Summer "CME"s - revised

Received today from RTC...

RE: The Cumbrian Mountain Express 20th August 2016

With regards to your booking on The Cumbrian Mountain Express on 20th August 2016 we are writing to inform you that the tour has been re-routed.The re-routing is due to the closure of the Settle and Carlisle line by Network Rail for emergency repairs following a landslide earlier this year. Despite initial reports suggesting that the line should reopen in May they do not now believe that the line will reopen until December, due to the extensive damage that occurred. Please accept our sincere apologies for the any disappointment or inconvenience this re-routing may cause.

The tours will now start from Crewe steam hauled by 46115 Scots Guardsman, with further passenger pickups scheduled at Wilmslow, Stockport, Manchester, Bolton and Preston. From Preston our train will travel northbound over Shap to Carlisle.After a stop in Carlisle our train will depart again steam hauled and travel via the Cumbrian Coastal route through Maryport, Workington and Whitehaven.

On arrival back at Carnforth our steam locomotive will depart the train and we will be diesel hauled for the final section back to the original boarding points.

We have not yet been informed of any revised approximate timings for this tour, but should these change they will be updated on our website.

 

The detail on the RTC website (copied below) suggests outwards via Victoria but it doesn't specify the Manchester station on the return. This could well mean that the long haul 'round the east side' on the way back behind the diesel will be avoided and it will simply use the Windsor link, returning Manchester passengers to Piccadilly...

Our steam hauled train will be hauled by 46115 Scots Guardsman and leaves Crewe at around 06:00, calling at Wilmslow, Stockport, Manchester Victoria and Bolton, to pick up passengers. We join the West Coast Main Line (WCML) and travel north to Preston, our final stop to pick up passengers. We continue through Lancaster and Carnforth and our steam locomotive will be working hard when we climb the first severe gradient up to Grayrigg. We then travel through the beautiful Lune Gorge to Tebay, gaining speed for the ascent to Shap. This well-known section of the WCML has a gradient of 1 in 75 and, in the former days of steam locomotives, banking engines from Tebay were often used to assist trains. After crossing the Cumbrian Fells, we descend to Penrith and then head for Carlisle. There will be around three hours in Carlisle, providing time to explore this ancient ‘Border’ city with its castle, cathedral, Tullie House Museum, and shopping centre.

Our return journey to Crewe takes the scenic coastal route around the Cumbrian Coast. After Maryport, we run along the shoreline through to the industrialised district of Workington, once a centre for the production of iron and steel. There are spectacular cliff edge views as we journey southwards from Workington through to Whitehaven, with the Isle of Man visible on a clear day across the Irish Sea. We run very close to the shoreline for several miles prior to St Bees, famous for its priory and school.We pass Sellafield, where the British Nuclear Fuels works dominates the landscape.At Ravenglass, we meet up with the miniature Ravenglass & Eskdale Railway which is normally steam operated.

At Millom, we head inland and follow the sweeping estuary through Foxfield and Kirkby in Furness. We will avoid Barrow in Furness by taking the ‘Park’ cut off line to Dalton in Furness. After Ulverston, we cross Leven Viaduct and curve along the edge of the bay through to Grange over sands.There are more views across Morecambe Bay as we cross the lengthy Kent Viaduct at Arnside and approach Carnforth. Here, we shall say goodbye to our steam locomotive and return to Manchester and Crewe diesel hauled, calling at our pick up points.

 

Comparing that with the Scot Commemorative itinerary, that must be a sixteen hour day from Crewe.

 

Yes indeed a good example of an ambitious programme with all that implies. If the gods of steam (Thor, Mars, Mercury) are smiling it will be a good day. Question--- when the Jubilee was declared out of gauge at Harrington on the coast line southbound in April, does that apply to the Scot as well? Does something need to happen or are the Scots OK round the coast southbound as well as northbound?

 

If its a Carnforth loco the odds must favour steam on there rather than Crewe but time will tell.

 

Very logical and quite correct but not sure in practice it is likely where a 10A based loco is used. Has that arrangement been used before?

 

If placing a bet that would seem more probable than stabling overnight.
Odds on Carnforth for steam if its the 10A pool used. No criticism, operationally it makes a lot of sense especially in the current climate. We'll see!