Northern Belle 2022

It was indeed Ralph

 

Cheers Al.you've got a good memory lol, What people don't take into account is the fact that when the sun isn't at the right angle it alters the colours somewhat.Another version included in which I haven't been as heavy on the brushes

 

Leaving Carnforth this morning.......

 

(1) 23rd April 2022 34067 Tangmere Northern Belle - YouTube

Today's Northern Belle at Woodhouse

Background noise is a Motorcycle Scramble Meeting at or near the Cumbria Show Ground

 

Has there been a lineside fire somewhere between Carnforth and Carlisle it's saying on travel updates that Avanti trains are delayed due to lineside fire northbound on the W.C.M.L.

 

I'm just putting the word out Al cos of this one that N.R. don't make other T.O.C. have to run in show pony mode. It just gets alarm bells ringing.

 

1S48 seems to be the worst train impacted which was the following northbound service after the NB. Main delays around the Tebay Shap area it seems from RTT, but cleared now so I can not see any other info. or if it was a fire. Nothing on the Cumbrian Fire and Rescue Twitter at the moment.

 

taken from a passing train in Shap area today, this was a train behind the Belle

 

Birkett Tunnel on the return...


Tangmere approaching Birkett Tunnel

 

Tangmere approching Shap Summit , Shap Summit and Kirkby Stephen.

 

Personally I would not have posted a picture advertising the fire although it obviously happened . That's just my opinion mind .

 

I travelled back, after working a freight south, over Shap on a Pendolino. The train was stopped and cautioned at Tebay and then travelled past the affected area at caution. There was certainly a fair bit more blackened vegetation than in the earlier photograph although it appeared that the fire was out.

There's not been any significant rainfall in Cumbria for a while, we've had a week of high easterly winds off the Pennines (*Helm winds, for those who know), and there's still a lot of dead grass from the winter. It could have been significantly worse.

 

With my own personal cloud in attendance just at the wrong time, SR BoB class No. 34067 'Tangmere' going well at Hincaster with today's 'Northern Belle' with
Mick Rawling driving, Rob Russell on the shovel with Steve Clark and Steve Adams Guard



With a howling gale blowing down the length of Garsdale Station 'Tangmere' makes a fine sight and sound as it hauls the 'Northern Belle' south with Mick
Rawling driving, Steve Clark on the shovel with Rob Russell and Steve Adams Guard

 

34067 Tangmere seen climbing to Shap Summit and through Kirkby Stephen Station and yard.

 

There was early morning sunshine (hurray!) followed by gloomy dullness (boo!) and then afternoon sunshine (hurray!) but all the while there was a strong easterly wind. I had planned to try something different on Wilpshire Bank but I allowed the strong wind to persuade me otherwise - so off to Ramsgreave and Wilpshire where there might be some (limited) shelter.

The sun was in the west, the wind in the east and the train would be travelling from the north - so what about the Clitheroe end of the Down platform? When I arrived on the platform, at least 30 minutes before the train was due, there was only one person present and he was . . . . at the Clitheroe end of the Down platform!!! Back to the old favourite, the Blackburn end of the same platform - where the wind was funneling under the road bridge - hey ho!

With no service trains about our train was 7E at Clitheroe (and likely to gain on schedule). By this time the world and his wife and their son and his I-pad and his grandpa and the guy with the high viz suit had all made their way onto the platform, and were shuffling ever nearer the edge of the platform in an attempt to get a better view - oh joy of joys! A distant whistle, but any accompanying exhaust sounds were drowned out by the noise of the wind. Then Tangmere came into view, plenty of dark exhaust and lifting nicely, a good healthy chatter as she approached at at quite a pace, the sun glinting on her smokebox. The coaches whizzed by followed by the diesel (that was emitting a "bit of a roar"). Away under the road bridge and the train was bathed in sunlight as it headed on up the hill towards the nearby summit 12E and 36mph.

A busy day for WCRC with steam trains as far north as Inverness and Mallaig and as far south as Lostock Hall. My thanks to all those concerned in laying on today's entertainment. I hope that all those on this year's GB are having a great time - I can't imagine why you wouldn't be, and thanks for all the posts.