Tornado & Flying Scotsman Over The S&C - 20/10 - 21/10 - 27/10 - 28/10

We were told there was a problem with the gas supply to the kitchen coach and we had to stop so that it could be fixed.

 

Looks like Horrocksford didn't do you any favours. The practice there seems to be to reverse the unit back to Clitheroe station as soon as it arrives.

 

Roughly where did the train stop for that?

 

Cheers, that's got to be a first ?

 

Action from Tornado's sparkling northbound run and the return leg of the A3 at Langwathby.

 

Excellent coverage Liam!

 

“What a shower” are you taking the Micky? Only joking, excellent video up to your usual high standards.

 

Excellent Howard,a pan shot before everything went down the pan?

 

It’s quite a big ask. Firstly there’s the cost of getting 28 up there and back, it’s all dead money unless a couple of Railtours can be arranged. On top of that, it would mean a week away for the support crew, I’d do it but the other older ones might not want to and younger ones might not want to take the time off work. I did mention the idea at Stewart’s Lane a while back and it provoked a sharp intake of breath and much shaking of heads.

 

South kirby colliery Was one of the many collieries in S, yorkshire the L.N.E.R. selected for coal burning on their locos cos its calorific value was good compared to the usual hard coal mined in most west and sout yorks collieries on the west riding and Grimsby joint line from Leeds to Doncaster like. Like alot of G.W.R. thrived on S, wales steam coal cos of it's good quality burning calorific value and I do believe the east Kent coalfields also had good coal used on the southern reigion loco,s on the L.B.S.C.R. S.E.C.R.
But now our heritage railways in the UK rely on the last couple of years of south wales coal at frons y fran open cast and Russian coal not all bad coal like you say Tom and I do believe some coal from Poland and South America. But there again it depends on the type of loco or tank engine and the firemans opinion about how the coal raises steam, I can tell you this Tom at Kirklees light railway they burn Russian coal on 15in gauge locos running on 4 miles of track and it seems to burn ok and the ash content off the locos is ok when I've cleared the stuff for tipping. But I got a opinion off someone who fires at the east lancs railway who said that russian coal on their locos was slow burning and formed alot of Clinker in the grates and said the scottish coal they used was better before.

 

Thank you - that's quite witty, that.

 

Yep,lol

 

Many thanks Henry.

 

Cheers Mr Wistle, much appreciated.

 

Excellent Ian. Up there with the best!

 

Green giants earn their corn 20 October 2021

How about this for a business model? Take two of the most famous British steam locomotives, run them both at the head of four trains in a summer fortnight over the Settle to Carlisle line, and watch the profits roll in from all the Premier dining coaches packed with middle class folk looking for a different day out. What could possibly go wrong?

Well, Covid of course, which forced postponement to leaf-fall October, and the realisation that two trains each day, each headed by two locomotives, was a logistic bridge too far. Steam punters dared to hope the team engines would run without a diesel behind, a forlorn hope which would soon be comprehensively dashed.

But earlier at Preston, with hope still in our hearts, we could discern, through the pouring rain, the welcome sight of Peppercorn A1 Pacific No 60163 Tornado, which coupled up to our train from Tamworth, making 11 coaches. The diesel which brought us in remained coupled at the rear. “The diesel?”, we asked. “Purely for insurance,” we were assured.

It was still raining as we climbed the tree-lined track from Bamber Bridge towards Blackburn. Despite the conditions we were storming our way in the 40s up towards Hoghton, passed at 51. This wasn’t insurance, it was shovage. Even a minimum of 25 on the climb to Wilpshire was not convincing, and I stopped taking notes until Hellifield.

Would it be different on the S&C? 42 mph by Long Preston suggested not, followed by 61 before Settle Junction, 50 through Settle, 48 at Helwith Bridge, 50 through Horton and nothing below 41 until we started slowing for Ribblehead. So I stopped recording and sat back like all the others and enjoyed the ride, the drinks, the chat. After rattling down Ais Gill at line speed with the brakes on, we were soon in Carlisle.

I took the usual photos of Tornado at the north end but after that we went into the city and were too late back for any decent pictures of Gresley A3 4-6-2 No 60103 Flying Scotsman. The train’s clientele contained few of the ‘usual suspects’, who know the etiquette of allowing each other to take unobstructed pictures of the engine.

I started the return journey by enjoying my (excellent) dinner in the bright sun which had emerged by then, but resumed watching the speeds at Kirkby Stephen (47 mph), followed by Birkett 48, Mallerstang 51. On in the high forties until 44 at the Ais Gill summit board. Subsequent eye witness and video evidence has confirmed my belief that shovage was a major and planned component of delivering these trips. Later, from Whalley Viaduct at 25 we touched 30 at Langho and remained in the high 20s to Wilpshire summit, minimum 25.

We were soon back at Preston and I went for a last look at Flying Scotsman. Yes, I was disappointed that there had been no tangible means of measuring the performance of these two fine engines, but it had been great to be out with them for the day, along with good food, drink and company. The glass was well more than half full.

13 pictures are at https://pjhtransportpix.zenfolio.com/f731739511

Peter on a grey afternoon back in Manchester
https://pjhtransportpix.zenfolio.com

 

Depends on (a) how much cash you have spare (b) how much you want to prevent HMRC from requesting a portion and (c) how active a member you are of the SKI club (Spending Kid(s) Inheritance).

 

Is it me or is FS exhaust both odd and very lightweight?

EDIT: Having now read back I can see FS failed, but I can't say it looks particularly spirited in any of the videos.