Great Britain VI

After yesterdays delays, today has gone pretty well to plan. I was lucky with the light at Carmont, though my pal at Tay Bridge South was less so. Conversely, when the sun dipped into high cloud at Queensferry this evening, it took the edge off my shot from the "sunny" side, but it improved his "wrong side" shot from the sailing club.

Can anyone advise on good spots on the line between Ladybank and Perth, please? I'm looking for a video location. Looking at the map, I guess the summit is more-or-less the B937 road bridge south of Lindores Loch, so the loco will be working hardest from about Collessie to the summit. Is that about right? How open is the line around there? Looks like there's some high ground south and west of the line, either side of Woodmill. TIA.

 

My shots from today are on at:

Great Britain VI - a set on Flickr

The A4 was simply fantastic,pure magic. Dad travelled today,he really enjoyed it,thanks to all.


Locations:
South Gyle
Ladybank
Dundee
Laurencekirk
Carmont
Wormit
Ladybank
North Queensferry.

Regards,
Mark

 

Wow! Sun at Dalnacaradoch (site of the old Edendon signalbox) a few miles below Drumochter, and at Slochd summit! Is that a first for steam? Certainly rare. We found a couple of useable shots north of Ladybank. As suspected, they were just below the summit, around Woodmill. My mate went up on the ridge to the west of the line (from where he could see the train leave Ladybank!) and I shot from the B937 bridge at the summit, which was quite short but has a nice reverse curve on the approach.

We were rather late getting away from Dalnaspidal, so were lucky that the train was held to cross a late-running southbound unit at Kingussie, and then passed the next at Carrbridge rather than Slochd as booked, since that allowed time to climb the hill by Slochd. The train came to a stand just after Slochd viaduct, about half a mile short of the summit. From where I stood, it looked like an automatic brake application, perhaps AWS. The loco restarted with only a little drama - just enough to entertain the watching crowd!

 

Some wonderful photographs - haven't caught up with the video links yet. Thanks for posting them.

 

An A4 over the Forth Bridge - truly iconic stuff.

 

Well here are my attempts from yesterday, for both trains heading North. Typical Scottish day, full dull in the morning, lovely in the afternoon! :


The Great Britain VI - Day 6 - Lumphinnans by JonathonAG, on Flickr


The Great Britain VI - Day 6 - K4 At Kincardine by JonathonAG, on Flickr


The Great Britain VI - Day 6 - Highland Solitude by JonathonAG, on Flickr


The Great Britain VI - Day 6 - Assault On Drumochter by JonathonAG, on Flickr


The Great Britain VI - Day 6 - Pass Of Drumochter by JonathonAG, on Flickr


The Great Britain VI - Day 6 - Slochd Passing by JonathonAG, on Flickr


The Great Britain VI - Day 6 - Remoteness Of A Mogul by JonathonAG, on Flickr

 

Just catching up on this week's posts in this thread and stopped in my tracks (reading newest post first) by your pics from yesterday Jonathon. Outstanding. Looking forward to reviewing everyone else's contributions. Great work by all!

 

My effort of 45407 crossing the Forth Bridge on Wednesday: http://www.flickr.com/photos/david_1984/8684812682/in/photostream

Technically against the light at that time, but the cloud cover meant it didn't matter and luckily the wind took the smoke the other way, thanks to all who offered advice on the location and nice to meet John who was on the tour if your reading this.

 

Looks like the shot turned out well David!

One from me today, a laid back family trip up to Aviemore, so caught this one on the way back down :


The Great Britain VI - Day 8 - Southbound At Balsporran by JonathonAG, on Flickr

 

Jonathon thank you for your excellent pics this week and for showing how beautiful Scotland is
Henry

 

Thank you very much for all of the positive feedback on here and on my flickr. Right now I spent most of my life either doing my work, constant nightshift in Scotland, or down in Bangor with my fiance for most, if not all my time off. So with the Great Britain VI, it gave me a chance to work my way up with the tour, but then have the time also to go tripping around Scotland, enjoying the scenery I was blessed with having only a couple of hours from my doorstep while I grew up and ( and if going by permanent home address, still do! ). It was a pleasure to do it all.

 

No. 9 has just crossed over the Forth Bridge heading towards Edinburgh with its support coach. Judging by how much the whistle was being used, John Cameron was probably on the footplate! A very nice way to end a good few days up here, lying on the bed in the b&b in North Queensferry, drinking a couple of beers, and listening to a chime whistle wailing on the breeze.

 

Footage from today’s legs of the Great Britain VI, and as always, locos were a credit to the crews:

61994 at Monessie Gorge,
44871 and 45407 at Culloden Viaduct, Drumochter, Dunkeld Bank, Blackford and Park Farm.

 

Some excellent footage and stills in this thread here guys. It get's said all too often about both video and photo's being top draw but the coverage of this tour over the last few days since it started has been outstanding for people to follow! A big well done to all that have made the effort and falls in line with all the train staff's efforts as well to make the tour run to plan.

A huge well done!

 

Going well and just about on time at Belford, but it was over an hour behind south of the stop at Wooden.

 

it was mentioned on a group that there was a medical emergency south of Alnmouth, and train had to reverse back to station

Neil

 

Railways would run so much better if it wasn't for the pesky pax.....

 

16.28 reported 55 late at Northallerton. Meanwhile it's clouding over in P'boro' (was due here at 20.25), so anyone wanting a photo without using flash had better be at Newark or further North.

 

Yorks rail report it only 4 late at Temple Hirst - 18.05.