The Citadel 9/11/19

The Mk2 belongs to Riley & Son and was repainted at Carnforth a few years ago so was painted into West Coast livery, the other Mk2 support coach is in BR maroon which was last repainted at Bury. The Mk1 is currently on loan from WCR and generally goes with the 5 that isn't on Jacobite duty, 45212 last year and 44871 this year.

 

The Citadel 09 November 2019 – 44871 & 45407 hauling 10+2 POBs – a bit more

The girls produced the goods on the climbs so, with nothing to do on a cold and blustery Thursday, I took a further look,

The average edhp for over 15 minutes whilst climbing from Settle Jn SB to MP246 was 1800. On the Citadel of 2018 45212 & 45407, with only 9 coaches but running at a higher speed, produced a figure of 1930. (MP246 was just before the locos were eased before Ribblehead).

Back to 2019, on the return journey, the climb from Upperby Bridge Jn to Penrith produced an average edhp of 1510 (sustained for almost 20 minutes). From starting in the Eden Valley Loop to passing the Summit Board at Shap the figure was 1580 (for over 16 minutes).

For shorter periods the power outputs were higher as we accelerated out of the Eden Valley Loop directly onto the 6+ miles of 1/125: 0-1 mile average edhp was 1090; 1-2 was 1640; 2-3, 2160; 3-4, 2060; 4-5, 1960 and 5-6, 2010. From starting, and for just under 11 minutes, the average edhp for the 6 miles was 1650.

 

In the last year I have travelled southbound over Shap via the Eden Valley loop on 3 occasions; this trip, the CME (6201, 20 July 2019) and the Citadel in Nov 2018. Again with nothing much to do I decided to see how they compared. The Citadel of 2019 (with 12 coaches) matched and bettered The Citadel of 2018 (with only 9 coaches but running in rain). 6201 (+11), a single locomotive, could not hope to match a pair of 5s when it came to accelerating a train at low speed and it showed.

 

Where on earth is Brownhills? The only one I know is in the black country near Cannock chase

 

It’s Brownhill, outskirts of Blackburn just before Ramsgreave & Wilpshire station.

 

Thanks Oswald you beat me to the punch.

 

Selection of steam at Brownhill 1991 - 2008

 

Quick video of the pair returning this tour south through Lancaster: