60800 out of water

Now, I don't really know enough about this story, so hopefully someone can fill in the gaps. But apparently, around 1999-2000, 60800 made a trip up the S&C, taking water at Blackburn (I think), with a further scheduled stop at Garsdale. In Dentdale, about 5 miles from Garsdale, 60800 ran out of water, and what could have ended in disaster was salvaged by the support crew, who managed to get enough water from a nearby stream to limp into Garsdale \/. A quite unusual turn of events today, but I'm sure it must have happened in the days of steam more frequently...

 

I doubt whether it would have happened in the days of steam when there was a water column at nearly every station - unless something went very badly wrong!

 

Reminds me of the last terrier gala on the Bluebell in 2000 when two of the Terriers (I think W11 and 32678) left horsted northwards. On the platform I was with a few other youth club members when we see the station master legging it up the platform toward 473. Anyway, one of them (I think W11) had run out of water at the tunnel, and so 473 had to go and rescue the train and Terriers and bring it back to Horsted to take water.

I think the crew were given a bit of a ribbing when they returned to the park that night...

 

I had the luck of being there at that time, I was on the train which had 473 and W8 on when 473 had go up the line from Hosted Keynes. I couldn't believe that when I heard. Thanks telling me it was W11, I thought it was 32678.

 

The trip on the S&C was in pretty cold weather and the guy at the end of the pipe had to build a dam to funnel the water and then hold the pipe in place under cold water for ages. He was almost blue when he got back to the support coach. Salvation was at Appleby where the water tank was waiting.

 

I'm not certain which it was, I just know it was one of the black ones!!

 

Thanks for the info. Adrian. That guy deserved a medal!

 

It was indeed 2678 that run out of water. I was planning on getting the following train to Kingscote, but it didn't quite work out

Cheers,
Jon

Jon Bowers
Bluebell P-Way

 

I too remember reading about 60800's predicament, should have a water lifter like Traction engines, dunk it in a clean water source, turn on the steam and suck it all up =D>

 

Steam locos running out of water? Anyone would think that diesels could run out of fuel!

 

indeed they do

 

I believe the tale is told straight from the horses mouth in Ian Smith's 'Living with Green Arrow' available from the NRM

 

They can! Diesel's finite too! The difference is that unless the Environment Agency have missed a serious offender of a water-course, it's nigh on impossible to get a diesel going again from a stream.

Cheers - I'll have to get that. One of my favourite stories I've always wanted to read more about.

 

I confirm that it is - I bought a (signed) copy from Ian on a recent Scarborough Spa Exp. Got a photo in it of the support crew with the hose up a steep culvert!!

 

Ooh this book sounds better and better! Cheers Stu.

 

Indeed it is true knowing the support crew guys involved! We had a similar incident on the Talyllyn a decade or more ago where in true Titfield Thunderbolt fashion water was taken from the stream at Rhydyronen. The loco arrived back on shed to be greeted by 20 buckets of water at the shed door placed between the rails and the following morning a fishing rod with cardboard fish was found hanging over the saddle tank filler...

 

http://www.railwayfriends.org/books.html £3 + 70p postage

Book available here as are all other FNRM books. Mail and phone order only though.

I would also recommend the books in the 'famous engines' series, on 4472, Mallard, City of Truro and especially the new one on Lamiel (even though it could have been proof read better).

 

Do class 33s and a tractor (the farm type) ring a bell?

 

or red diesel ring any bells

 

For those who didn't know the background to the tale is quite interesting.

Green Arrow was booked to take over the train at Preston for a post - Xmas tour over the S&C to Carlisle and the Network Rail schedule provided water stops at Preston and Garsdale - based on the ability of Green Arrows tender to carry sufficient water for 70 miles journey. The NRM support crews realised that the route included the Blackburn - Hellifield route which, following the Christmas closedown, was expected to be liable to slipping and they therefore recommended that the Garsdale stop be reassigned to Hellifield thus giving a better chance to ensure full water with the bonus of a non-stop run over the S&C.
Notwork Rail over-rode the objections claiming that they were confident that a Preston - Garsdale run would cause no problems. Despite the support crews efforts to keep water filling until the last minute at Preston the loco duly ran out of water as expected cos Notwork Rail had excluded the cost of slipping over the Blackburn - Hellifield leg plus the possible slipping over the Long Drag itself.

Although the Penalty Payments were in operation at the time there was little said about Penalty Charges at the time and IIRC Steve McColl was drafted into Network Rail shortly after to replace the Charter Manager who had arranged the initial schedule.

And even to this day - as the Exeter incident proved - the locomotive owners considered opinion is either gave little credence if not ignored completely in some quarters.