Saphos 2025

Fellsman, northbound - 06.08.25.

 

LNER B1 class No. 61306 'Mayflower' heading 'The Fellsman' away from Helwith Bridge towards Horton in Ribblesdale and onwards to Carlisle



With a Wild Boar Fell backdrop No. 61306 'Mayflower' working the return 'Fellsman' to Aisgill summit and back to Crewe

 

LNER 61306 Mayflower seen from Arcow Quarry and Birkett Tunnel.

 

A great pity it was so dull all day, but hey credit where it's due the whole train looked superb, even the diesel at the back was immaculate.
A real credit to everyone at Crewe.

"The Fellsman", 06/08/25.
Langcliffe on the outward trip.

"The Fellsman", 06/08/25.
Crosby Garrett on the return.

 

A fairly notable day today. The first none double headed B1 over the S&C post 1968. I imagine there will have been the odd B1 over the S&C before 1968, though rather rare.

Previous B1 dates amount to just three:

1. 8th June 1999 - 61264 double headed with 48151
2. 25th January 2014 - 61264 double headed with 45407
3. 2nd February 2019 - 61306 double headed with 35018

These three were however diesel free. How times have changed!

 

Fairly new and pretty clapped out by 1965?

I wonder what caused them to lose 45 mins between there and Hellifield.

 

Great video Nige. This loco has real personality! It seems to be enjoying its day on the S&C!! Good to catch up afterwards.

 

Got stuck behind a late running Clitheroe service, then held as it crossed over at Horrocksford Jn. Once that late I guess arrival at Hellifield was determined by the next available path.

 

Yes, made quite a sound ascending the gradients, especially when sometimes double headed on lengthy holiday trains. Faily new when this 8 year old first saw them in 1958(!). Apart from occasional Sunday engineering diversions for Kings Cross-Leeds trains, Many B1's were also the only "namers" we saw or were hauled by on a regular basis in Bradford South. We did have the odd Jubilee and of course there was plenty more "LMS" stuff to be seen over on the Midland side of Bradford, all of which we equally enjoyed. Happy days.

 

Many thanks David and good to see you again, looked to be enjoying yesterdays run even with the delay in the morning.

 

She was well enough to work the last steam hauled Yorkshire Pullman from Bradford Exchange on 3oth September 1967, and a late night parcels to Huddersfield the same day. Steam tight if I recall correctly and had even had a bit of a clean. (Low Moor staff I think, perhaps with some "Master Neverers" assistance?). Went straight into preservation at Carnforth the following day.

 

Video clip at Ribblehead of Mayflower

 

Just a couple of years before S/C was opened to steam 61306 worked a Carnforth to Leeds with 45407 .Photo stop at Hellifield on 16/10/1976

 

You can just imagine someone ORR weenie looking at this and throwing a hissy fit. I remember being at Blackburn for the northbound 1T57 on the 11th of August '68. There were a some guys up the signal gantry at the east end of the station. I was stood next to a BTP sergeant who looked up at them and said " Don't you bloody fall off!".

https://www.flickr.com/photos/90397953@N02/14260521635/in/album-72157644414072388

Not the greatest of photos, but it illustrates the point.

 

A bit late handing my homework in (again) - no the cat didn't eat it, she ate something else.

It had been a pleasure to see Mayflower in the morning and the plan was to see her return in the evening. With a late path, 20.27 through Blackburn (half an hour before sunset), how much light remained would depend on the weather. The day had been mostly sunny but around 5pm thin, high cloud gathered and it became quite gloomy. If it persisted then I would go on the road bridge at R&W station; I did consider Langho but decided that with its more open aspect it might become busy and the narrow platforms offer few clear vantage points.

I watched the "cricket" (The Hundred) on the tv with Mrs W until it was time to get ready. I had plenty of time (I thought) and, more out of interest, checked RTT to find that the train had left Hellifield a couple of minutes earlier (16E) - this could all go horribly wrong! My glamourous assistant (Mrs W) had planned to join me but was nowhere near ready to leave; she stayed at home and I headed over to Wilpshire. I couldn't remember if the Fellsman was running before or after a service train, if the slot was before then Oswald might be in trouble.

Thankfully, the traffic light gods were with me as all but one set shone green, phew! I parked up and had no need to check RTT as the Blackburn bound unit was just leaving the station, the Fellsman had to be following. I did check RTT and found the 61306 was already in Clitheroe (20E). Once the unit cleared Daisyfield Jn there was nothing to stop 61306 leaving Clitheroe and could be here in around 15 minutes. Oswald headed to the bridge and prepared.

Subsequent checks of RTT showed no change until around 20.00 when it showed that 61306 had left Clitheroe at 19.55 (8E); I guess if you have to wait then the view at Clitheroe is preferable to that at Daisyfield Jn. There was plenty of traffic noise as I strained to hear sounds of the approaching loco. During a lull came the unmistakable sound of the B1. It rounded the curve, white exhaust billowing into the cool, still air. As it approached, a peep from its shrill whistle, lovely crisp exhaust notes filled the air, another longer, louder blast on the whistle and Mayflower had arrived. The coaches followed up the hill with 57311 on the rear; the diesel gently helping the the class 5 power the train up the bank. 61306 is a rare visitor and will be made very welcome if and when she returns. 17C, 11E & 30mph.

Thanks to LSL for providing today's spectacle, we have been starved of steam in recent weeks.

Driving home allowed me to witness a spectacular sky. The seemingly continuous cloud was, when viewed from below, long striations with narrow gaps between, they ran east-west and stretched from horizon to horizon. In the west the low sun had managed to find a small gap in the cloud and it shone with a hazy, honey-coloured glow. As I parked Maisie came wandering over for a stroke and then back across the road to where the moths live. Around an hour later she returned with a still live moth in her mouth. Into the kitchen where she poked, prodded and generally pestered the poor creature. Once tired of the fun she ate it, finished her supper and put herself to bed.

 

Someone mentioned a trip with 1306 and45407 at Hellifield. Here it is leaving, actually on 19th June 1976 I think.

 

You can't get this angle now as the trees push you towards the middle of the bridge parapet. I'm stood about as far left as you can get for this shot from last year, and it's getting worse.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/90397953@N02/53895052168/in/photostream/

 

I'm aware of only two appearances of a B1 class locomotive to appear on the S&C during BR days.
61353 featured on Controlled Test runs during 1951, and 61357 (64A) appeared on a local goods in 1965 which was photographed at Appleby by Peter Walton - Kingmoor must have been short of a suitable locomotive that day.

 

Didn't she also do the last Hull-York via Stamford Bridge steam hauled service, a couple of years earlier?