Cumbrian Mountain Express 2022

Ok thanks anyway

 

Thanks for passing on the time and I hope that you have recovered from your illness. 21m 34s may not be approaching an all-time record but it is the second quickest of the year (pure steam, starting from Appleby). The quickest (so far) 21m 20s was the Pendle Dalesman 02 Aug (35018 + 9) so, the CME was only 14 seconds slower but with 2 additional coaches.

Using Steve, Nige and Chris's videos (thanks guys), the speed at MP260 was around 36/7 mph and just over 40 at the summit board. Later in the day speed at Wilpshire summit was crested at a more sedate 20 mph. Martyn (Soames) fired the whole way round and certainly earned his pies and a couple of pints (after he had booked off).

 

It did strike me, watching the videos, that the speed on Wilpshire was much slower than on Shap, despite similar gradients. Anyone have ideas as to why?

 

Probably the only people who could tell you that are those who were on the footplate

 

Isn't there a slack on Whalley arches ?

 

Yes, 20 mph.

 

I should have thought of that. You can accelerate through the Lune gorge to take a run at Shap but you can't take a run at Wilpshire.

 

A report on the Cumbrian Mountain Express over Shap on 27th August. 37516 and 37676 delivered the train to Carnforth loop in good time and were replaced by 35018 (in substitution for the advertised 46115) and support coach, the inclusion of five Pullmans in the formation making for an unusually heavy 11 coach load of about 417 tons tare and 435 gross; my seat was towards the back of the train. Services to Leeds and Barrow passed during the wait but things on the main line must have been in some disarray as nothing overtook.

The restart was ten minutes early, accelerating to 38½ mph at milepost 7, falling back to 36 up the subsequent 1-in-134 but then recovering to 39 on the upper part of the incline. Speed increased to 61½ at Burton and to 72½ passing post 13 at the bottom of Grayrigg bank, falling to 67 up the 1-in-171 to Hincaster and to 66 beyond with a recovery to 67½ on the slight easing of the gradient to post 17¼. The 1-in-111 before Oxenholme was carried at 63½ with an increase to 64½ on the easier length through the station, and British India line was going so well at this stage that there was only a gradual decrease to 61 up the following broken climb before Hay Fell with a slight increase to 62½ up the 1-in-131 before Lambrigg and a remarkable minimum of 57½ at Grayrigg. Thus Milnthorpe was passed in 11 min 24 sec from the start, Oxenholme in 16 min 17 sec, Lambrigg in 21 min 14 sec and the relay room at Grayrigg summit in 23 min 11 sec. The distance between posts 13 and 26 was completed in 12 min 14 sec at a fine average of 63.7 mph. I haven't checked against double headers, but as far as I am aware this is the second fastest climb on record, only just behind Sir Nigel Gresleys ten coach 1997 run that had the advantage of having started back at Barton loop.

If any evidence was needed of Bulleid's free-steaming boiler it can be reported that 35018 was blowing off for part of the ascent, and moreover that things at the summit were in such good condition that speed was worked up to 70½ mph at Low Gill and to 78 through the Lune Gorge and was still 75½ at the top of the 1-in-146 after Tebay and 60 at Scout Green with a minimum 48 at the top of the 1-in-75. The Shap Time Trial section was completed in just 5 min 25 sec and the whole ascent from post 13 to 37¼ in 22 min 14½ sec, the best time of which I am aware for a superb overall average of no less than 65½ mph. Time from Carnforth to Low Gill 24 min 45 sec, to Tebay 28 min 9 sec, to Scout Green 30 min 36 sec and to the somewhat faded summit sign hiding in the bushes 33 min 29 sec.

Downhill speed increased to 74 mph at Shap station, passed in 35 min 32 sec after which brakes were applied to reduce to 73. Subsequent times were Thrimby Grange 38 m 7 s at 76 mph, Clifton 41 m 18 s at 74, then 72½ on the level at post 49, Penrith in 44 m 42 s at 74½ mph, Plumpton in 48 m 29 s at 77 then reduced to 72½, Calthwaite in 50 m 27 s at 74½, Southwaite in 53 m 4 s at 77, and with a gentle run in, arrival at Carlisle platform 3 in 61 m 15 sec, 24 minutes ahead of schedule and an even time run for the distance of rather over 63 miles.
A fantastic run! I'm still euphoric: a privilege as well as a pleasure to have been on the train. Many thanks to RTC for promoting the tour, to West Coast for operating it, and especially congratulations to the crew of Mick Kelly and Martyn Soames.

