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

Thanks to P&J who despite being on their "Jolly Boys' Outing" emailed me a time for yesterday's Dalesman. The time over the "Blue Riband" section was 20m 18s. This is the 4th fastest posted time of the year, the second fastest involving 46115 and the fastest (of the year) with a stop at Appleby. (11 coaches plus a pushy 37!)

 

A few clips from Thursday's 'Dalesman', hauled by LMS 7P No.46115 'Scots Guardsman'. Seen passing Far Moor, Selside Cottages, Dent Head Viaduct and entering Blea Moor Tunnel.

Video Available Here

 

Class, Simon

 

Show Pony Scot on the Dalesman 11 August 2022

The best news about this trip was that it was to be headed on the steam section by Carnforth’s magnificent Royal Scot 4-6-0, No 6115 Scots Guardsman. It has been nearly six years since I last rode behind her. The bad news was that, with a Met Office extreme heat warning in force, the locomotive would be in light steam only and most of the traction would come from diesel power.

With the sun beating down from a cloudless blue sky, our train arrived into Skipton from York with Class 37 diesels at front and rear. We proceeded thus to Hellifield station which witnessed a busy hour of varied railway activity. Eventually No 46115 and its support coach replaced the front diesel giving a load of 11 coaches.

We set off briskly but in the third coach from the rear, we could hear little steam noise and palpable growling from the 37. We reached 31 by Long Preston and 51 at Settle Junction, then speed gradually fell away as we began the long climb to Blea Moor. The following speeds tell nothing of the individual performance of our two active locomotives, and we were able to enjoy the beauties of the sunlit uplands of upper Ribblesdale, albeit showing more beige and brown than green. We went through Settle at 41, Helwith Bridge at 37 and Horton at 39 before easing for the Ribblehead slack. Dentdale in the 40s, Garsdale in the 50s and 56 at Ais Gill Summit.

We rattled down Mallerstang and on through Kirkby Stephen in the 60s, and straight through Appleby at 59. Progress on the last leg was similar, and we got ourselves back on time at Carlisle by omitting the water stop at Lazonby.

On the return we had a brisk run to Appleby where we stopped for water. Onwards and upwards in the 50s and 40s and three minutes early at Ais Gill summit at 40. Speeds were similar through the dales and tunnels to Ribblehead but then we picked up our heels with a brisk run down to our Hellifield stop. There we sat for an hour in the still-blazing sun whilst the Scot played in the yard with its support coach. Still looking immaculate in her stunning Brunswick green, it was a shame that she had been unable to show us what she could do. But driving home from Skipton into the sunset, I reflected that a day on a train through God’s own country in glorious sunshine can never be a bad thing.

10 photos are at https://pjhtransportpix.zenfolio.com/p1038068764

Sadly they are bedevilled by contre-jour, but at least you can see how much unburnt coal was still in the tender at Carlisle.

Peter on a sunny but cooler afternoon in Manchester

https://pjhtransportpix.zenfolio.com

 

Don’t think we will see a climb like this anytime soon David sadly.

 

I was on that! Ken Stubbs last steam driving turn, he retired 3 days later. According to my notes Appleby to Ais Gill in 20mins. 37 secs. 56 mph at the summit!

 

Wonderful stuff, Steve. I wasn’t on it, wasn’t watching, along with the family I was at Ewood Park (Rovers 3 - Wimbledon 0) - you can’t win ‘em all! Best performances invariably come along when I’m not involved.

 

According to the this the time was 16 minutes and twenty seconds. https://settlecarlislesteam.co.uk/1994/5th-february-1994-cumbrian-mountain-express
Apologies as your totally correct.

 

20m 37 s from Appleby and 16m 20s from MP275 to the summit.

 

Got you

 

Upperby - calm before the storm...

 

A young looking Gordon Hodgson there

 

It was quite obvious taking to Ken at Upperby that he intended to go out with a bang - he would just need a fireman capable to produce the goods, that's all. A photographer from the local rag turned up, I think he was related through family to Gordon, anyway, he asked me where they (family) should go to get a decent action shot of the run, I gave him directions to Ais Gill, promising him that he wouldn't be disappointed. The resulting photograph of 71000 thundering under the road bridge was duly splashed across the local paper on the Monday.

Mike Notley wasn't aware that it was to be Ken's last run and instead of being on the train, he had gone onto Mallerstang with a video camera. He later said that when he saw 71000 bursting out of Birkett Tunnel he knew something special was on and cursed himself for not being on the train with his stopwatch. The Blue Riband at that time had swung between 46229 and the Duke but Ken's final charge with 71000 fell just 6 seconds short of the record. 46229 had been quicker (being polite here) on the first part of the climb but the Duke had been much the stronger on the final 10 mile, averaging 56mph over the blue riband section even with a slightly heavier train.

Ken had been a fireman, then driver, at Upperby and had been in No. 1 link, the London jobs. He told me that if Camden had allocated him 71000 there would always be a Duchess sitting in Crewe station for them to complete the run to Carlisle - the Duke would have ran out of coal beyond Crewe. Credit is therefore due to the people who returned 71000 to traffic during the preservation years to produce a locomotive that allowed Ken, and others, to blitz Ais Gill in the following years.



The start of it all, gaining access to the S&C at Petteril Bridge Jcn.

 

Link to compare 71000's best with 46229's:
https://settlecarlislesteam.co.uk/1...-cumbrian-mountain-express?compare=,1679#data

 

If you look at photos and videos of 71000 in preservation, it's very rare to see it without anything coming from the safety valves. Even blasting up Ais Gill there's a slight feather there there. For a loco that wouldn't steam when in BR service and would eat coal like nobody's business, that's pretty impressive.

 

Was it claimed that 71000's was the fastest legal run? Looking at the comparison, the Duchess was doing 64 at Ormside but the Duke was doing 64 at Crosby Garrett tunnel.

I suspect @46203 is the author of a fine book, Settle-Carlisle Steam From Lineside to Footplate, which includes a chapter by Mike Notley on the Blue Riband.

As well as the runs of 70000 in 2019, I think the run of Tornado in 2010 is special. 18' 59'' doesn't sound all that special until you compute for the restriction at Griseburn. Looking at the profile compared with the top two, without that restriction that run would have been in the top five. But where?

 

Northbound at Lunds, 6 July 1991. 46203 brought it back southbound.