CME 2023

I did witness it and I’ll never forget it. Nearly two hours in, what turned out to be a near blizzard at Ribblehead waiting for it. Oh for RTT and a mobile phone back then.

 

The southbound run was a week later (12th), I believe the crews swapped footplates whilst at Appleby so that that they could all sample the delights of a Compound. Gordon was the fireman on 5690 from Appleby onwards.

 

Still no mobile phone or RTT at Ribblehead today unless you're in the pub!

 

remember waiting at Selside for the northbound run and sheltering behind a wall to shelter from the blizzard. After 2 hours the weather forced me to give up and follow a tractor back to Settle. The following week went to Carlisle Upperby but by the time we travelled to Ais Gill my colour slide camera had failed (frozen due to the cold) and I was left with Black/white negative in my spare camera.

 

1000 and 5690 Double Headers 1980 1983 - YouTube

Second half of this video features 1000 and 5690 at Crowdundle viaduct amd Kirkby Stephen

 

First half of the video is footage of the Royal Wessex tour with steam from Carnforth to Sellafield and back. 4771 Green Arrow did the return leg.
1000 and 5690 are seen at Meathop on the approach to a stop at Grange. The train is then seen crossing over at Cark and Cartmel to run wrong line to Ulverston. On the return the pair are seen, light engine, on Dalton bank.

 

Just to conclude information on the 28th I've attached the timings for Carnforth D&UGL to Shap Summit, Appleby to Ais Gill and for fun, Horrocksford Jn to Wilpshire Summit.

 

Both weekends were unforgettable, like Fred we gave up on waiting at Helwith Bridge and passed the train north of Settle, then decided to drive to Garsdale where we found out the WCML was closed. The following weekend was superb with the snow still lying. I saw the pair at Hangman's Bridge, an experience made all the better by finding myself in the company of WJV Anderson.
Doesn't seem like 40 years ago.
(You've seen it before but always worth another look)

 

I was on both of those tours.
While we were at Hellifield on the northbound run the news came through that the wires were down on the WCML and all trains
were to be diverted over the S&C, so we were in the way!
It was considered sending us back to Carnforth and up the Cumbrian Coast instead.
But after some debate it was decided to let us go non-stop to Appleby where the train was tucked away in the Warcop loop.
On the return run the following week the two locos took over the train at Howe and Co's sidings instead of Carlisle.

 

I believe the Compound was not allowed under the wires so Carlisle was out of bounds.

 

If memory serves me right, the Compound was indeed too high for the overhead wires at Citadel, which means that if the northbound had ran beyond Appleby, steam would have been taken off at Howe & Co sidings as well as starting the southbound run from there. I would imagine that certain sections of the OHL would have been switched out, probably on the Sunday, to turn the Compound.
Above photo sees the pair getting into their stride at Lazonby.
This occasion must have been the highlight of preserved steam on the S&C, followed by Maude, I would think.

 

I also was about for those two tours .I photo'd the Midland Compound running light at Applerley Jnc going to Hellifield to join 5690,(05/02/1983,)but gave up due to weather conditions , trying to photo the main train somewhere on the climb to Dent. The southbound run I traveled on (12/02/1983 ),a run past was done at Appleby for passengers. Mentioning the Midland comp', to save being made redundant a Kettering driver transferred to York. He was telling me ,about this time ,that nearly always 1000 was out he was ask to take over. In fact he gave me the times for this movement .Kettering men were noted to be pretty red hot with compounds, any specials over the St Pancras to Derby /Nottingham line towards the end of the 1950s ,were nearly always given to Kettering to work.

 

Howe & Co Siding was the intended location for the loco swap on both Saturdays as No 1000's chimney was out of gauge under the wires. As suggested the locos were turned on the Sunday morning with the juice switched off. Going down the North East loop at Appleby was interesting. With two locos and a 14 coach train we were further along it than I've ever been as the picture shows. The line on the left is the old North Eastern line which served a military depot at Warcop.

Peter

 

A great video. An image from a slightly less inclement water stop at Appleby. I had forgotten this was the year of the infamous "green coach" that did the whole of the WCME season with no heat.

 

I don't know why I didn't bin the slide now, a scan from a very poor Agfa slide, by the time the train turned up I was past caring

 

For the return trip on 12th February 1983, the locos did indeed attach to the train at Howe and Co’s siding and are seen here getting the 14 coach train underway.

 

Seeing that we are talking about the unusual loco change at Howe & Co's Siding, here's a couple of pictures of the operation there. In the first our diesel hauled arrival is greeted by the respected Carlisle Loco Inspector Geordie Gordon.



And for good measure, here is the first of two run-pasts staged at Appleby


Pity to think that No 1000 only ever worked one other train after this jaunt to Carlisle and back.

Peter

 

The Ford Motor Company special from York?
Saw that and the northbound CME, but my photos were dire. Would be marvellous to see the compound in action again, but preserved lines would be more realistic these days than the main line.

 

That was it, York to Rochdale, 28/9/83. I agree with you about seeing it in action again, but I don't see it happening anytime soon, at least not in my lifetime.

EDIT. Sorry it was not the Ford Motor Company special which had ran in Oct '81. The 28/9/83 was a charter for BR Railfreight and went to Rochdale for the guests to view Heywood wagon works. Memory plays tricks after this period of time.

Peter

 

I was a steward on that one!