and thumbs up from @RalphW (thanks Ralph). The diesel was making less noise than I had expected. I watched as the train crested the summit and dropped down the other side on its way towards Blackburn; the halfway point on its journey to Chester.

BIL was hauling 12 coaches (and a 37?!), 15E and 27 mph. There were only 5 people on the station - very glad that I was one of them. Thanks to Ralph for the waves and the updates, all the WCRC crew for putting on a show and all the staff at the health centre for getting me out of the door in time to see the train.

 

35018 tnt 37668 which was heard then seen at Starricks Farm, Clapham and finally Hellifield Curve.

 

35018 seen between Bentham and Clapham this morning

 

Back in the 1960s when Frodsham and Helsby were definitely 'home ground' within a bike ride from home in Warrington seeing a Merchant between Warrington and Chester would be fantasy.

35018 leaving Frodsham tunnel with the Chester bound train, and returning through the semaphore island that is Helsby junction (at least 11 homes in use plus ground discs) which has one of the last few co-acting signals on the network.
Between trains I also managed a tour around the Danny moored at Sutton Weaver.
Not a bad day !

 

Footage of 35018 today at Starricks Farm, Kettlesbeck, Ramsgreave Summit, Hoghton and Coppull Moor.

 

You've managed to avoid getting a shot of my dad lurking at the far end of the platform!