If you register, you can do a lot more. And become an active part of our growing community. You'll have access to hidden forums, and enjoy the ability of replying and starting conversations.

Dalesman and Pendle Dalesman 2021

Discussion in 'What's Going On' started by iancawthorne, Dec 2, 2020.

  1. RalphW

    RalphW Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Administrator Friend

    Joined:
    Sep 11, 2005
    Messages:
    35,446
    Likes Received:
    9,144
    Gender:
    Male
    Occupation:
    Retired-ish, Part time rail tour steward.
    Location:
    Northwich
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    Thats a stunning shot.
     
  2. Oswald T Wistle

    Oswald T Wistle Well-Known Member Friend

    Joined:
    Jul 16, 2013
    Messages:
    1,332
    Likes Received:
    5,380
    Gender:
    Male
    Occupation:
    ESI Eng Manager (Retd)
    Location:
    NE Lancs
    As this was the last Pendle Dalesman of the season, I decided that, despite the 37 on the back, I would head out for a watch albeit in probable darkness. I was having a mug of tea and checking RTT when I saw that BIL had left Hellifield 41E, probably trying to get out at Horrocksford Jn before the service train rather than use the allotted path. No time to finish my brew, into the car and hare over to Ramsgreave & Wilpshire. I needn't have bothered, the cunning plan came to naught and the train ran to the planned path.

    Oswald had to kill an hour waiting on the platform. The youths were gathered on the far platform and provided some entertainment that is if you like rap music and non-stop foul language. The highlight was when one of them who had decided that doing wheelies on his bike on a railway station platform was the best thing in the world almost went off the edge and onto the track. The station lights came on as darkness descended, the Rochdale train came and went and so did the youths.

    The Clitheroe bound train arrived and stopped, decanted a few passengers and set off. It had only just left the platform when steam appeared at the distant bend; the noise from the unit had drowned out all sound of BIL's approach. There was a healthy swish of exhaust, the lights on the rear of the departing unit left long red streaks on the sides of the rapidly approaching coaches. BIL was in the platforms, one by one the station lights illuminated the top of the exhaust as the loco passed beneath, a warm orange glow from the footplate, lights from the coach windows, brighter in first class, as the carriages rushed by and last the grumbling 37 - then all gone and near silence. The train had seemingly flashed past, its speed accentuated by the darkness. 30 mph and 1E. Something atmospheric about steam at night, maybe not pure steam this time but a spectacle none the less.
     
  3. osprey

    osprey Resident of Nat Pres

    Joined:
    Oct 3, 2007
    Messages:
    9,357
    Likes Received:
    2,313
    Occupation:
    semi-retired, currently doing R&D for my patents
    Location:
    Halifax
    It certainly is...should be entered for some award if that's possible.
     
    The Black Hat likes this.
  4. RalphW

    RalphW Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Administrator Friend

    Joined:
    Sep 11, 2005
    Messages:
    35,446
    Likes Received:
    9,144
    Gender:
    Male
    Occupation:
    Retired-ish, Part time rail tour steward.
    Location:
    Northwich
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    OK so I was on the train and you were miles away at your keyboard.
    I had personal contact with the passengers, all you had to go on was comments here from which you made assumptions.
    I know what the feeling of the passengers was, you cannot possibly know that.
    The diesel was requested from Carnforth as a backup in case it was needed, the original intention being to leave Hellifield as soon as watering was finished and not wait for it as that would have added to our lateness since it was delayed following the Skipton stopper.
    NR then intervened insisting that we wait for it.
    At Carlisle the whole train was turned to save unnecessary shunting so during this period I was able to and did go into the support coach and have a chat with the crew. The service was carried to the full, quickly and efficiently. But hey you weren't to know that so made another inaccurate assumption.
     
  5. Shep Woolley

    Shep Woolley Well-Known Member Friend

    Joined:
    Feb 21, 2007
    Messages:
    2,216
    Likes Received:
    9,096
    Gender:
    Male
    Occupation:
    Retired
    In with both feet again Ralph thinking before speaking me thinks
     
    Haighie and bobbler like this.
  6. 30910

    30910 Member

    Joined:
    Apr 6, 2006
    Messages:
    940
    Likes Received:
    1,009
    Occupation:
    Retired
    Location:
    Wirral
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    A difficult day for loco and crew but rescued in the end for the passengers.
    Here's my view from the sidelines at Bee Lane, Horrocksford, Hayber and Helwith Bridge:

    Thanks to Steve (and Nige?) for stopping with an update on the situation just after Gisburn.
     
  7. GWR4707

    GWR4707 Nat Pres stalwart

    Joined:
    May 12, 2006
    Messages:
    18,046
    Likes Received:
    15,733
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Cumbria
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    Not surprised they struggled as there was noticeably much more dew yesterday morning compared with preceding days/months, first proper autumnal morning we have had.

    Sad to see the normal carping (although we do seem to have finally moved on from 'its because WCR crews don't know how to handle her, never happens with DBC crews and Clan Line', so that's progress of sorts I suppose), the crew deserve much credit for getting the train moving again after the stall and then adapting to the changing circumstances like the professional railwaymen they are.

    Cannot comment upon the feelings of passengers, albeit considering the catchment area which I suspect makes up much of the travelling population, they will be aware of the pleasures of Carlisle and I cannot imagine that spending a couple of hours there is high on the list of attractions for the tour.
     
