Saphos 2025

Anyone know the motive power for next Wednesday's Blackpool train please, thanks?

 

I believe it's to be 70000.

 

34046 Braunton 1Z70 allowed out of Dawlish Warren loop ahead of late running 1V74.

Braunton running at speed. Load 12 today, class 47 hanging on for dear life at the rear. <BJ>

 

34046 Braunton at Bradford-on-Tone with the English Riviera Express to Kingswear

 

https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/se...3/0000-2359?stp=WVS&show=all&order=wtt&toc=LS

Looking at all the times for Wednesday’s Fellsman workings it seems both ECS moves reverse at Lostock Hall suggesting 70000 is also going to work the train from Crewe to Lostock, and vice versa.

If anyone in the know can confirm this it would be handy, Thanks!

 

Times indicate just that, and saves dragging the loco over a large distance.

 

Two steam charters (3 steam locos) through Dawlish within 4 minutes of eachother on Saturday lunchtime and two steam charters within 20 mins on the return. Happy days. <BJ>

 

When we worked the some of the Blackpool Fellsmans with 60007 last year, No.7 worked the ECS to and from Blackpool both ways. No.7 was dragged into Blackpool in the morning and dragged out of Blackpool in the evening, otherwise No.7 worked the ECS.

I would assume it is the same plan for 70000 on the 3rd

 

Is it still 70000 for the last Fellsman Wednesday 3rd?
Just wondered with Blue Peter having a test run today (Tuesday 2nd)
Has 70000 had a test run since its last failure?

Thanks

 

Today was a special day, the north west region of NR had joined the rest of the country and the fire risk level was reduced to green - YES! It was also special because today's Fellsman was to be hauled by 70000 Britannia, a rare loco in the north west. The only dampener on the day was the weather; the day dawned, dull & drab with menacing dark clouds filling the sky. The forecast was for light/heavy showers potentially with thunder or perhaps light/heavy rain, whichever way you looked at it it was going to rain and the sun would be confined to barracks.

For the previous couple of Fellsmans I'd been to Ramsgreave & Wilpshire and fancying a change I had decided on Brownhill. Brownhill, near the end of the long straight climb from Blackburn was far from ideal given the gloomy conditions. However, it would be a good spot to hear the Brit working, and if Oswald was lucky, hear a blast from the chime whistle.

With the schools back in action, I allowed just over an hour to make the relatively short journey. The shear volume traffic travelling through a set of permanent lights caused to a delay of 15 minutes and tailback of a mile. During the school holiday period it had been the norm to encounter a green light or a queue of 5 or 6 cars. The madness is that the local authority have granted planning permission for several housing developments for almost a thousand homes that will pour traffic onto this and a couple of other already congested and unsuitable minor roads. Rant over, once through the lights I arrived a Brownhill to find one guy, already with a tripod in place, and busily snapping off the taller twigs near the fence.

As we waited more people arrived, despite it being a poor day Britannia was proving to be a bit of an attraction. The Rochdale and Clitheroe trains passed, RTT showed that the Fellsman was being held at Bolton Jn waiting for a path into Blackburn station. Eventually, she ran in, collected her passengers and RT she left. At the same time, up at Brownhill, light rain began to fall. Hopefully the heavier stuff would hold off until Britannia had passed.

In the murk there was a glimpse of white exhaust in the distant trees, slowly 70000 headed towards us, just the odd sound from her exhaust could be heard during a lull in the traffic noise. The exhaust became louder, a distant blast from the chime whistle. Britannia was now making all the right sounds and they were getting ever louder, a longer blast on the chime filled the air, the chimney music getting louder and louder - wonderful! Inevitably it came to an end as the loco and train curved away towards the summit and 57311, The Institution of Mechanical Engineers, brought up the rear. 14C, around 5/6L & 36mph.

As I packed up the light rain continued, five minutes later it was raining steadily and by the time I reached home heavy rain was falling - lucky old Oswald!



