LSL Private Train: 18-19/05/26; 10/07/26

34046, Class 50 (50050) behind tender with Class 57 on the rear of the train.

 

That'll make for an interesting ensemble, thanks for the info.

 

Wonder why 5029 did not get out, possibly less of a fire risk with 34046?

 

A very polite way of putting it.

 

No where official ever offered 5029 as the booked traction.

 

I'm sure the crew would have preferred 5029 in the heat of today though. A Bulleid cab is very well enclosed even if the fireman is doing less work than if the loco was taking the strain on its own.

 

I think 34046 might have been booked as it's coming to the end of it's ticket and as the rumour goes, it'll likely be out of traffic for awhile. I assume they want to get the most out of while they can. But I agree will not be nice for the crew.

 

Maybe so, it's on the train today but doesn't seem to have got beyond Farington Junction, 32L and rising.
Edit: passed Oram Lane 32L, no diesel on the rear, profuse clag from 34046.

 

True but all the Z29s do usually mean 5029 and has been said she was in steam earlier this week. We've had various Crewe-BL moves this year all 5Z07 for SNG and 1Z32 was used for 60532 to Cardiff.

 

I watched the departure from Crewe, on Railcam, there was no diesel on the rear.

 

It's mildly ironic that a train with probably the lowest enthusiast appeal of all is the only charter that doesn't get a DL on the rear! I imagine out of fire risk season it'll be the only "pure steam" on the mainline .....

 

Point missed entirely there Alan, unusually ....

 

Or maybe because the last coach has a balcony and presumably air coming in they did not want a diesel there.

 

Indeed, I was surprised when it was reported earlier the train would have a diesel on the rear when there's an obbo at the back.
The press train ran without any DL, hence my observation it looks like, fire risk aside, the Chairman's train will be a pure steam affair. Good, but it gives a lie to the idea that pure steam can't be done, "for operational reasons" and that "its not important" to passengers. In fact its crucially important but only a £45k ticket will guarantee it ....

 

Precisely and understandably so if you've paid £45k for your ticket. If you've paid £450 though, you might have to listen to a diesel .....

 

44871 and 45407 running steam only on the Jacobite today, as usual

 

SRWC class No. 34046 'Braunton' ably assisted by 'Fearless' work 1Z29 the 'Chairmans Train' ECS away from Hellifield towards Horton and onwards to Carlisle



Sporting the 'Golden Arrow' insignia SRWC class No. 34046 'Braunton' watched over by Pen-y Ghent work the 'Chairmans Train' 1Z29 ECS away from Hellifield and onwards to Carlisle

 

Was it hot? Yes, bloody hot! Probably too hot for a sensible Oswald to venture out, lucky I'm not (too) sensible. Had NR got a red level fire risk in place? Yes, for some reason that does not match the conditions here in the NW. [It appears that NR Regional Managers decide a risk level then apply it to the whole of their region; it it's dry trackside in say, Watford and this warrants red level restrictions then red it is for the whole of the region. We all know that "Level Red" means that diesel assistance must be provided for all steam moves;. Where the diesel is located and the level of assistance is left to the operator - there appears to be no rule.] Was the rumour that the train would be headed by Nunney Castle true? No, it was to be Braunton with "assistant" 50050 tucked in behind the tender. Information that a 57 was to be on the back proved not to be correct; it seemed puzzling at the time given that the last coach of "The Chairman's Train" has an observation balcony on the rear. So, very hot, red fire risk, Braunton & class 50, was it worth a trip out? Yes.

My chosen spot for this trip would usually be Brownhill for the long climb out of Blackburn. However, it was likely to be "busy" and there was no shelter from the afternoon sun (train due around 15.00). I decided to err on the side of caution and head for R&W station. A quarry train was booked to head south thro' the station only 4mins after Braunton was booked to head north; I judged the wide side to be an unacceptable risk. By 15.00 the sun should have moved round enough to offer some shade from the tall lineside trees on the tight side platform - tight side it was!

I left home, the car had been parked in full sun and the steering wheel was too hot to touch; a couple of minutes with the air conditioning at full tilt and the interior began to cool, a mile into my journey and the inside was pleasant; the dashboard thermometer had fallen from 35C to a steady 31C. I reached "Roasting" Ramsgreave & "Wilting" Wilpshire, some fair weather cloud had bubbled up. It was altogether more pleasant, until I stepped out of the car, "phew, what a scorcher!" RTT showed that Braunton was at Leyland and about 30mins away. The quarry train had "disappeared" between Settle Jn and Hellifield, presumably in the loop at Hellifield or a "not recorded" and it might suddenly appear at Clitheroe; not worth changing my plans.

I headed to the station and set up next to a form (in the shade). What more could an Oswald ask for on a hot afternoon . . . that the train was on time! Alas, it got stuck at Farrington Jn waiting to access the East Lancs line whilst various late running NT services headed towards and away from Preston. Finally, 31L it was off and had improved to 25L at Blackburn. It was and just in time to leave in front of the next Clitheroe bound service train. The clouds had increased, the sun had gone but it remained hot. Braunton should be with us in around 5mins; the us was, Oswald, a guy standing behind me who was just watching and a guy on the opposite platform with a stills camera, all of us very comfortably over 70.

A distant whistle and a couple of minutes later Braunton entered stage left, climbing the steep curve, the coach roofs distorted by the shimmering heat haze. There was plenty of grey smog spilling out from her wide chimney, the grey smoke merely added to the haze and there was not even the gentlest of breezes to disperse it. Approaching the station, down the steep bank, she was gathering pace, a loud whistle and she rushed through the station. Braunton shone, the coaches gleamed and then they were gone; the grey haze lingered. 32C, 29L & 39mph.

Packing up just the odd large spot of rain fell, it lasted for a few seconds and was repeated a few minutes later just as I reached the car, then nothing. On the drive home the clouds cleared and the sun shone. Maisie does not like the hot weather except for the late evening when it's cooler and there are moths to chase (and catch).