  8. MellishR

    MellishR Resident of Nat Pres Friend

    Joined:
    Apr 16, 2009
    Messages:
    8,068
    Likes Received:
    5,164
    I see more of people on here complaining about each others' postings than anyone complaining about the tour itself. It didn't go to plan, there was much less time at Carlisle than there should have been, and that is surely cause for some regret; but no worse than that. It did get there, the passengers did have some time there, and it returned more or less on time. So who's actually complaining, and what is there to complain about?
     
    Victor, RalphW, osprey and 1 other person like this.
  9. Big Al

    Big Al Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Moderator

    Joined:
    May 30, 2009
    Messages:
    21,064
    Likes Received:
    20,773
    Location:
    1016
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    Certainly no complaining from me. It's part of the occasional lottery of running steam charters, for example running out of sand, but as I said the good thing is that a back-up was readily available locally and that has to be a bonus. I'm surprised to learn that NR told WC to wait for the diesel but they will have their reasons, I guess.
     
    26D_M likes this.
  10. blink bonny

    blink bonny Member

    Joined:
    Jul 26, 2012
    Messages:
    687
    Likes Received:
    3,233
    Location:
    northumberland
    So given the experiences of yesterday, what will be taking the front end of tomorrow's Dalesman? Anybody know yet?
     
  11. Oswald T Wistle

    Oswald T Wistle Well-Known Member Friend

    Joined:
    Jul 16, 2013
    Messages:
    1,332
    Likes Received:
    5,380
    Gender:
    Male
    Occupation:
    ESI Eng Manager (Retd)
    Location:
    NE Lancs
    On the early part of the outbound run the railhead condition was problematic, an extremely heavy overnight dew had left all things smooth and cold coated with a film of water. It is a testament to the skill of Mick Rawling that BIL "kept her feet" as she climbed the 1/101 gradient to Hoghton summit with her heavy 13 coach train; progress was slow but sure-footed. As BIL approached Chapel Lane the sun tried to peak through the thin early morning cloud and as the train headed off towards Blackburn it succeeded in bathing the tops of the coaches and the exhaust with a gentle diffuse autumnal light.



    Did you spot the wave and thumbs up from Ralph?
     
    30910, John Merry, Mick45305 and 3 others like this.
  12. 30567

    30567 Part of the furniture Friend

    Joined:
    Aug 7, 2012
    Messages:
    5,608
    Likes Received:
    3,510
    I guess one reason is that if they had let the train go at say 1130 and then the unit at 1147, the unit would have been between the train and the diesel if something had gone wrong going up the hill let's say at Stainforth which can be a tricky section in autumn conditions. So caution ruled.

    The Dalesman was the first train over the Horrocksford to Hellifield section yesterday.
     
  13. sgthompson

    sgthompson Part of the furniture Friend

    Joined:
    Jun 12, 2008
    Messages:
    3,861
    Likes Received:
    9,238
    Gender:
    Male
    Occupation:
    Tobacco manufacturing
    Location:
    Kendal
    Supposedly 35018
     
  14. blink bonny

    blink bonny Member

    Joined:
    Jul 26, 2012
    Messages:
    687
    Likes Received:
    3,233
    Location:
    northumberland
    Thanks Steve. I might save a tank of petrol (well half a tank, anyway). I was hoping for the Jube yesterday and went on spec.
     
  15. sgthompson

    sgthompson Part of the furniture Friend

    Joined:
    Jun 12, 2008
    Messages:
    3,861
    Likes Received:
    9,238
    Gender:
    Male
    Occupation:
    Tobacco manufacturing
    Location:
    Kendal
    Send me a PM and we can swap phone numbers re updates .
     
  16. blink bonny

    blink bonny Member

    Joined:
    Jul 26, 2012
    Messages:
    687
    Likes Received:
    3,233
    Location:
    northumberland
    Thanks. Done.
     
    sgthompson likes this.
  17. Oswald T Wistle

    Oswald T Wistle Well-Known Member Friend

    Joined:
    Jul 16, 2013
    Messages:
    1,332
    Likes Received:
    5,380
    Gender:
    Male
    Occupation:
    ESI Eng Manager (Retd)
    Location:
    NE Lancs
    It was Tuesday evening and Oswald was loitering in a dark corner of the down platform at Ramsgreave & Wilpshire station. The rails were, to use a Barry Humphries expression, "as dry as a dead dingo's donger." This is a brief summary of what actually(?) happened as the returning Pendle Dalesman swept through the station and towards the summit . . .

    "Despite Mr Kelly's best efforts, by the time that the train had reached the station the naughty diesel had caught up and was beginning to push!"

    What? You don't believe me! Probably wise not to.



    I suppose that it could have been coupled to the rear.
     
    26D_M, 46223, 30910 and 5 others like this.
  18. RalphW

    RalphW Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Administrator Friend

    Joined:
    Sep 11, 2005
    Messages:
    35,446
    Likes Received:
    9,144
    Gender:
    Male
    Occupation:
    Retired-ish, Part time rail tour steward.
    Location:
    Northwich
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    Well I did feel a bump from the back about 100yds before the station. :rolleyes:
     
    Oswald T Wistle likes this.
  19. nige757

    nige757 Member

    Joined:
    Apr 28, 2018
    Messages:
    561
    Likes Received:
    3,995
    Gender:
    Male
    Occupation:
    retired
    Location:
    kendal
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    35018 with 37668 giving plenty of assistance passing Arcow Quarry and a lonely Birkett Common.

     
    DWH 2848, Mick45305, 46223 and 9 others like this.
  20. D7076

    D7076 Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Dec 21, 2007
    Messages:
    1,401
    Likes Received:
    484
    I always consider less time in Carlisle a bonus ,not a regret .In fact the best tours to Carlisle use the avoider at Upperby .
     

Share This Page