Clan Line Farewell 30th June

RTT show she is early or just about on time so far. Can't immediately pick up any places where she has been able to stretch her legs a bit. Maybe down Madeley Bank. As long as she doesn't leave wheel flange marks on top of the switches and crossings on the approach to Crewe. LOL!

Hunkered down in my study as much away from the heat as the North facing room will allow, writing about Short-eared Owls but thinking a lot about 35028. And her crew working on a fairly hot day. Hopefully with a good supply of cold drinks being provided.

But obviously NOT these days as used to be the custom in the 1960s: a certain Bill K, (Nine Elms Top Link), on an up 2 hours express would jump off the loco as it passed the buffet at Southampton, leaving his fireman to stop the loco and water it, while a gricer or two from the front coach would go up and trim the coal etc. As we did in those days. Bill would certainly have downed the first pint almost before the loco had come to a stand! Repeat, NOT anything done on todays railway. But times were different nearly 50 years ago. That is the way it was back then.

 

From a list Ive seen, load is 13.

 

Apsley



A rather sad and disappointing video in many ways, sad that its off, disappointing in that here at least, its just cruising along gently with little fanfare or drama hauling a rather scruffy looking set of coaches, and to cap it all gets drowned out by a screaming pendalino. ( wasn't even a good scream like a Valenta)

 

Edit - at least we know its dragged off Mercator with it, so it lookalike the Belmond is going to have a mismatched rake for a couple of years

 

Very hard to get accuracy from RTT and not knowing the route that well, but it looks like she might have stretched her legs a bit after the Nuneaten stop for 20 miles or more. Before maybe getting checked after Rugeley and before Colwich. Wonder if they got a nice start to stop time over that section!

Be interesting to hear from those on board when they get a break.

 

Just after passing through Kensington Olympia, approaching Shepherds Bush.

 

Leaving a mark at Cheddington

 

Through Tring

 

A hot day is never good for photographs - little steam. Here coming through Armitage she was going well but not working hard, but there was a container train not far up the line in front.

 

Now that's what you call clag! I cam almost smell the sulpher in my Camberley office !!

 

Wow, not seen the exhaust that dirty on Clan Line. Its probably used to caviar and canapés in the tender, and Prossecco in the boiler, not that coal and water crap.

 

Agreed, sometime in 1967 since I've seen clag like that from her.

 

Unusual and very striking photograph. Well thought out and taken.

 

between reigate and redhill View attachment 14363

 

Thanks Al. Merchant Navy on 13, must have sounded nice away from Stafford on the climb.

 

Sorry, I should have warned you Ralph.

Some of us were really bothered about how you would react to seeing a real steam locomotive up there. So plans were made.

 

I figured that was the case.

 

Glad you've had a good trp so far, Al. It's a case of making the most of it at the moment. I fear that we may not see very much main line steam in the southern half of the country for quite some time. Just heard that Saturday's VT trip behind 5043 (initially to have been 46233) has been postponed due to the heatwave. It's jolly warm here in Sussex (and I guess our friend Mr Yeti is even hotter in North Kent) and the latest forecast suggests lots of warm weather to come for the next 2-3 weeks at least. Given these circumstances, I'm just pleased that Clan Line was about to bow out with an unassisted and decent run.