Some comments on the southbound run: Carlisle to Appleby was run in 39 m 24 s, after which speed at Ormside 53 mph and minimum at Ais Gill 36. On Wilpshire bank, as a previous post has mentioned there is a 20 mph slack at Whalley, for which we actually came down to 19½, but then accelerated to 29½ up the bank before a slip approaching Wilpshire tunnel, after which things were taken much more gently gradually dropping to 20 at the summit.

 

5 pullmans not 4 so might need to readjust your calculations slightly

 

See image at §354 for confirmation

 

A fantastic run. BIL has come into is own.

 

The run was what we hoped we'd see from 35018 after the blistering first run we had behind the big Merchant on the CME of 12th May 2018 with load 11.

To jog the memory this is a bit of how well that day went:

Much slower start - 32 mph at mp7 but then 38 at Yealand Summit. Only 69 at mp13; 64 up the 1 in 171; 65 at mp 17 1/4; Lost speed to the 1 in 111, 61.2, and 59 through Oxenholme Station. 55 at Lambrigg and 51.2 at mp26. Elapsed Time 24 mins 43 secs. Mp13 to 26 covered in 13 min 10 secs.

In 2018 there was a TSR60 from mp26 1/2 through Low Gill to mp28 1/4, so not such an opportunity of a rapid approach to Tebay. Low Gill 59; mp29 66; max of 73 at mp30 1/2. Onto the 1 in 146 at 73; top of the 1 in 146 67.3; Scout Green 52; mp36 3/4 44; then after a slip, easing to 40.7 at mp 37 1/4 and 39.4 at the Summit Board. Time from mp13 to 37 1/4 24 mins 34 secs. Elapsed Time to the board 36 mins 26 secs.

Interestingly despite the slip the attrition from the top of the 1 in 146 was slightly less than last Saturday.

So 35018 has been there before and but for the TSR down the 1 in 425 and 1 in 777 through Low Gill and the slip near the summit....

The return from Carlisle was more than a bit special too. Top of the 1 in 132 at 47; Low House Crossing 53. Good run towards Appleby. On the approach we passed mp 278 slowing at 44, 38 min 58 sec out. Then BIL was opened up and we flashed past mp277 1/4 on the station at 53.6, 39 mins 40 secs after leaving Carlisle.

Mp 275 was passed at 60.2; 42 mins 11 secs from Carlisle. Then Helm Tunnel 53; Crosby Garrett 62; Kirkby Stephen 52.7; Birkett Tunnel 52; mp 260 58 mins 47 secs; Ais Gill Summit Board 59 mins 04 secs from Carlisle. Mp275 to 260 16m 36s.

Steve Chipperfield was driving with Chris Holmes doing an excellent job on the shovel.

Really BIL came into its own 'out of the box' and perhaps has been a bit inconsistent and not quite there since.

Would have liked to shown the runs side by side but wasn't on last Saturday.

 

Letter says we've got BIL on Saturday's CME. Load 11+POB. Hope it's not a repeat of last year's equivalent CME of the 9th October when we got shoved around rather mercilessly by a box all day.

 

As it's now leaf fall season, I would imagine assistance will be given, whilst that's not what you want to hear, operational requirements have to come first,and it's better to have some rear end shove, ( OH er Vicker ) than to have the tour slip to a holt and not be able to re start.

 

Just had another email and the load was incorrect on the 1st letter. It's BIL+10+POB. Might get away without a diesel though Wilpshire could be interesting.

 

An important detail for some indeed, but possibly less important than the risk of slipping to a stand and holding up other traffic, which has happened with one or two railtours in the last year or two. Sometimes there is no right answer.

 

According to Oswald’s video 35018 sadly stalled with 11 on the final Dalesman last week so I suspect a rear gunner will be attached as a precaution.

 

Rather hoped we'd have the more sure-footed Scot as Wilpshire on an autumn evening with a 20mph restriction over the Arches ain't no place for a pacific.