LE movements, ECS and test runs 2022

44871 light engine to Scotland.

 

46233 Duchess of Sutherland plus support coach was seen by me in Harbury Cutting this morning heading from Tyseley to Southall.There was no diesel .The booked time from Leamington was 11.27 so presumably it's in Southall by now. Someone told me yesterday there was a Network Rail steam ban because of the hot weather but clearly not.

 

Harbury cutting ...that brings back memories. I used to sit on the banking as a young boy watching steam set the banking on fire in the fifties...the days when I thought all steam engines had copper capped chimneys. A family member had a farm there and we used to love haymaking....the hard way..

 

Welsh Mountaineer cancelled on Tuesday due to weather

 

Stock move from Watercress Line on Monday after the Diesel Gala:
https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:K21902/2022-07-18/detailed

Sent from my XQ-BT52 using Tapatalk

 

BIL working south through Brock on 5Z46 30 minutes late.

 

46115 and 35018 on the mainline

 

35018 0n its way back to Carnforth 1st August

 

I think I remember that green stuff in the foreground, is it not called grass?
Much missed down south.

 

Live grass to be exact! Certainly missed down south......

Andrew

 

You will envy today's video even a steam loco in a downpour

 

We wouldn't mind in the south if it meant a steam engine actually hauling a train - oh, those were the days .....

 

According to Rail Advent. Black 5 44932 is out on test today from Carnforth to Hellifield and back.

 

Numbered as 44767 I hope...

 

With Bodmin nameplates!

 

And with George Stephenson names plates.

 

The return of 44932 has been on the cards for some time and today it happened; out for a test run to Hellifield and back.

With nothing much else to do I headed over to Hellifield for a look. When I arrived, there was no loco or coach to be seen, but there were sufficient people with cameras about to convince me that it was happening. 44932 and support had apparently retreated down the Blackburn line and were due to return to the Down loop. Within a couple of minutes they appeared. Unusually 44932 was smokebox towards the west, she was propelling her coach. The loco was detached, ran off down the Blackburn line shortly to return through the platform line and off into the distance and beyond the west end of the loop. There she stopped and waited, the watchers on the platform waited, but nothing happened. After several minutes 44932 ran back through the platform and away down the Blackburn line.

Eventually, the news broke that there was a problem with the point at the west end of the Down loop. However the running round was to be sorted it would have to wait until after a couple of service trains had used the platforms. The plan was, apparently, to move over to the Up side, run round on that side, then down the Blackburn line, cross over and then head off to Carnforth via the Down platform line - "Simples!"

I decided to up sticks, move to Giggleswick and hope for the best. I set myself up in the shade of the shelter on the west bound platform; it was ONLY 28C but at least there was somewhere to sit - I was the only person on the station. Despite repeatedly checking RTT nothing discernable appeared to be happening at Hellifield. It began to dawn on me that whatever may, or may not, be going on at Hellifield it was becoming increasingly unlikely that 44932 would be able to run before the Leeds-Morecambe train that is unless it was cancelled or running very late. RTT confirmed it was running RT - b*gger! Time for Oswald to head home with just a mobile phone clip to show for my efforts; still, a morsel of "pure steam" and that is currently a no go in most of the country.

Now for a loaded test run around the Blackburn circuit but that may have to wait for some rain. Once available the loco will be a very welcome addition to what is currently a depleted steam pool at 10A.

 

Welcome back, Black 5 No. 44932 works 5M50 tender first through Starricks Farm during its test run to Hellifield



Due to points problems at Hellified, N0. 44932 running two hours late crossing the River Lune at Arkholme on return to Carnforth