Northern Belle 2024

Great sight and sound today Nige...good work!

 

That's a damn fine video, thank you for posting.
Mr Rileys finest blasting up Shap with the safety valves 'feathering'

 

Many thanks David.

 

Many thanks Victor, glad you enjoyed watching.

 

I'm a bit late handing in my homework (from night school). After a lunchtime with Bahamas, Mrs W and I headed home and had a late lunch (pasties). Afterwards Diego went out, then Mrs W went out and finally Oswald Jnr went out leaving me to sort out my video. By the time I had finished it was almost time to set off to see the Northern Belle. With steam coming off at Hellifield, Ramsgreave & Wilpshire was not an option. As it would be dark I needed station lights (and a slow train if it wasn't to be a blurry mess). Long Preston was my only option so off I went.

Around Clayton-le-Moors it rained, around Whalley it stopped and by Chatburn the roads were dry. It was still passably light but growing darker by the minute. I parked on the car park at Long Preston station just as the light loco from 10A headed through on its way to Hellifield; around 30 mins before the train was due (16.53). RTT showed it to be 2L at Kirkby Stephen and would probably be "over the top" by now. I gathered up my bits and pieces and headed over to the far platform, this involves a short walk along the minor road that spans the station then down the ramp. Despite the road being unlit there was still enough light to see and be seen.

I had allowed myself plenty of time as I intended to try to shoot using my DSLR in the hope that it might be better in the low light - we shall see (or not as the case might be!). After a bit of faffing about I settled on the best the camera could offer, with a shutter speed of 1/125s. (The problem is that I don't have a lens with a wide aperture, with a little zoom the best that the standard lens can muster is f5 - hey ho!). I was the only idiot on the station until I was joined by another videographer who I've met several times before and lives only a few yards from the station. He expressed his concern about the possibility of being "bowled" by the Rochdale to Ribblehead that was booked to pass about 10 mins after the NB. With just a few minutes to go it was now fully dark and light rain began to fall, thankfully it stopped after a couple of minutes (Oswald had, of course, left his brolly in the car).

A distant blast from a Stanier hooter (Settle Jn SB?) and a couple of minutes later the rails began to ring and a bright light shone in the distance. It moved towards us shining on the rail, still impossible to discern a black smokebox against a black background until 45407 appeared from beneath the bridge. Even when the station lights shone on the loco it looked dark (well it is black!) but the paintwork gleamed. The train in its much brighter livery illuminated the station as it reflected the lights and finally 57313 on the rear. Tidy up time and a chat with the local guy, at which point the Ribblehead train sailed past. The other guy headed home and I headed back to the car park. It was now extremely dark and I was glad that I had remembered to bring along my head torch. 7C, RT & 32mph.

A bit of a wait now until the LE was due through, it rained briefly and then stopped. A check on RTT showed no action at Hellifield, I assume that being busy the signaller records events "in the book" then enters them into the system later. It was soon time to wander onto the station and prepare. As I waited light rain began to fall, this became heavier - of course my brolly was in the car only 20yds away. In next to no time I was waiting under a brolly, this time I was the only idiot on the station. After a few minutes there was the sound of an approaching train and 45407 appeared, positively gleaming, the white exhaust hanging in the station lights - there is something about steam at night. 7C & 4L

A day with TWO LMS locos, one at speed, one in the dark, both enjoyable and both excellently presented - my thanks to all involved (and long may they continue).

 

That’s very much appreciated Al, the credit must go to the crew for their part in this superb performance and of course Ian Riley’s finest.

 

After several weeks enforced lay-off I thought I had covered everything but just as some exhaust appeared over the hill the microphone batteries failed. Tried to fit new batteries but managed to drop one which I couldn't reach so Plan B unplug microphone and hope. Not entirely successful so apologies for the sound up Shap. Northern Belle 16/11/2024:

 

Splashing through Alnmouth in the darkness of Storm Bert's rainclouds a few minutes before 10.30 this morning. If it wasn't for 45407 coming through 20 minutes later, I'd have stayed indoors.

 

I was thinking of joining you at this location but when I looked outside in Newcastle and saw the weather I chickened out and just saw the two trains at West Moor with the added advantage that there was very little headway between them at that point.

 

I was on the platform, alone in a shelter for less than a minute when the Northern Belle came through. Good job I'd set my exposure on the walk along the platform. 20 minutes later the Black 5 came though, and because of the threat of a stopper that was due within a minute of it, I relocated to the south end of the platform to lessen the chance of being blocked. My shots of 45407 coincided with an eddy in the wind blowing the exhaust to the wrong side, masking the cab and train for only a few vital seconds. As it headed along through the station behind me, the exhaust behaved itself again and my original location would have been clear of smoke.


The 5 was clear of the stopper train too - it arrived 10 minutes late, by which time I was already on my way home.

 

Was this today's NB trip?
https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/se...8/0000-2359?stp=WVS&show=all&order=wtt&toc=WR