Great Britain XV: 15 - 23/4/23

"Leander" (lion man) leaving Yorkshire and heading for Blackpuddle!
"The Great Britain XV", 20/04/23.

or.......for those who like to broaden their horizons!
"The Great Britain XV", 20/04/23.

 

OZ path for following diesel cancelled only means one thing if Galatea is a fail.

 

FFS, surely eastbound Copy Pit isn't too much for the Jube with 10 on.

 

Who knows, there was also a strange Preston - Blackpool 0Z path which has been cancelled as well.?

I assume she failed at Preston which would explain the 30 min delay to the ECS there extracting her from behind Leander.

 

Lovely light,what a difference to colour etc being on the right side for the light.

 

Any thoughts as to why the diesel was on the back as far as Carlisle yesterday and then not for the climbs to Ais Gill and Wilpshire?

 

Yes hot box we've been told it's at Preston.

 

'Leander' getting into her stride through Layton, shortly after leaving Blackpool North this morning.

 

I really do think you should moderate you glib comments and think before you post.

JS

 

Well said!

 

Problems are opportunities ? At work I hated people telling me that.
I have a great deal of sympathy for West Coast after the second loco issue in a week.
Car problems on Sunday made me wonder if I'd see any of my plans this week and next met, but with much already paid for I bit the bullet and hired a replacement until mine is fixed.

So with a mental list of shots I intended to try I headed north on Tuesday.
The hot box on 46115 meant the first on the list near Crawford was quickly abandoned and with sympathy for the passengers losing their steam haulage around Scotland I was looking forward to a day of landscape photography in Perthshire (no hardship there). Then came the amazing news that 45596 was being moved north as a replacement for the Scot.

Would I achieve any of the targets on my list, read on.

Not really a target but having photographed both 45690 and 45699 crossing the bridge in past years completing the set seemed a good idea but the cloud never really cleared before the train came.



Of my targets Errol signal box between Perth and Dundee was first, already changed from seeing Tornado here in 2019 by the removal of the distinctive short lattice in front of the crossing.



The return trip at Carmont, again not on my list but I'd dismissed Montrose because of the strength of the onshore wind - in the event it looked to have been ok.



Last on my list of targets for the day was a shot after Perth, not an easy decision with the train running late from Aberdeen and even more after Dundee.
But Strathearn is in my blood, the river runs through my late mother's home town of Crieff, and I have many happy memories of the area so that it had to be.
Would I succeed ? It was a nervous wait where the Scottish Central Railway had bridged the river near Forgandenny but after an HST and a class 170 ran ahead of the GB the train arrived with no more than a few minutes to spare before the sun dipped behind the hill. Couldn't have asked for a better end to the day.




And from the following day Bahamas at speed at Wandel on the return south.



A great couple of days made possible by West Coast and the Bahamas Loco Society working to overcome the unexpected problems and a fine legacy to the society member remembered by the wreath.
Congratulations to both on achieving this success in Scotland, I hope the remaining part of the tour avoids further problems.

 

And thanks to you....superb shots...

 

The Society member was senior engineer and support crew member so it would have been a very sad day for those on board. Full marks to them for agreeing to do another two exhausting days.

 

At Holme Chapel 45690 was doing most of the work, although with storm force winds standing up it was difficult, hard to tell for certain that diesel was ticking over.
Video to follow.
Credit to Chris Beet and team. Feel for west coast and failure of Galatea, a fine engine.

 

Nothing wrong with Leander, coming up from the Yorkshire side....

 

Leander climbing Copy Pit today, and Billington foot crossing yesterday.

 

Footage of days 4 and 7...45596 at Shotton and Bay Horse along with 46115 roaring up Grayrigg on Tuesday, then 46590 at Lostock Hall and thundering into Towneley Tunnel this morning.

 

So why cast aspersions on WCR's maintenance in the first part of your post?

 

How disappointing that what was perhaps to have been the highlight of this year's tour, double-headed Jubilees over Copy Pit, had to be shelved at the very last minute following a reported issue with Galatea. I am sure that WCRC will fully investigate and rectify the problem. I offer no opinions as to the possible cause and remedy as this would akin to "trying to teach my grandmother to suck eggs" (and boy could that woman suck eggs, she had to - no teeth!).

Mrs W was again available, even though it meant a early(ish) start. The forecast was a little better than originally thought; the sunshine would disappear from mid-morning but the east wind had strengthened. We made our way to Chapel Lane at Hoghton; it was very blustery, the wind whipped up swirls of dust and swept them towards Mrs W's eyes (contact lenses - oh dear!).

The direction of the wind meant that there was little chance to hear the approaching locomotive until it came into view, but then it was different. A lovely crisp, almost harsh, blast from the chimney but with not too much visible exhaust. A whistle for the crossing. The sun was still shining and brightening the scene. A wave from the driver - Mick Kelly? Under the bridge and working hard, over the summit and gathering speed on the long straight before curving away towards Pleasington. 12C, 1E & 33mph (and 47.802 on the back).

As the train had a booked 40 minute stop in Blackburn there was time to "go again". We chose Huncoat station, although it is on a falling gradient the train would still be working away from the severe speed restriction through the tightly curving platforms at the nearby Accrington station. It was a busy few minutes at Huncoat as various service trains came and went.

By now the sun had disappeared behind every increasing cloud, the wind was just as strong but the station afforded some shelter. The crossing barriers closed, not long to wait. Again, because of the wind, there was very little exhaust noise to herald Leander's approach. With a nice blast from the hooter, she sped through the station and all too quickly she was gone. 12C, 2L & 45mph. Back home on the stroke of noon, a lovely way to spend a morning.