Lakelander Tours 2024

Anyone have any inkling as to why both tours and the TPE ahead of them were all stopped at Tebay? Certainly wasn't expecting them all to come crawling past me in the Lune Gorge

 

Not sure what the problem was but it made for a great noise from Britannia on Shap .

 

The day dawned grey but dry, the forecast for further north was either drizzle or showers. Today promised no fewer than 3 trains, with steam locomotives, heading north over Shap. Unfortunately today was the day when Oswald had a prior engagement in the early afternoon. I had planned to see Britannia somewhere between Preston and Lancaster and then return home. However, if you are going to make the effort, you want to see (and hear) the Brit working hard. I looked at the times and providing it was on time I could see it at Oxenholme and still be back home - so that is what I did.

Dry and almost bright when I left home, very light drizzle north of Lancaster, a wet road surface north of Burton in Kendal and still drizzle. I parked at Oxenholme station and there was still light drizzle. I was early, too early and faffed about in the car to waste some time. I went to buy a ticket for the car park and returned to the car by which time I could reasonably make my way up onto the platform. The drizzle was easing but it felt cool in the stiff SW breeze. There were quite a lot of passengers on all platforms waiting for the various trains that were due as well as several photographers. The passenger trains came, gathered up their passengers and went. The northbound Tesco headed thro' the station by which time the drizzle had stopped and the sky was threatening to brighten.

Before long there came the distant sound of a hard working steam locomotive; the sound was carried towards the station on the helpful breeze. It grew louder, raising the hairs on the back of your neck. A station announcements warned that the next train does not stop here, it didn't sound like it had any intention of stopping! As the train drew nearer another announcement ordered those waiting to stay behind the yellow line. Still the sounds grew louder, then some white exhaust and a blast from a chime whistle and Britannia came charging thro' the station, leaning to the curve, blood and custards in tow, a crescendo of wonderful chimney music. And then she was gone. On the rear was D1935 active and difficult to say how much it might be contributing to the overall effort. 11C, 3L & 51mph and wonderful.

On the way home around 3 miles south of Oxenholme the sun shone (for a few minutes) - "Too late", said Oswald. Oswald was home at 12.10 - well done, Oswald!

 

Plenty of photographers out at Oxenholme

 

Getting information that 70000 has failed.

 

Track circuit failure at Tebay

 

Working hard at Greenholme in challenging conditions.........

 

Confirmed. Diesel leaving Carlisle, no Brit.

 

Supposedly a big end failure, from a friend on the charter

 

70000 Attacking Shap .

 

Britannia, Tangmere and 45212 passing Paddy Lane road bridge in a howling gale:

 

I wonder why the diesel didn't give more assistance on Shap, it was clearly struggling.

 

Probably to avoid complaints on various forums about shovage???!!!

 

70000 heads for Carlisle with the Lakelander charter on 13.04.24 with Tangmere following 6 minutes behind.

 

I don’t think it was ‘clearly struggling’. Considering it started from a standing start at Tebay the climb was at a steady speed with a crisp exhaust beat and a clean fire. To me it looked like a good steady performance from a class 7 with a heavy load. Well done to the footplate crew.

 

Thought it might be something like that, while looking at the TPE on the signalling map I noticed it disappeared for a minute or so before reappearing a couple of sections later. So...not the shots I expected to get (except the first one), footage of 70000 in full flight passing Yealand Conyers then with brakes on approaching Tebay, with 34067 then coming to a stand in the section behind and restarting a couple of minutes later.

 

Docker




Running under caution at Dillicar



Richard

 

A damaged big end and eventual failure would suggest otherwise.

 

There’s a short YouTube video showing two clowns running across six lanes of the M6 near Tebay in the Lune gorge to get a video/picture of the steam tours .

 

The loco was clearly handling the load well on Shap. The failure of the big-end could have been caused by a number of reasons, not necessarily down to the load. I think we need to agree to disagree.