West Yorkshireman: 31/5/25 + City Border Express: 4/10/25

It was good to see that Tornado's performance on Thursday's Dalesman was much more in keeping with what we might expect from a big pacific. After Saturday's outing I had feared that she might be being treated with kid gloves, some sort of endangered species, but that looks not to be the case. So what did happen on Saturday? I was a Helwith Bridge where the effort from Tornado appeared low key and with little or nothing coming from the 47. Other videos higher up the line show Tornado working harder but with the 47 pushing. Just what was going on?!

I would normally give the train speed, calculated using the video editor to time the coaches to pass a fixed point (usually the frame edge). This method doesn't work when the camera is panned. If the camera had been still, and I had calculated the speed I would have seen that something odd was going on. After climbing from Settle Jn @ 1/100r, near Helwith Bridge and after the line passes under the Austwick Rd it levels for around a third of a mile before climbing again as it approaches Crag Hill Farm. Depending on loco and load, a typical steam hauled train might cross under the Austwick Rd at 30-35mph and gain 4/5mph on the level.

On Saturday, first and foremost, because of the signal/points issue at Hellifield the train was running 31L and was trying to regain the deficit. Today I calculated speeds using various "infrastructure" points; Saturday's train passed under the Austwick Rd at around 54mph and speed gradually increased to around 58mph after the level section - FAST! This is even more remarkable when taking into account the booked stop at Settle; from a standing start the train, after 4 miles of 1/100r, had reached a speed of 54mph - now that's what I call pushing (and possibly pulling)! With a line speed limit of 60mph and a level section to follow it is understandable the the train was worked gently on this stretch. Only once have I been behind steam on this section at similar speeds. On 10 Nov 2018, The Citadel (45212 & 45407) with only 9 coaches passed under the Austwich Rd at 50.6mph and reached a max of 55mph as it approached Crag Hill Farm; plenty of power, light load and no stop at Settle.

 

I see that the settle carlisle development company are running another tour out of Bradford F.S. to carlisle over Ribblehead both ways down and up the ex mid line on the 4 October 2025, Its called the City border express.

The settle carlisle development company are once again advertising 46115 Scots guardsman as the rostered loco as was said before on here by other members, Unless the carnforth fitters miraculously get a air brake compressor fitted within 3 months very little chance of 46115 S.G. been rostered I reckon.
Davo 56F

P.S. I got my source information from Google newsfeed Telegraph and Argus advertised about the settle carlisle development company advertising another steam railtour.

 

They have now changed that to 'WCR Steam Pool' at least on the posters. They have requested steam Bradford F Sq to Carlisle to Hellifield but whether that happens.... Tickets on sale.. A run out for 44871/45407?

 

How can this be so if both of the Black 5,s 45407 and 44871 are going to be up at the west Highland line until the 24 October that one of these 5MT could pull the the City Border express.
My 1st thought is that It could either be 45212 or 34067 Tangmere. On this tour on the City Border express 4 October as 34067 Tangmere did a northern belle originating from Bradford Forster Square 3rd November 2024.

 

I suspect so - though there is another Rail 200 run, which I'm booked on.

 

Id imagine 1 Black 5 will be back from Scotland by October. 2nd train ends 26th September

 

The border city express on the 4 Oct 2025 ran by the settle carlisle development company is this tour still due to be steam hauled from Bradford Forster Square on the down outward leg to carlisle with steam this time from Bradford Forster Square to Carlisle and steam on the up return leg as far as Hellifield?
As 34067 Tangmere is meant to be still under repair isent it at 10A unless it's ready to run again, If not I guess the only other loco available would be 44871 unless it's on another tour.
If not either those 2 steam locos then could the tour end up been diesel hauled throughout which we all hope is not going to happen.

 

Tangmere was out on the Lune Rivers Trust today.

 

44871 will be at York as it’s booked to work the next Railway 200 special for RTC, leaving 34067 to work this .

 

If its Tangmere are there any times yet?

 

Here they are:
ECS movement to Bradford: https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:U64310/2025-10-04/detailed
Outward: https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:U64311/2025-10-04/detailed
Return: https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:U64313/2025-10-04/detailed
ECS movement to Carnforth: https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:U64316/2025-10-04/detailed

 

Presumably the tail gunner will pull the train into Bradford as there is no run around and Shipley triangle is too busy these days to be used for turning....

 

Either that or Tangmere will be at the rear of the train from Carnforth to Bradford, as they did on the 19th November 2023 when it hauled the Rolex Express from Bradford to Preston

 

Thanks, all we need now are the tickets.

 

All in all that's a bloody long day out for the crews.

The pause at Hellifield loops suggests time for watering, albeit might just be for topping her up on the back of the consist I suppose?

 

Add this schedule into the mix -
https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:U64315/2025-10-04/detailed
I suspect 34067 & PO Brake detached at Hellifield and returned to Carnforth.

Cheers, Neil

 

Although the actual tour part seems quite short in the era we are in now, less than 12 hours.

 

Add https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:U64314/2025-10-04/detailed to that as well, and it certainly looks like 34067 comes off at Hellifield on the return.

 

Tickets now arrived