Cathedrals Express 09 October 2010; 6233(?) Euston - Chester t1009b

Reported through Nuneaton 10:44. <BJ>

 

Passing Grendon about 5 down in rubbish weather: http://david1984.fotopic.net/p67586197.html

 

Considering the weather, an excellent shot!

 

Caught her at Easenhall, Nasty light and problems with a none focusing lens!
http://rickeborallphotography.fotopic.net/
ATB...Rick

 

The Duchess's Penultimate Trip, 09-10-10

.....

 

I think today could be classed as a career highlight. After 36 years on the WCML it has always been an ambition to take a 'Big Lizzie' out of Euston down the WCML. Really good trip. The loco was faultless, the fireman well on top of the job, good coal and everything seemed to go right. A few patches of slow running following service trains.(Kings Langley - Tring, and Rugby to Brinklow). I dont think anybody knows how hard the PRCLT lads, and TLW staff worked to get the loco fixed for today. Thank you to all involved.

 

Here she is flying through Nuneaton in the evening gloom. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IRacLMjSGqY

 

She was certainly going well today when I saw her near Beeston though she shut off a few seconds before she passed under the bridge.

Short video here:-

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=55mijmWCtb8

Neil.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TxGvJV40ohc

My video from Tamworth and Atherstone this evening


My dads video from Easenhall and Nuneaton is here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=skMNCFGoebI

 

The Duchess playing with the stock at Chester before setting off for Euston:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z1zIBL-ybJ8

Sorry I couldn't give any updates as I managed to crush my phone in the tailgate of the car !!

Chris

 

Nice Video,Chris.
..it also tells a story which makes it more interesting and watchable. 10/10.

 

Re: The Duchess's Penultimate Trip, 09-10-10

Despite what you say that's a lovely shot, great location and wonderful light, I love Autumn.

 

What a blot on the landscape all that gantry is,very much a point in these videos...
Now you can see the romance of steam,open countryside,rolling hills,clear view for miles.(OK you had the odd gantry for signals)
Today,it's a junk yard of metal.
Travelling by steam like I did all those years ago with GWR was sheer joy to behold.Every train ran on time,fag ends littering the carraige floors,corridors,dining cars,luggage wagon and a whiff of pure white smoke.

A glimpse of that was seen with 6233 (without the fag ends).

The World has moved on...

 

Had a good trip behind the Duchess yesterday.Load of 13 ( 5 dining, 2 first 4 Std( inc Buffet), plus Kitchen Car & Support.Standard was on the back on the wayout, and the train did not get turned( which makes a change, the train has been turned on my previous 2 trips to Chester). The Duchess climbed Camden Bank with ease but we could not hear the loco from the back.Further on, on a couple of ocassions we could here the loco from the 12th coach on the way to Chester.One of the best sections was the run in from Milton Keynes to Euston on the return where we had been given a good path ( an all stations stopper was due to leave MK about 6 minutes behind our actual departure from MK). Thanks to Steam Dreams, West Coast,and the support crew.

A selection of my photo's can be found at http://paul-simpson.fotopic.net/c1905428.html

 

A handful of shots from the arrival at Euston:
http://aa.photosnaps.org.uk/p67596410.html
http://aa.photosnaps.org.uk/p67596406.html
http://aa.photosnaps.org.uk/p67596408.html
http://aa.photosnaps.org.uk/p67596409.html

Cheers,
Alisdair

 

I particularly like the first one Alisdair, it sums up the power of the Duchess even though stationary at the buffer stops.

Thanks for sharing, Neil.

 

We really enjoyed this trip. The performance of 6233 going down was one of complete mastery of the task with a couple of good start to stop section times. Coming back we suffered from shortage of steam at times and some idiosyncratic signalling (ie checks for no apparent reason) but there was some good stuff, notably the climb out of Cewe up Madeley bank and a wonderful few minutes of continuous 4 cylinder roar from Bletchley to Cheddington.

One more ticked off my wish list and well worth the effort. I doubted that it would be ready in time so add my thanks to all concerned. The highlight of my gricing year.

Let's hope for a speedy return from overhaul as Shap with this engine is still to be ticked off my list

Don