WCME & CME 2026

45407 seen near Galgate on its move from Castleton to Carnforth and then later at the head of the CME attacking Yealand Bank

 

Ian Rileys class 5 No. 45407 'The Lancashire Fusilier' heads through Greeholme with the 'Winter Cumbrian Mountain Express' 1Z86 on the climb to Shap and onwards to Carlisle with Mick Rawling driving, Cameron Overend on the shovel and Matt Miller Guard, the crew will also work the return to Preston.



Under the Boar



Summit approach

 

Ian Riley's finest returns to Shap and the S&C after winter maintenance, LMS 45407 seen from Shap Wells and Kirkby Stephen Station and the Old Goods Yard.

 

Excellent video Nige...great performance from 45407!

 

This year, Oswald has been surviving on a meagre diet of Tangmere; always better than nothing, but . . . ! What I needed was some variety, something to stir the blood. I had hoped to get out to see Blue Peter but Maisie was unwell for a few days, a couple of visits to the vets for injections and blood tests coincided with 60532's run, and family (including pets) come before trains. Maisie is now fit and well and as good as new; the vet was unable to identify the cause of her illness but was able to produce a significant bill; thank goodness for pet insurance.

It was an ok sort of day, a dry start followed by rain around lunchtime and a bit cooler than earlier in the week. The forecast for later was sunny intervals. We watched Mrs W's team on Sky as they turned a 1-0 halftime lead into a 3-1 defeat. Mrs W went out for a walk (and a sulk?), Oswald Jnr went out and Oswald and Maisie stayed in. Maisie had her tea early, very early and went to bed. I checked RTT to ensure that there were no unexpected surprises - there weren't - so gathered up my bits and pieces. As I was leaving Maisie decided she would also go out. I had just locked the door when Mrs W returned from her walk , she decided to come with me. I had left a note for whoever it might concern to say that Maisie had been fed, she's a bit of a con artist and would happily have snaffled up another meal.

Over to Ramsgreave & Wilpshire - where else? Don't answer that, at least it keeps me happy! We parked up, checked RTT and found that 5407 had already left Hellifield and the service trains were running on time - yes!. We wandered down to a deserted station and to "Oswald's Corner" and prepared. A few checks on RTT eventually showed that the WCME had passed Clitheroe 1E and would be around 15/20 mins away. The service train had been and gone so there would be nothing to get in the way. The light was still good, but being in a treelined cutting at this time of year it was never going to be brilliant. More people wandered down on the platform, a few regulars but quite a few newbies, they were, so far, resisting the urge to go to the platform edge.

Then came the unmistakable sound of a Black 5 working hard, there was little or no wind to carry the sounds towards or away, this was pure decibels. The noise grew louder and 45407 appeared around the curve at the old Wilpshire station. Moving steadily, exhaust shooting skywards then a blast on the hooter as the loco approached the station. A feather at the safety valves, the exhaust colouring as coal was placed on the fire, louder and louder. The loco looked as fine on the outside as it sounded on the inside. As 45407 drew nearer the sound became almost deafening, trapped in by the steep sides and road bridge of this natural amphitheatre. Absolutely wonderful. The loco passed under the bridge, smoke swirled down obscuring the view, it cleared, and 45407 barked towards the nearby summit. Once the driver was happy that the majority of the train was on falling grades he closed the regulator and the soundtrack ended. abruptly.

6C, 5E & 23mph with little or nothing coming from the 57.

Samuel Johnson once wrote, "A main who is tired of London is tired of life." Living in the 18th century I don't think that he said anything about Black 5s but if he'd been about yesterday maybe, "A man who is tired of listening to a Black 5 is tired of life." Sadly there is sometimes a downside, and watching the carriages ease past there appeared to be many unoccupied seats - "coffin dodgers!?"

 

The sound from that video is spine-tingling good. I usually avoid trips of 10+ coaches behind a Class 5, especially over Shap, because of the inevitable huge shovage. On this occasion the loco was clearly being worked to its full potential and the result was glorious. Full marks to Rileys for the quality of the loco, the crew for driving it with such confidence, and @nige757 for the excellent video.