WCRC Scarborough Spa/Dalesman/Spirit of the Lakes/normal tours 2022

No schedule obviously loaded for 35018 & POB Carnforth Depot to Hellifield, but 2Y60 1042 Morecambe - Leeds was held for 59' at Lancaster waiting for the route to be cleared.

Cheers, Neil

 

Thank you for your reply.

 

So what on earth did happen? How did the 37s lose 103 minutes approaching the Hellifield? Then why was the Northern service from Carnforth wiped out due to a failed steam engine: Realtime Trains | 2Y58 0941 Lancaster to Carnforth | 12/07/2022

2Y58 doesn't even take the same route as the excursion, so I presume 35018 was heading direct to Hellifield to work from there, but failed and blocked the line towards Carnforth.

But I guess. All seems a bit odd.

 

One 37 went from Hellifield to rescue 35018 and dragged her back to Hellifield to be repaired and the tour went onwards with both 37 ‘s , BIL has since departed back to Carnforth I believe.

 

Whatever happened, it appears from this video I found on YouTube that it was quite serious and the crew had to drop the fire.



Sent from my XQ-BT52 using Tapatalk

 

Just to clarify, a VSTP schedule was loaded and it's visible through this link -
http://charlwoodhouse.co.uk/rail/liverail/train/27689514/12/07/22

I guess there was some data transfer problem from Network Rail systems to RTT. These things happen, it's computers talking to each other!

Cheers, Neil

 

Tuesday did not go as planned. I was about to leave home to see the outbound Pendle Dalesman when I received the news that BIL had failed. With nothing else to do I decided to go for a walk before it got too hot. Then came news that BIL had been repaired and would be making her way directly to Hellifield to collect the train - the news came too late for Oswald to make it to the S&C. Still I could watch the return; then came further news that BIL had failed at Bentham and the trip would be hauled throughout by two 37s.

The day was dull but hot and humid so an afternoon watching cricket on tv would do nicely - that didn't go well as England were crushed and the match finished early. @RalphW had updated us to say that the return would leave Carlisle an hour late and catch up the time by omitting the Hellifield water stop. (It also omitted the Appleby ice cream stop!) As a consequence it left Hellifield 13E. It was now sunny and I had nothing to do so, did I want to watch a pair of diesels hauling the return? Not really, but yes! I reasoned (incorrectly) that even though the train had left Hellifield early it was unlikely to be allowed out before the 19.10 Rochdale train from Clitheroe. Wrong! The train had left Clitheroe 30E, old Oswald had absolutely no chance of getting over to Wilpshire bank. The nearest point to Wistle Towers is around Cherry Tree.

On Monday afternoon I had spent a couple of hours "sussing out" some possible locations in the Pleasington / Cherry Tree area - so I had somewhere in mind. Two of the most obvious and direct routes are affected by diversions caused be long term roadworks, but another should be ok (at this time). I headed out, by the time I arrived the train was already in Blackburn station and could have been with me about now had it not been held in Blackburn for the York - Blackpool North train. The service train passed (6L) and hot on its heels was "our" train. I was on the footbridge about a quarter of a mile west of Cherry Tree station overlooking the site of what was Cherry Tree Junction.

The front of the diesel came into view under the road bridge and shortly afterwards passed through the platforms of Cherry Tree station; it seemed to be going at a fair old lick despite being only 2 miles from Blackburn. A haze above the locomotives and an ever increasing growl as the 37s hammered their way towards me, it was thunderous as they passed beneath the bridge and the carriages (10) whizzed past and quickly it had gone. 57 mph, 26E and still a very pleasant 21C. Thanks to Ralph for the updates, too late and too fast to arrange a wave. Well done to WCRC for giving it a good go to put steam on the front and for providing alternative traction. I hope that BIL is soon back to her best and I promise not to video diesels again (probably).



[In steam days this view of Cherry Tree Junction would have looked very different. There were four parallel tracks with two additional tracks to the right of the existing line, in what is now dense woodland, this line led to Chorley. Looking in the opposite direction, the lines diverged just beyond the footbridge. The Chorley line curved away to the left and began to climb steeply (1/64r); the Preston line falls gently at 1/397f. The formation of the Chorley line is still in situ and about 0.3 miles away has climbed to a point where a significant under bridge provides access to a large field bounded by the lines and the main road.



Photographic opportunities of the existing line are all but ruled out by lineside trees and vegetation but a drone might offer possibilities. The Chorley line continued climbing before crossing the A674 on a high 3 arch bridge (in situ) and then, after another few hundred yards, ends where the canal bridge has been removed; beyond this pint the land is now housing].

 

An unhappy coincidence but dropping the fire and with hoses run out BIL is just across the line from Angus Fire, manufacturer of industrial hoses and fire fighting equipment.

 

I would be grateful if anyone travelling on tomorrow's Dalesman can record and then post a time for the climb from Ormside to the Aisgill summit sign. I am keeping a record of all posted times for the year. [Pleases see post #63 above for full details].

Thanks in anticipation and enjoy. Remember, "Oswald needs YOUR time!"

 

Wessy Gessy reporting in their usual understated manner....

https://www.thewestmorlandgazette.co.uk/news/20275455.risk-explosion-steam-train-runs-water-bentham/

Sent from my SM-A125F using Tapatalk

 

I thought the journalists maxim was "Never let the truth get in the way of a story"

 

Has Bentham ever been in Westmorland?

 

Same story in Lancaster Guardian

 

They are all syndicated so same stories appear in 'em all, not seen it but no doubt the same also popped up in the NW Evening Mail.