GWR 7029 Clun Castle The Cumbrian Mountaineer Express 22/4/23.

The return of 7029 Clun Castle over the Settle & Carlisle would see the long anticipated run over the line for the 1st time since 1967 .

 

Bad signal check before Settle jnc, the Long Drag from virtually standing start!!

 

7029 Clun Castle at Hest Babnk

 

Watched it on Ribblehead Viaduct and Garsdale Railcams almost 15 down. Sounded like a slip before the bridge before Garsdale. 9+GUV+Class 47 doing little or nothing.

 

Heroic performance up to Blea Moor, held mid 20s all the way. Wouldn't want to comment on diesel assistance, or not, but no obvious contribution from our carriage beyond 'taking its weight'.

 

There's no such setting. Bit surprised there wasn't more in the way of assistance as the train was late and had a signal check at the junction with the start of the 100r just 1/4 mile away; so no chance of a run at the Long Drag. Be interested to see and hear the recordings of the run in due course.

 

(I didn't realise there was a trip specific thread - also posted on VT thread)

It was a rainy morning. The forecast predicted that the rain would move away to the north, but possibly too late to have cleared the southern part of the S&C before Clun Castle was due to make her long overdue return (1967). Rain or no rain, Oswald must attend. To give the rain the best chance to have cleared I decided on Settle station. I would be travelling alone, Mrs W had other equally(?) important matters to attend to; she was making a rhubarb pie for tea - mmm!

Throughout the journey light rain continued to fall, the cloud base was low and the light was grim. Nearing Settle the rain changed to drizzle. The winds of the last few days had gone, there was barely a breeze, nothing to move the clouds away. I parked on the "pay & display" on the opposite side of the road near the station (£1.10 for an hour). With less than 30 minutes before the train was due and in steady drizzle, I walked to the station. There was already a tripod at the north end of the platform and a couple of minutes later the owner appeared, I set up alongside, nearer the running lines. We tried to spot a break in the clouds, there was none. We tried to determine the direction of the wind, what very little there was, was variable but generally from the south west - straight into the camera lens.

The northbound service train came and went taking with it a large group on a trip to Carlisle. The platforms continued to fill, mainly with prospective watchers, rather than photographers. After several checks, RTT showed Clun had left the loop. The time for Settle Jn stubbornly refused to appear, perhaps being held whilst the service train cleared the section? Then a time, 4L. If Clun had been held it was a poor sort of a day to be tackling the climb from a standing start.

No time to ponder, time to get set up (with an Asda bag over the top to keep things dry - other supermarkets are available). Then in the distance the heavy, crisp exhaust beat - bag off, camera on. Out of view, in the murk and drizzle and masked by the eager crowd gathered on the platform, there was nothing to do but soak in those wonderful exhaust sounds as they grew steadily louder. Not the slightest hesitation, sure-footed, ever louder. Then a glimpse of exhaust, more exhaust billowing into the cool, damp air. A smokebox came into view, steady progress, then under the footbridge moving effortlessly through the platforms. The driver leaning on his widow ledge, a wave (thanks). The carriages rolled past, the class 47 not doing much/anything? The train continued up the hill, the exhaust beat steady as it moved away into the distance. 7C, 9L & 24mph.

On the journey home the rain petered out and by Clitheroe the sun was shining. Seen a Castle on the S&C and rhubarb pie for tea - can life get any better?

 

7029 waiting at Hellifield and then at Helwith Bridge:

Chris

 

Clifton

 

7029 at Selside with it's first train over the Settle and Carlisle since a few months after the Summer of Love....ah, the memories!

 

58mph over Shap.

 

7029 at Lazonby, then on the WCML - 22.04.23.

 

Blea Moor north, into Dentdale. Not the best conditions!

 

7029 at Crag Hill Farm, Appleby and Clifton.Sadly wrong side for the sun

 

Deleted

 

A good run then. You looked to be going slow before and after Penrith according to Traxsy and you did drop a bit of time. Any idea what the plan is for Crewe ?

 

7029 Clun Castle rushing through Hartford station in the fading light.



Cheers,

 

Bowling along the WCML at Woodacre.

 

Nige thought it was held at a signal after Penrith as he heard a whistle and a possible restart but he wasn’t totally sure?

 

The last time I saw Clun Castle it was hauling a special to Carlisle past the entrance to Leeds Holbeck shed as I was bunking the shed to see the last day of steam operation in the North East, 30 September 1967.

That was also the first day of broadcasting for BBC Radio 1. I listened to the first strains of the Tony Blackburn show on my transistor on the top deck of the bus to Newcastle, where we got the train to Leeds. A long, long time ago.

Today, I was there as 7029 barked its way through the rain at Lunds Viaduct. Later, the rain had eased to just a nuisance as it approached Langwathby.