Castle Over Shap - Sat 20 Jun

Can Earl Of Mount Edgcumbe overcome the GW jinx in the Cumbrian fells? How will she compare with Scots Guardsman? On a more practical note, does anyone know, yet, what time she leaves Crewe in the morning (roughly)?

 

Yes that will be interesting to find out!

No times yet but I was told this morning by Tyseley that departure from Warwick Road is usually about 06.30!

 

I would hope that she does overcome the GW jinx. One very important plus for the Earl is that Vintage Trains seem to operate their trains with sensible loads.

 

After the "Earls" last visit oop north I'd take your fire extinguishers.

 

Shap is too wet for that Stuart 8-[

 

I'm on this trip and I'm extremely looking forward to it. When I booked for this trip back in February, they said ticket along with official times will be posted 7 days before the tour.

 

It really wasn't on Saturday, practically all the bog land had started to dry up too... i think i only come across one boggy part when walking up to Shap summit and that was barely a yard i would say, hopefully we may get same conditions again for 5043

Si

 

I also am on the trip and looking forward to it. Somewhat surpised it isn't a sell out like the 'Scot over Shap'.

 

6115 33mph over the top..........watch this space.

 

Well, there's still a couple of weeks left to sell the remaining seats, so it might be full on the day, especially now Ollie's trip to Plymouth has been postponed.

So long as the spark arrestors are fixed, it could be a very interesting run. A rebuilt Scot and a modified Castle must be very close in power/weight. Provided the coal is good enough and the crew are not phased by the "foreigner", of course....

 

the Scots speed over Shap Summit is beatable definetly, the times from Oxenholme - Grayrigg & Carlisle - Shap though would be asking a lot...

 

I'll be on a certain diesel locomotive over Shap and onwards to Kyle that weekend......

 

I'm always surprised to hear of prejudices about steam, I thought a Great Western in the north west would be a crowd puller, we don't often see them around here, seems the purists may be abstaining, what a shame.
I have a friend who lives near Copy Pit, he came with me to watch a loco struggle up to Copy Pit after slipping a touch a mile out from Todmorden, he wouldn't normaly bother unless it was something out of region, it takes all sorts, but he'd be out for a great western or a spamcan, nowt funny as folk.

thanks to all about uksteam being off air.

 

I think it's just a bit of harmless inter regional banter, i'd be suprised if the usual Shap suspects were not out.

Edit: i don't like the number my poast count has landed on ](*,)

 

I agree, I believe most of the remarks are tongue in cheek and just a bit of friendly rivalry between supporters of different regions.
Or then again they may be serious.. :-#

 

Personally, I'm interested in comparissons between roughly equivalent locos working over each other's home patch. The Castle, Lord Nelson and Royal Scot classes, in particular, were designed at about the same time and have strong links. They also received some development work in later life. How long before 850 has a run over Shap, do you support?

 

On this along with my father an ex Swindon works man who is flying back from the south of France where he now lives especially for this... after Nunney's trip in the 90's he feels he has some unfinished business with Vastles in the north.

On a separate note, what is parking like at or near Crewe station, we are driving down from sunny Lancaster in the morning for this, the wife is staying in Lancaster to wave us through!!