Winter CME's, February 2012.

Remember, we were under the wires for some of the day. Amazing what you can do with a bent coathanger and a bit of old lighting cable. The lecky's pantograph was sparking on the icy wires, but the fireworks above our coach were something else.

Richard

 

Haha yes - I didn't see anyone else, and was lucky in that I didn't have far to travel from Shap to get home.

Many thanks John. The lights reflecting certainly made the train seem cosy, although I understand it wasn't entirely! Certainly looked cosier than any of the voyagers or pendo's that passed.

 

Std issue IT guy... Laptop, tm700, iPhone, iPad .. Bag of wires If I were to be stuck on the moors I need 24 hours worth of 3G technology.
I actually left the camera, dell's and MacBook at home.. I was flying in after all

I wasn't the only one with a suitcase either ;-)
ralph was the one arriving in style swinging the champagne around like a banker on bonus day.... Got on at Crewe bottle was done by Winsford .. Poor neil got no chance.

 

Just noticed on UK Steam info, times for the 18th and 25th trips, no stop at Preston on the return, bit of a nightmare for anyone who booked with the intention of getting on / off at Preston as per the original tour itinenary. I know my Dad is booked on the 25th from Preston, will have to see if he has had an email or call off RTC.

 

It seems a rather strange place for a loco change.

 

Yes, agreed. Don't recall any previous tours over the last few years changing loco at faringdon jct.

 

Farington Jn (or Lostock Hall Jn in the northbound direction) used to be the regular loco change point for Cumbrian Mountain Expresses, but it's not been used for that purpose for a few years. Looking at the times, it allows the train to pick up the same southbound path to Euston as last Saturday and next Saturday's tours - changing locos at Preston would miss this path (or would require an earlier path over the S&C). A bit inconvenient for Preston passengers, but not exactly a "nightmare" as I assume RTC will provide them with tickets to travel on the 18.15 service train from Blackburn to Preston, arriving at 18.33 - 3 minutes later that the advertised time.

 

The tour has an even more 1980's feel to it! Farringdon used to be used regularly... I remember 34027, 46203, (5305), 71000 all doing the loco changes there.

 

There is a stop at Blackburn, though (17:56-58) Can you make a connection from there?

 

Yes - all they need to do now is cut out the steam section from Carnforth to Carlisle via Shap and, as you say, it will be just like the 1980s. Well, 1990s actually - in the 80s the steam section might only have been from Appleby (or Howe and Co Sidings) to Hellifield.

Yes - see my previous post.

 

Of course when the CME's first started there used to be a top leg [Carlisle - Hellifield] with one loco and a bottom leg [Hellifield -Carnforth via Wennington] with a second loco. Electric traction was used to Carlisle and from Carnforth...... or vice versa. Now this may be an option for next year given the Carnforth - Settle Jn line is so little used now but then again do we really want to lose Shap. When the CME's began everyone was pining for Shap!

 

Indeed the stock Hellifield change seemed to take place on the entrance to the Blackburn line, I vividly remember as a kid watching 4472 desparately trying to draw the emplty stock back into Hellifield station from the engine change.

 

The very first regular CMEs back in 1980 ran Carnforth to Skipton where a fresh loco took over for the run to Carlisle.

 

Yep, I remember travelling on a couple of those in 1982 and 83. We travelled on BR "Merrymaker" tickets from Watford Jnc. The first trip was 4498 Sir Nigel Gresley from Carnforth then 60009 Union Of South Africa from Skipton. The following year we had No 9 again, starting from Carlisle with 5407 on the "bottom leg". But my love afair with main line steam really started in 1986 with Clan Line on The Blackmore Vale Express. But we digress...

 

When is Ollie going to Carnforth? Friday?

 

Understood to have arrived via road today ( Thursday )

 

Yesterday's Railway Herald pages 21/22 are indicating 11 February trip is also running out Shap and back S&C as the 18 + 25 February are. Nothing on UK Steam to indicate this, likely RH have it wrong?

 

No This is what the said last week on the trip.. both Ollys trips are north from Carnforth, so I guess all the remaining ones are.. maybe the pathing works better.

 

Is it definitely Shap first and S&C return tomorrow then? I would have thought UK Steam would have updated this by now.

 

Open Train Times are still showing times as original routing, up S&C down Shap.