The Winter Cumbrian Mountain 30th December.

Alberta is this the shot SR won't print?

http://mark-walker.fotopic.net/p62719626.html

Good collection of pictures.

 

Another wonderfull event to follow, thanks to everyone for the info, vids and pictures.

Happy New Year to all of you who share your efforts with us and thank you once again.

 

My video offering from yesterday with scenes at Lostock, Greenholme and Kirkby Stephen. Many thanks to Ralph for the invaluable text updates.

[video=youtube;VWG-V8yDa28]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VWG-V8yDa28[/video]

 

Superb images, thanks for sharing.

Having watched all the videos, I get the impression that 44871 was working harder than 45407. Can someone who was at the lineside tell me I'm wrong please?

Happily stand corrected!

46118

 

I would agree, my impression was that 44871 was doing the lions share of the work.

 

With some great pics and vids already posted, here's my contribution and thanks to all involved with the tour.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7QbrU-IizkI

 

Very nice, thanks.

 

Had a smashing day yesterday and my five year old is still smiling this morning as a result!
Of course Santa's delivery of a Nintendo DSi helped once it went dark but he like me, really enjoyed it.
Was a little chaotic at Victoria due to the coaches being marked up with the wrong letters but after ten minutes or so, all returned to normal.
The pictures and video's are a credit to you all and I take my hat off to you all with the weather being what it was.
Couldn't believe how many of you were line side for our climb up Shap.
Finally a big thank-you to the Riley team- the loco's sounded, looked and performed superbly, a real credit especially 44871.
Had my track map with me but could some one just re-cap what the eventual route was back from Preston?
Am I right in saying we came via Crow Nest Jnctn up through Westhoughton?
Thanks.
Dan

 

No probs Ralph,i had it on my mind,after you texted me that i seem to remember the same happened to me in that area when trying to text you,previously.

it was ok as i walked up to the station and was only waiting about 10 minutes till it pulled in.

Cheers,
Mark

 

Well a rather day from hell for me!

Got up nice and early and headed up the A1, got up to Shap Wells, lovely white over scenery but a rather strong easterly wind... Was rather chilly, anyway got all set up, the trains came and a sudden gust of wind interrupted me whilst filming so lead to a judder on the tri-pod and it had just started to snow when they came into view, not helpful with a wind into the camera. Ergh! Anyway got the shot and headed back up to the car, only to find it stuck in the snow, so spent an hour pushing that out, was rather frozen at this point, so my shoulders are killing today. Headed over to Kirkby Stephen to Birkett Common only to find a rather strong wind, it was that strong up there that when walking back it managed to push me into the wall, luckily I didn't fall over Anyway it was too strong up there, but I waited for them and when they passed the wind managed to grab hold of the microphone which lead to it been flung half way across the field and it yanked on the camera port meaning a new Camera may be in order (Well I have been looking lately) and the tri-pod seemed to play up yesterday so that may be in order for a new one this week, looks like an expensive week. Anyway finally managed to get back up to the car looking like a snowman from the blizzards, started driving back over to the A66 for the A1 only to find it closed, so had to head all the way back over Shap & Tebay to get onto the M6 and head for Hellifield & Skipton... I set off at about 3:45 and didn't return home till 8pm that night!
It was a rather annoying day.

Anyway, i've uploaded the two clips and they've finished off the "Mainline DVD" off nicely.

Footage Available Here

 

Riley's identical twins storm the northern fells 30 December 2009

Main line steam ended 2009 with a flourish when Ian Riley's newly restored Stanier Class 5 4-6-0 No 44871 joined its stablemate No 45407 for a northbound run over Shap then southbound via the Settle - Carlisle line.
It was a close run thing. No 44871, bought as a non-runner several years ago, steamed only two weeks ago for the first time as a complete locomotive. A day on the ELR Santa trains and a short test run on the WCML was the only preparation for this marathon run - how would she and her sister perform?
We left Manchester Victoria 14 minutes late but lively running after Horwich Parkway saw us out of Preston on time. The Black Fives are limited to 60 mph but they reached this by Barton (five miles out) and continued thus along the racing stretch, playing to the gallery by storming through Lancaster station at a brief maximum of 65.
The home base of WCRC at Carnforth was ill-prepared to water two locomotives, and No 44871 needed a top-up of coal, so we were 23 minutes late returning to the main line. We reached 60 at Elmsfield, and had only dropped to 49 by Oxenholme (six miles into the climb) and we topped Grayrigg summit at a respectable 40. We rattled down through the Lune Gorge and reached 60 again at Tebay on the foot of the climb to Shap. Speed dropped to 53 at Greenholme, 46 at High Scales and 40 at the site of Scout Green 'box. The engines really dug into the climb, and we reached Shap summit at a very creditable speed of 35 mph. Our late start from Carnforth led to our being looped at Penrith, and despite lively downhill running we were 45 minutes late into Carlisle.
This was our first chance to have a close look at the newest arrival, and No 44871 looked as magnificent as she had performed. Her shiny BR mixed traffic livery, inherited from the LNWR, brought to mind the term 'blackberry black', the term used for the colour of Premier Line locos before 1923. The large cabside numerals reflected the appearance of Scottish Black Fives overhauled at St Rollox, a nice touch.
We left Carlisle 13 minutes late and, despite travelling at line speed through the former slack at Kirkby Thore, we were still 9 down at Appleby, passed at 49 mph. We were back up to line speed in the dip that followed, then began the long climb - 48 at Crosby Garrett, 44 at Waitby and 42 at Kirkby Stephen. The conditions were really wintry now as we passed Birkett at 40, with only 6 snappers instead of the usual 100. Amazingly, we were up to 48 again on the lower reaches of Mallerstang. I wondered if the diesel on the back was pushing. Being in the last coach, I could check: dead as a doornail. The steam locos kept hammering all the way up the valley, with a low of 43 at Ais Gill Farm and cresting the summit 2 minutes ahead of time at 45 mph - a magnificent performance! There was much to savour as we hurtled downhill to Hellifield.
Here the anticlimax began: more prolonged watering at Hellifield led to lost paths, and the direct line from Blackburn to Bolton was blocked at Darwen, depriving us of the steep climb to Entwistle. Instead we described a huge semi-circle round Winter Hill TV mast, via Bamber Bridge, Lostock Hall, Wigan North Western and Westhoughton to Bolton! But who was complaining about an hour-late return after such a wonderful day? Not me! As the Riley twins chuffed back home to Bury, they had made a fitting end to an outstanding decade of British main line steam.
On the home run, I found this topical article in my newspaper: http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2009/dec/30/in-praise-of-settle-carlisle-line

11 photographs are at http://pjhrailpics.fotopic.net

Peter, on a sunny but cold Manchester morning
http://pjhrailpics.fotopic.net

 

Not just 44871, you can just make out 45407 weaving as well. Not particularly impressive P-Way there, but I expect it is within tolerances.

Regards,

Dan

 

Thats a proper "tank slapper" if ever i've seen one ! Definately fish-tailing ! Perhaps a "brown undies" moment !

 

Yes, great images, probably looked worse over the points due to zoom effect. Well done to even be out in this weather

 

Hi Ralph,
We were in coach E (1st) and apart from the standard WCR "perma-steamed up windows" really enjoyed the view!
Dan

 

Vid from Greenholme and Hellifield now up:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=InwgupX9Xxc

Cheers,
Mark

 

thanks for all your comments guys. Appleby was apparently passed at 49mph.