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RTC 'The High Peak Explorer: 17/03/18

Discussion in 'What's Going On' started by Bulleid Pacific, Oct 31, 2017.

  1. Bulleid Pacific

    Bulleid Pacific Part of the furniture

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    Something I've been scratching my head about as a result of this trip is the last time steam headed west through Disley tunnel. Seems pretty rare these days, and I haven't spotted anything in the last six years on UK steam.
     
  2. Oswald T Wistle

    Oswald T Wistle Well-Known Member Friend

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    Sorry about that, I hadn't intended to post that, I was half watching tv. I'm sure that we will get another chance to meet..
     
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  3. Big Al

    Big Al Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Moderator

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    I think that Mick Rawling was the conductor for Ian Riley and also drove later on. Peter Kirk was on Leander for the return leg and, as you say, Ron Smith was on the Black 5 but only from Stockport where Mick Kelly got off and Ron got on.
     
  4. Oswald T Wistle

    Oswald T Wistle Well-Known Member Friend

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    Thanks Al, that makes sense.
     
  5. Moylesy98

    Moylesy98 Guest

    Your better off asking James Shuttleworth that question, I know for a start he was on-board Leander on the day as spotted him on-board when they were attaching Leander onto the other end of the train and was chatting to him in Buxton. :p Mick Kelly I know is one but cant think who else was on-board her that day.
     
  6. Oswald T Wistle

    Oswald T Wistle Well-Known Member Friend

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    Thanks. I'm absolutely certain that James would know but I'm equally certain that his job description does not include responding to the likes of me and thee on this forum; it could rapidly escalate and as usual will probably end in some sort of unpleasantness. I think that we should be grateful for information that James provides and not seek to abuse the position.
    Oswald T Wistle, on a soap box in a sunny but cold Darwen.
     
  7. Oswald T Wistle

    Oswald T Wistle Well-Known Member Friend

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    I remember travelling to Bacup in the 1950s. I also remember being on the top deck of a bus travelling from Bacup towards Rawtenstall where the road and railway are very close, just to the east of Waterfoot, when a Rawtenstall bound train suddenly, and noisily shot out of the tunnel (Newchurch No2) - nearly brown trousers. Much later, after the track had been lifted, there was a convenient ramp that unintentionally allowed vehicles access to the single bore tunnels, Newchurch No1 and the longer Thrutch tunnel. Now who would drive his car into railway tunnels? I can't repeat it as the tunnel mouths were subsequently fenced.
     
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  8. RalphW

    RalphW Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Administrator Friend

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    There is, somewhere in the Peak district, a stretch of line that was made into a road, and included a tunnel. First time I used it was on a night car rally, swept along this smooth road with easy curves, the dived into this narrow and longish tunnel, very strange experience.
    I've tried to find it but I have a feeling that it's now been downgraded to walkers, horses and bikes.
     
    Last edited: Mar 20, 2018
  9. J Shuttleworth

    J Shuttleworth Member

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    You’re probably thinking of Swainsley tunnel on the Leek & Manifold.

    JS
     
  10. Where's Mazeppa?

    Where's Mazeppa? Member

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    Totally off-thread/ off-topic, but sometimes railway tunnels can come in handy. Witness an imaginative piece of recycling based on former Great Central infrastructure that is happening locally (about three miles northwest of the former railway centre of Woodford Halse) right now.....
    www.daventrydc.gov.uk/your-council/news/work-is-underway-to-create-an-innovative-world-class-aerodynamic-testing-facility-07-12-17/
     
  11. RalphW

    RalphW Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Administrator Friend

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    Yes that's the one, thanks. Looking at the map must have joined it near Wetton Mill Farm and then flat out in my Cooper S and backed off into the tunnel at about 80mph :Wideyed: with my navigator shouting about a 90 right just after the exit... Those were fun days/nights..
     
  12. MellishR

    MellishR Resident of Nat Pres Friend

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    Quoting just that bit of Mr Wistle's (excellent as ever) report as I'm wondering whether the only way to deal with the train was to send it all the way to Chinley and back. Wasn't the plan at one stage to run to Buxton by one route and back by the other, which would have avoided the need to turn the locos?
     
  13. J Shuttleworth

    J Shuttleworth Member

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    The obvious answer but the LNW route currently has clearance issues in Eaves and Barmoor Clough Tunnels for almost all traffic. It would have saved a long turning but the URS still had to be vacated to allow a Tunstead - Hindlow stone train to run-round (there are only two sidings).

