the Rainhill Trials 150

anyone else go?

 

No, but did you know that "Rainhill 150" is available on iPlayer ?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/p011vfz4/the-great-railway-cavalcade-rocket-150-at-rainhill

 

No was studying for my finals.

 

Yes, I was 6

 

Yep. Not on the sunny day though.

 

UK only unfortunately.

 

http://smg.photobucket.com/user/corktina/library/Rainhill

they're in the wrong order and there's a couple of rogue ones i there that should be elsewhere

 

How about this ?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/archive/steamtrains/7305.shtml

 

That was the Saturday wasn't it? The same day we went, when Rocket fell off the track and didn't appear and there was a coming together between two locos at the end of the day.

 

Yep, as part of 7298's support crew. We were there at least a week as 'shed' pilot, assembling the cavalcade at the colliery before the event and then moving some of the locos and stock over to Bold power station for a static display. The Jinty didn't half bark pushing 3 dead Pacifics up the grade in the NCB sidings. At one point during the shunt we must've showed up on the track circuit, the 'box' thought we were a departing coal train and gave us the 'road' onto the 'down' main! Fortunately I spotted the 'dummy' was 'off' and 7298 had a good steam brake. The B.R. pilotman went to the 'phone and had 'full and meaningful discussion' with the signalman. Happy days! Ray.

 

Deleted

 

Do you mean this one, I think the other contestant was L&Y 752

 

Another bit of trivia from SVR News at the time. Following a lineside fire started by 6201 on May 17th, L.M. Region imposed a ban on steam movements unless piloted by a diesel. The only locomotives that arrived under their own power were 5000, Scotsman, Maude and Green Arrow.

Just in case you thought it was a new phenomenon...

 

I was there on all three days.....was going to post a photo but can't for some reason???

 

I was only five and really don't remember it apart from it being the first time I ever stayed in a hotel which was very exciting.

 

I've seen so many photos of Maude making its way down, with its slightly scorched smokebox! You have to ask would this happen now, and could you imagine the phone call? 'Right, let me get this straight, you want to move an 0-6-0 goods engine, under its own power during a fire risk, all the way from the East coast of Scotland to just outside of Liverpool via Carlisle and Settle?' It just wouldn't happen would it?!

 

At least at Rainhill they got the expensive seats on the right side for photography, at Shildon the good seats were looking in to the sun and us cheapskates standing up got the better pictures...

 

I was there - a wonderful event.

 

That one doesn't work either (I'm in Oz). A quick YouTube search turned up this

 

I was rather older than that and slept in ECS parked in Lime Street. Very comfortable!