Saphos: Blue Peter to Carlisle - 12/02/26; Sir Nigel Gresley - 11/03/26; Britannia - 8/04/26

Morning.

Worn fingers out inputting the timings and speeds. Set of pdfs here for the outward; Full Outward and splits Crewe to Barton; Barton Loop to Grayrigg Loop; Grayrigg Loop to Carlisle Citadel.
Full outward is 'warts and all' showing how difficult it is on some sections to sight the posts; then to identify which mile some belong to.
Didn't bother with many of the posts after Shap Summit.
Having a bit of trouble with the Carlisle to Shap Summit as the internal GPS output is a bit baffling. Think we guessed some wrong locations in the dark, including where milepost 38, the Climbing Summit was.
Will post best attempt later today probably.
I'll also make up a comparison with the Shap Attack of 29th November 1997 when drivers were drivers and firemen firemen - all Ex-BR. The load 60532 took on that day was 13 for 520 tons and the running was extraordinary compared with 2026 when Mr Hosking stated their aim is to look after the locomotives in their care and not drive them hard.
Owner groups looked after their locomotives well in the 1980s, 1990s, and early noughties but drove them in a completely different way to get the best out of their charges with friendly rivalry over every route between crews. Performance was something else.

 

Best I can do with the data to compare 2026 with 1997
Edit:
Deleted it as it lost formatting when posted.

 

Can't find a way to put a table into this thread so have attached a pdf comparing 1997 with 2026.

 

Grahams memory as good as ever.The shap attack started from Cardiff at4.05am!!!Whilst graham is still rummaging ,the main events were,with load13 Wigan75-M.P.11.5 64:Max 80 to Preston:80 through Carnforth:M.P.9.25 67:Oxenholme 64:Grayrigg summit 48:Max60 in the Lune Valley:Sustained 29 overShap(?40 pwsMP34.50?)On the return journey sestained 52 on the 1/125 up to Shap.Nice slippy start out of Lancaster,loco came off at Preston

 

Thanks for finding the details of the 1997 run, really appreciated.

 

I went with
9/321.5/344

The generator car had a plate on it saying 39.5 tons.

 

Probably a bit of a forlorn hope but if anyone has a spare ticket for 60007's run I'd be extremely grateful. I only need one, either class, but am more than willing to pay for a pair. Thanks

 

https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/se...1/0000-2359?stp=WVS&show=all&order=wtt&toc=LS

Times for the 11th

 

https://saphostrains.com/journey/the-cumbrian-mountaineer-08-04-2026/

And a further Shap job with 70000 on April 8th

 

Brilliant news. I wonder at this point if the rest of the LSL fleet will get a chance to do the same thing. Only 5029, 34046 & 61306 which haven't done a Cumbrian Mountaineer yet or scheduled to pull one.

 

apologies for not putting 60532's Carlisle to Crewe Timings up.

I've put it together now - mostly - based on the GPS so I've added the Elevation Field.

The GPS didn't always record at the right distances so left both there fyi.

 

70000 Britannia one doesn't seem to be selling as quick as the others, 1st class price been increased by £10 to £149

 

Ticket arrived for 60007 trip, got the same coach and seat number as the Blue Peter trip

 

Think it might be a good idea to rename the thread Saphos: Cumbrian Mountaineers in the hope there will be more....

 

Well, that won't help much.

 

Based on the formation for Blue Peter’s run on 12 February, can anyone tell me where First Class coach E was situated and which side seats 27-30 are. Thanks Chris.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

Coach E was the last but one coach in the formation on the Blue Peter trip.
Assuming 27-30 is a table for 4, I think these were on the east side of the train heading out and west side heading back.

 

isnt it going to be the same formation as the DOG run last year?

 

The Blue Peter trip didn't have the ticket & seat problems that the Duke Trip had, but no tour booklet was given out and belatedly a timing sheet was issued if you asked, in standard. Does 1st class have the same problem, not a very good show Saphos !.