    JS
     
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  14. 2J66

    2J66 Well-Known Member

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    At the risk of continuing thread drift I went to school in Waterfoot and our lunchtime activities included messing about in the disused and derelict station and the nearby tunnels. The longer Thrutch Tunnel could be accessed by a short access tunnel between Newchurch No 1 & 2. One day two of us climbed up the sheer rock face between Newchurch 1 and 2 - in school shoes. We must have been absolutely bonkers. On the infrequent occasions I travelled through the Glen in the yearsx since a cold shudder has run down my spine at the thought of that little escapade.

    Your memory must have been playing tricks Mr Twistle. Newchurch No 1 & 2 were on the down line & hence your near brown trouser experience would have been due to a Bacup-bound train having recently restarted from Waterfoot & heading up gradient towards Stacksteads.

    Back home after the weekend in Buxton & just about to download the photographs. All that snow & freezing wind does seem a long time ago yet it's only 3 days.
     
  15. Big Al

    Big Al Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Moderator

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    All this gives us an interesting insight into the complexity of planning something out of the ordinary and the Buxton/Hindlow charter was about as unusual as you can get nowadays. It makes you believe that this may go down as the 'one-off' wonder of 2018.
     
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  16. pjhliners

    pjhliners Member Friend

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    This reminded me of a trip I had enjoyed and a search of my archives revealed the following:

    The Buxton Express 22 October 2005

    Ian Riley's Stanier 5 and Standard 4 4-6-0s turned out together on an special from Warrington and round the edge of Manchester to Buxton and back. The Black Five had just returned from Scotland where it had run as 44996 and had been left in typical 60s condition, ie dirty! A slow but steady climb on a wet rail up to Buxton was followed by a lively romp down from Chinley to Hazel Grove.

    10 photos are at http://pjhtransportpix.zenfolio.com/p860116945

    My blurbs were much shorter in those days but that run down through Disley Tunnel remains a highlight of my steam memories.

    Peter on a cold February evening in Manchester
    http://pjhtransportpix.zenfolio.com
     
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  17. Big Al

    Big Al Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Moderator

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    And triggered by James Shuttleworth's comment about the clearance issues in Eaves Tunnel, I was prompted to look up any more recent time when steam has gone into Buxton via Chapel-en-le-Frith and out via Great Rocks.

    Have come up with 5/11/11. It started at Lancaster and ran down to Manchester via Wigan and Bolton and then on to Buxton. We then went out via Chinley East and then on to Sheffield. The return was via Swinton, Brighouse and Rochdale to Manchester where I baled out. With hindsight that was quite a day tour. Ian Riley's Black 5s were in charge.
     
  18. 46223

    46223 Resident of Nat Pres Friend

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    You need to flip over the page on your calendar Peter.:rolleyes:
     
  19. iancawthorne

    iancawthorne Well-Known Member

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    It sure has felt like it's still February until today!
     
  20. Moylesy98

    Moylesy98 Guest

    Would be nice though with it being the 50th anniversary year to see a black 5 working some tours in weathered condition aswell as a couple in the disguises of scrapped siblings. 45407 I know is wearing the identity of 45157 for 2018 but even that is a rare sight as every other black 5 that's working is in it's own identity.

    I was even talking to a few people over Facebook a few weeks back about the former jubilee no 45705 Seahorse as that one didnt survive to preservation (If I could turn back time though id save her), and after another chap mentioned that you could have a nameplate or set made (Cant say who as that's private info) and that got me thinking, if you can get a set of nameplates and smokebox plates made and Riley is having 45407 disguised why not see if you can get one of the preserved jubilees disguised. Problem with that though is there's no point with it being Kolhapur as she's static awaiting overhaul and is stored away from the public view except on open weekends. It cant be Bahamas as she's got a double chimney fitted and wouldnt look right as other than her just 3 others had double chimney's and they were all I believe during LMS days so that just leaves Galatea & Leander. Very likely be difficult to get hold of David Smith to ask him so the only viable loco at present is Leander. Wouldn't mind seeing her disguised as either Seahorse or Alberta for a while.

    I Was gonna mention it to Chris on Saturday if he would do it one day but sadly I didn't get a chance to ask him. Unsure though if he's on the national preservation group though as I know James Shuttleworth is but im unsure if Chris Beet is.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Mar 20, 2018

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