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Cumbrian Mountain Express 2022

Discussion in 'What's Going On' started by 61994, Jan 8, 2022.

  1. RalphW

    RalphW Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Administrator Friend

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    Since it has been reported that whilst Leander was doing the work and Tangmere was on a bedding in outing ergo therein lies the difference in the exhausts,.
     
  2. GWR4707

    GWR4707 Nat Pres stalwart

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    It harks back to the mid 80's, at least the ETHEL looks better in BR Green rather than Raspberry Ripple. ;)
     
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  3. MellishR

    MellishR Resident of Nat Pres Friend

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    You mean that squarish looking thing generates electricity?:p
     
  4. nige757

    nige757 Member

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    Cheers David.
     
  5. Steamie Boxes

    Steamie Boxes Member

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    My video from the weekend (including the 20s on Friday night). Now I've passed my driving test, hopefully I can now get out on lineside more!
     
  6. MartinPage402

    MartinPage402 New Member

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    Well it certainly didn't produce any heat!
     
  7. Spamcan81

    Spamcan81 Nat Pres stalwart

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    All joking aside, a 5XP has a louder exhaust than a BB anyway.
     
  8. Gladiator 5076

    Gladiator 5076 Part of the furniture

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    Yes I was told by a steward friend it may have been one of the "cooler CME's". Still at least it was quite mild for a January in Cumbria, it could have been snowing!
     
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  9. Apollo12

    Apollo12 New Member

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    Or they just had no steam.
     
  10. twr12

    twr12 Well-Known Member

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    What a fickle lot.

    Last week the moaning was about “the diesel” on the back of the CME.

    Now after WCR have used two steam locos on CME, the moaning is about the additional steam loco!
     
  11. RalphW

    RalphW Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Administrator Friend

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    Two different groups perhaps?
     
  12. Big Al

    Big Al Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Moderator

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    There was no shortage of steam from Tangmere when stationary. The collective memory is short. Some have forgotten how poor Galatea was initially before it was sorted out.

    I would have liked to have seen Tangmere adding more on Saturday but she looked good and to have run her out with another loco was such complete common sense that I fail to understand what some are going on about.
     
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  13. Bill2

    Bill2 New Member

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    Herewith some additional details for last Saturday's Winter Cumbrian Mountain Express. Despite a dire weather forecast threatening almost anything the sky could throw at us with warnings of disruption, in the event it was fine all day, albeit very windy especially on the hills. My booking was actually carried over from February last year, joining at Preston, and it is good to have a successful main line steam trip to report. 86259 worked down from London as usual, and the support coach attached with the steam locomotives at Carnforth brought the load to 11 coaches for 407 tons tare and with an almost full load of passengers around 430 gross. There must have been some changes to the normal service as an empty Pendolino was waiting in the loop alongside before departing south.

    Carnforth was left 3 minutes late with Leander leading Tangmere, and a steady acceleration up the initial 1 in 134 managed 42½ mph at post 9½. Speed then rose to 70 mph at the bottom of Grayrigg bank, and was held well to pass Oxenholme at 59½ after which it only fell slowly to 51 at Hay Fell, 49½ at Lambrigg and with a minimum of 44 at Grayrigg. A solid recovery through the Lune Gorge gave a maximum of 72 approaching Tebay, holding on to 46½ at Scout Green after which speed declined rather more rapidly to 33 at Milepost 37¼ with a rather doubtful gps minimum of 32½ in the cutting between there and the summit. Time to passing the summit sign 37 min 27 sec; from post 13 to 26 13m 48s, post 31½ to 37¼ 6m 55½s, and overall time between posts 13 and 37¼ 26m 9½s. The descent to Carlisle was taken quite cautiously with 71½ mph maximum at post 43¾ repeated at post 59½ and overall time from Carnforth 69 min 47 sec to arrive 2 minutes early at Carlisle Platform 1.

    Half of Platform 3 at Carlisle is closed for resurfacing, though a cursory look suggests the work is complete. There were problems with regular services as several were running late, trains to Newcastle and Morpeth cancelled doubtless due to the weather and also that to Barrow presumably for some other reason.