Maisie is not fond of the wet weather she must have gone to the front door a dozen times this morning, turning back on all but 2 or 3 occasions.

 

70000 on the Fellsman this morning, at Whalley and Settle Junction. Light drizzle at Whalley, but steady rain at Settle Jn.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/90397953@N02/54762959575/in/photostream/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/90397953@N02/54762617711/in/photostream/

 

Hi all. A friend accidently left a tripod at Constable Road overbridge (Horfield, Bristol) after he filmed Braunton last Wednesday (27th). If anyone has any news of it, would they kindly let me know. Many thanks. <BJ>

 

A bit of fortune with the light at Armathwaite curve...

Britannia at Low Baron Wood

 

The weather for today's returning Fellsman was much improved from this morning. Seen at Horton in Ribblesdale and leaving Hellifield.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/90397953@N02/54763629023/in/photostream/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/90397953@N02/54763735430/in/photostream/

 

Atrocious conditions greet BR Class 7 No. 70000 'Britannia' as it works today's 'Fellsman' 1Z71 away from Ribblehead Station towards the Viaduct and onwards to Carlisle



Passing the Station Inn



'Britannia' brings out the sun as it works the return 'Fellsman' 1Z72 through Kirkby Stephen Station and onwards to Blackpool

 

70000 Britannia seen from a dismal Helwith Bridge this morning and passing Arcow Quarry from the east side then on the return from a sunny but windy Birkett Common.

 

Britannia just beats the advancing cloud at Smardale:



https://richardstevens.smugmug.com/

 

Another one from yesterday - Britannia pulling away from Hellifield:



https://richardstevens.smugmug.com/

 

In the morning Oswald had escaped the worst of the rain which remained heavy until after lunchtime. The afternoon dried up and there were even some sunny intervals. The forecast for the evening was not promising with heavy showers. Weather radar showed one directly over Wilpshire about the time that Britannia was due (19.21), fingers crossed that it was wrong - but are meteorologists ever wrong?!

It was some time since I had seen a Brit on Wilpshire bank and although I can't recall the exact date I seem to remember it being fast and noisy. As I left home the weather was dry but some clouds looked dark and menacing, oh dear! I headed over to R&W, the problems of the morning rush hour had gone; the "slow moving mile" was dashed off at line speed (40mph) and I had a green (traffic lights). I parked up just as the "Rochdale Flyer" left the station (5L), there would be nothing in front of the Fellsman. I headed down towards "Oswald's corner", it was vacant, and yes I had remembered to take my brolly.

As I was setting up a young lad joined me, I have met him several times before. He chatted excitedly as he set up his "new" tripod, low down and in front of me. He planned to sit on the platform and carefully checked that he would not be in my shot - good lad (and he wasn't). The Clitheroe bound unit arrived and several passengers left the train, amongst them was a guy who I have met several times, a long-retired Longsight driver who travels around the NW (by train) to video steam. He joined us and we chatted about upcoming trains and our plans to see them.

I went to check RTT but had lost my phone signal, the young guy, Tristan managed to get a signal on his phone and confirmed that 70000 had left Clitheroe 7E. As we waited the sky grew darker and about 5 minutes before the train was due a few spots of rain began to fall. It might blow over, except there was no wind and gradually the rain grew heavier but not enough to persuade Tristan to relinquish his seat on the platform. It was brolly time. Not long after came the unmistakable sound of Britannia and she rounded the curve, her chimney hurling white exhaust high into the damp air. She was moving steadily, sanders on and the noise from her exhaust grew louder and louder - wonderful. The sound rose to a crescendo trapped by the contours of the station and then died as she passed under the road bridge. The carriages grumbled by, lights shining brightly and on the rear was 57311 very much keeping itself to itself. Off into the distance towards the summit. As the noise from the carriages faded the beautiful chimney music drifted back as Britannia blasted up to and over the summit. 15C, 5E & 20mph

By the time I had packed up I was a bit soggy and got another dose unpacking - but it was worth it!

 

Other than snow or frost you can't beat steam in the rain.