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

Discussion in 'What's Going On' started by dmr, Dec 15, 2025.

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  1. 1020 Shireman

    1020 Shireman Part of the furniture Friend

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    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.
     

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    1020 Shireman, Feb 18, 2026 at 10:10 AM
    #61
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  2. 1020 Shireman

    1020 Shireman Part of the furniture Friend

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    Best I can do with the data to compare 2026 with 1997
    Edit:
    Deleted it as it lost formatting when posted.
     
    Last edited: Feb 18, 2026 at 11:40 AM
    1020 Shireman, Feb 18, 2026 at 11:32 AM
    #62
  3. 1020 Shireman

    1020 Shireman Part of the furniture Friend

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

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    1020 Shireman, Feb 18, 2026 at 11:36 AM
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    Mick45305 and acorb like this.
  4. Optom1

    Optom1 New Member

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    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
     
    Optom1, Feb 18, 2026 at 4:08 PM
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  5. acorb

    acorb Part of the furniture

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    Thanks for finding the details of the 1997 run, really appreciated.
     
    acorb, Feb 18, 2026 at 6:10 PM
    #65
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