Saphos 2024

34046 apparently in steam for today's tour.

 

34046
11 blood and custard mk.1s
1 blood and custard mk.2
plus an Inter-City livery class 47

38 late departing from Crewe. <BJ>

 

Anyone know why it was 52L leaving Hereford?

 

57311 failed so the 47 had to run round.

 

Thanks

 

The pressure was on Mrs W had booked a hairdressing appointment at 12.30. She has a lady who comes to the house and also cuts my hair and Oswald Jnr's. I had planned to go to Diggle Jn/Standedge Tunnel which is a drive of just over an hour. The train was scheduled to pass Diggle Jn at 11.53. Providing the train was on time, I could be back in time for second or third place in the queue. Inevitably the departure from Hereford was 52L. How much time could be made up, could a path be found, should Oswald still go? The answers were, don't know, don't know and yes! If I missed having my haircut - so what, there's not much left anyway. I decided to set off assuming that the train might be closer to its scheduled time (than the 35L it was currently showing when I left home) but fearing that it might be an hour late.

The route to Diggle is mixed, part motorway and part steep winding minor roads, I made it in a little over an hour. There were already 3 photographers on the road bridge. A check on RTT showed that the train had reached its water stop in Guide Bridge loop 21L. A quick fill and an available path and we could be in business. A cool breeze blew across the bridge but it was pleasant enough waiting in the sunshine. The numbers on the bridge grew to around 15, mostly photographers, only 3 of us recording video. A few service trains passed then it was "us". Some encouraging sounds from around the curve to the left of Diggle Box, some white exhaust. Then Braunton, working hard up the 1/125r, looking a picture in the sun, the blood and custards gleaming, a whistle (and what a whistle) as she approached the bridge. Underneath and on towards the summit and the dark mouth of the tunnel (3m 66yd), a short whistle and in she went, one by one the coaches followed her and finally the 47 (not sounding busy). 8C, 6E & 38mph.

Oswald arrived home at 12.55 a full 2 minutes before the hairdresser, who was running late, had his hair cut and ate his lunch. Then came the bad news, when I downloaded the approach shot I found that I had double-pressed the record button and failed to spot my mistake, I'm as sick as a proverbial! Why is it always what could have been a good one?! So, best of a bad job, going away shot only.

 

I went to see 34046 Braunton with Saphos Trains 'The White Rose' which unusually was routed over Standedge instead of Hope Valley line, making it the first Saphos steam charter through Huddersfield (apart from the Brexit Express a number of years ago)
https://tinyurl.com/hjncaz74
34046 coming out of Huddersfield Tunnel
https://tinyurl.com/3cvzrsd6

Neil

 

34046 at Smithy Bridge this evening.

 

34046 Braunton heading south through Hartford station at 9pm with the return leg of The White Rose on 17th April 2024. Station lighting not quite bright enough, so had to shoot at 1/200 f2.8 and 3200 ISO to get anything at all.



Cheers,

 

A very dull Horbury cutting.


"Braunton", 17/04/24.

A little brighter at Gauxholme.


"Braunton", 17/04/24.

 

After my "digit" problems at Diggle the day got worse. Mrs W & I set off (in plenty of time) to video the return at Todmorden or Walsden; there was a very recent incident just east of J9 on the M65, some of the traffic was filtering off at J9 (our route). After moving 200yds in 20 minutes we accepted that we had no chance and returned home. This is totally unfair as we have at least 3 years left on our passports and the car is fitted with CDL (it actually is). Someone must be to blame . . . the ORR, LSL surely WCRC - well it makes about as much sense to blame one of them for the crawling traffic as some of the things for which they are blamed on here.

So after a nightmare of a day (just ask Man City or Arsenal fans), I decided to try my luck with the Midland Pullman. Encouraged by some early morning sunshine I headed over to Hoghton Bank in light traffic - so far, so good. I parked up and headed to Orams No 3 Xng, the sun was still shining - another tick. A check on RTT and the train was running to time - tick again. Ten minutes before the train was due the hazy cloud thickened and the sun disappeared - b*gger! The train appeared, plenty of (very loud) toots for the various crossings and the HST eased past, effortlessly dismissing the 1/99r gradient. 30 seconds after the train had gone the sun reappeared - no comment! 7C (but feels like 3C, in the cold breeze), RT & 62mph. I'm claiming a draw.

 

Very nice!

And I'm so glad I'm not the only one to have done that with a recording...

 

Haven't we all? Or are there some clever buggers who never do it?

 

I tried to video 6233 on the Royal Train over the S&C years ago. Camera set up, videoed a service train, but when I pressed record for 6233 nothing happened. Somehow I'd managed to flick the switch from video to stills!

 

Why I was particularly miffed was this is a spot that I have visited only infrequently. After checking my records I find that the last time I was hereabouts was also a Wednesday and also for a SR locomotive, it was 11 March 1981 to see 850, Lord Nelson heading the "150th Anniversary of Troops by Train" special. We were down the line by Uppermill Viaduct. 850 appeared going slowly, very slowly, painfully slowly, we headed up to Diggle Jn SB and beat the train. The crew reported that 850 was short of steam and stopped at the box for several minutes for a "blow-up". Eventually, 850 then headed off towards the tunnel with plenty of dark smoke billowing from her wide chimney. Happy days! (I have some slides that I haven't looked at for years and am reluctant to do so for fear of discovering what condition they may now be in.)

 

A day late in publishing, two shots of 34046 on the outward White Rose either side of a sunny Manchester - Patricroft and Mossley.

 

Well, the weather was dry and Jeremy's "Blue & White Pullman" was due up Wilpshire Bank around lunchtime. It would mean delaying my bacon butty, but sometimes these things just have to be done. Mrs W & Oswald Jnr were going to the last home match of the season and like many football fans pre-match ritual is everything. As with all 3pm kick offs they would have a bacon butty at noon, it must be smoked bacon and must be on a brown roll. Oswald would dine alone.

Unusually there was a booked 12min stop at Langho "for pathing". I can only assume that this was instead of a stop at Daisyfield Jn; the view to the west at Langho certainly beats that of the backstreets of Blackburn. Of course the train might not stop at Langho, so best to be early. This was very much one for the record, so it had to be Ramsgreave and Wilpshire. I set up and waited in "Oswald's corner". RTT showed 3E at Clitheroe, so it would arrive sometime between noon (aka "bacon butty time") and the booked time of 12.22. As I waited a pair of jays flew back and forth across the track, after a couple of attempts I gave up trying to capture them on video - they were too quick for old Oswald.

Then the distant roar of a big diesel engine (or two). The front of the HST appeared at the bend and the train motored up the bank, its sloping front reflecting the partial sun which was behind and slightly to the right of the camera. With seeming ease the train swept up the bank, constrained by the line speed limit rather than power availability. The lead unit grumbled as it sped past, the coaches looking splendid in their distinctive livery, the rear power unit growled as it past - definitely pushing! The train swept over the summit and headed for its wait at Daisyfield Jn. 9C, 20E & 42mph. All too effortless, but worth a watch. Oswald was the only person on the station - well done, Oswald!

 

Any ideas on what is hauling the steam leg of the English Riviera Express o 4th May? I assume that 60532 is not ready for mainline service yet and 61306 will be running at the West Somerset Gala.

 

Should be 34046.

 

Wonder if 34046 will haul this weeks Fellsman before heading south. Unless Britannia is fixed? Don't think anything else is at Crewe.