LE movements, ECS and test runs 2023

About 1pm at Landor St, Birmingham. Takes water at Kings Norton. The media coverage in Cornwall for Sunday's trip is quite excessive, one to avoid.

 

Maybe https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:U91294/2023-04-28/detailed

 

Came through Horfield about 16.55!

 

I was only interested if she was passing through the Newport area on Saturday! Wasn't sure if she was coming from Carnforth.

 

Scotsman LE move 2/5/33 Bristol dep 0910 via Landor St 1252 to Carnforth 1815 headcode 5Z14

 

And so it was - Penkridge and Searchlight Lane on quite a humid afternoon I thought would be too warm for exhaust.

 

then to KWVR
https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:55994/2023-05-02/detailed

 

45212 first stage of journey to Scotland
https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:U91645/2023-05-07/detailed

 

And the second.

https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:U91646/2023-05-08/detailed

 

45212 North of Oxenholme heading for Scotland.

 

45212 seen from Scout Green to Shap Wells in light rain.

 

Very unusual to see a light engine on the mainline. Bit of a risk running without a support crew

 

How many support coaches are there at the KWVR? i imagine one will be with 45596 Bahamas at the moment, there was one more parked at Haworth shed when i was there on Saturday

 

The Worth Valley don’t have any but I would have thought that 45212 would have

 

You'll find that, additionally to any travelling on the footplate, a van with extra persons and carrying equipment that may be needed (In a casual, expected sense) will likely be following the Black 5 up.

 

It could be said back up crew is in Transit.

 

Today's route for 60007 to Bishops Lydeard started off going via Chester on the usual LSL Crewe to Coton Hill path.
Delayed by the 19 mins late (at Gobowen) Holyhead to Cardiff very 2nd class Transport for Wales service (a 2 car Class 150) the A4 was 12 minutes late through Gobowen.
I only mention that as 12 minutes earlier the contrast between a sunny foreground and the darkening sky over Chirk was far more pronounced that this

 

60007 Sir Nigel Gresley in the rain at Creech St. Michael en route to Bishop's Lydeard.

 

The van just met the loco at the two water stops, at Lockerbie and Craigendoran and followed through to Fort William carrying crew overnight bags as there is minimal locker space on mainline locos these days. No problem at all apart from there being no readily available brew of tea

Peter