    Turnrouund time turned out to be a bit too tight for turning, watering, and servicing the two locomotives as well as shunting the stock into and out of the siding alongside Platform 1 and departure was 12 late. My seat was near the back of the formation in this direction. The climb from Petterill Bridge was perhaps the best part of the trip, accelerating up the 1 in 132 to 44½ at Cumwhinton and to 53½ on the level stretch to Howes Sidings with a further increase to 54½ at Cotehill, again up 1 in 132, and a minimum of 53 at the summit before Low House. 60 mph was attained in the dip beyond Armathwaite with subsequent minima of 52 on the climb through Baron Wood tunnels and 55½ at Lazonby tunnel with 48½ at Langwathby after 58 at Long Meg. Continuing with speed mostly in the upper fifties to Long Marton there was then a fall to 48½ on the 1 in 120 before Appleby where the scheduled water stop was not taken. Thus the station was passed in 38 min 8 sec at 53½ mph with 59½ at Milepost 275 but speed then fell off rather rapidly to 46½ entering Helm Tunnel and 36 at Griseburn at the top of the first 1 in 100 with a recovery to 45 on the easier section to Smardale. The next 1 in 100 brought speed down to 35 at Kirkby Stephen, recovering to 38 afterwards before falling to 32½ beyond Birkett Tunnel with an increase to 42 on the easing past Mallerstang. Minimum was 34½ at the top of the final 1 in 100, and the summit marker at Ais Gill (post 259¾) passed in 23 min 33 sec from post 275 and 64 min 2 sec from the start, 3 minutes ahead of schedule thanks to omitting the Appleby stop.

    There seems no need for any detail of the continuation to Hellifield where arrival in the loop for water was 3 minutes late after the usual crawling approach, but for completeness time to Garsdale was 67 min 50 sec, Blea Moor 78 min 23 sec, Ribblehead 82 min 5 sec, Settle 93 min 41 sec and to Hellifield 102 min 39 sec. It was necessary to draw up before watering the second locomotive and we were 14 minutes late restarting, but with a relatively easy schedule to Horrocksford we were only seven late there and just managed to sneak in front of the local. I thought the restriction over Whalley Arches had been sorted out years ago, but a 20 mph slack has been reimposed and thus we were faced with a slow start for the climb to Wilpshire, managing to accelerate to 32½ mph on entering the tunnel with a minimum of 29 at Ramsgreave. There must have been something ahead at Daisyfield as there was a lengthy slowing approaching the junction and a slack at Blackburn that put us back to eight late, but with a clear road the maximum after that was 63½ mph. Time to Blackburn 49 min 47 sec and to Bamber Bridge 59 min 49 sec, but a signal check after Lostock Hall to allow something ahead at Farington Curve Junction and a stop afterwards to let a local the other way past before crossing to Platform 6 at Preston left us 6 minutes late on arrival in 75 min 45 sec from Hellifield.

    Many thanks to RTC for promoting the tour and to West Coast and staff for operating it.
     
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  14. Waterbuck

    Waterbuck Member

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    Perhaps a test run similar to the 'first' outing back of 'Mayflower' (after maintenance) which was added to the rostered Loco on the Feb 2019 CME
     
  15. Victor

    Victor Nat Pres stalwart Friend

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    Mayflower and BIL, it was a great day out in a winter wonderland.;)
     
  16. 30567

    30567 Part of the furniture Friend

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    Plus I'd suggest that in the high wind conditions of Saturday morning over Shap, Leander on her own might have struggled with that load. Adding Tangmere even at half power made a lot of sense from that pov. Making it up to say class 7 power meant the train kept time at the key points even though the schedule at Carlisle and Hellifield was tight for preparing two locos, parking the train etc.

    I hope Tangmere gets a chance to show what it can do on a Dalesman or a CME when fully run in. That will be quite an historic moment thinking of all those black and white photos of 34092.
     
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  17. Gladiator 5076

    Gladiator 5076 Part of the furniture

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    Someone said the "Confused Jubilee" has been withdrawn for overhaul. If that is true then that currently only leaves, BIL, SG & Leander for all the northern tours I think. That would make it even more important to keep the only air braked loco serviceable for the Northern Belle operation and thus limit use elsewhere.
     
  18. 30567

    30567 Part of the furniture Friend

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    That's right. Priority number one is to run that dozen or so Northern Belles this year with no Lizzie and no Tornado for quite a while.

    I hadn't realised Galatea was going to be out for a while. And presumably all the main line black fives will be up in Scotland. That does look a bit tight when we get to June and one loco is based over in York. But perhaps Galatea will be back by then with another new number.
     
  19. Apollo12

    Apollo12 New Member

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    They all steam well when they're not moving.
     
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  20. Waterbuck

    Waterbuck Member

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    Yes it was a great trip.
     

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