WCME & CME 2026

45407 seen near Galgate on its move from Castleton to Carnforth and then later at the head of the CME attacking Yealand Bank

 

Ian Rileys class 5 No. 45407 'The Lancashire Fusilier' heads through Greeholme with the 'Winter Cumbrian Mountain Express' 1Z86 on the climb to Shap and onwards to Carlisle with Mick Rawling driving, Cameron Overend on the shovel and Matt
Miller Guard, the crew will also work the return to Preston.



Under the Boar



Summit approach

 

Ian Riley's finest returns to Shap and the S&C after winter maintenance, LMS 45407 seen from Shap Wells and Kirkby Stephen Station and the Old Goods Yard.

 

Excellent video Nige...great performance from 45407!

 

This year, Oswald has been surviving on a meagre diet of Tangmere; always better than nothing, but . . . ! What I needed was some variety, something to stir the blood. I had hoped to get out to see Blue Peter but Maisie was unwell for a few days, a couple of visits to the vets for injections and blood tests coincided with 60532's run, and family (including pets) come before trains. Maisie is now fit and well and as good as new; the vet was unable to identify the cause of her illness but was able to produce a significant bill; thank goodness for pet insurance.

It was an ok sort of day, a dry start followed by rain around lunchtime and a bit cooler than earlier in the week. The forecast for later was sunny intervals. We watched Mrs W's team on Sky as they turned a 1-0 halftime lead into a 3-1 defeat. Mrs W went out for a walk (and a sulk?), Oswald Jnr went out and Oswald and Maisie stayed in. Maisie had her tea early, very early and went to bed. I checked RTT to ensure that there were no unexpected surprises - there weren't - so gathered up my bits and pieces. As I was leaving Maisie decided she would also go out. I had just locked the door when Mrs W returned from her walk , she decided to come with me. I had left a note for whoever it might concern to say that Maisie had been fed, she's a bit of a con artist and would happily have snaffled up another meal.

Over to Ramsgreave & Wilpshire - where else? Don't answer that, at least it keeps me happy! We parked up, checked RTT and found that 5407 had already left Hellifield and the service trains were running on time - yes!. We wandered down to a deserted station and to "Oswald's Corner" and prepared. A few checks on RTT eventually showed that the WCME had passed Clitheroe 1E and would be around 15/20 mins away. The service train had been and gone so there would be nothing to get in the way. The light was still good, but being in a treelined cutting at this time of year it was never going to be brilliant. More people wandered down on the platform, a few regulars but quite a few newbies, they were, so far, resisting the urge to go to the platform edge.

Then came the unmistakable sound of a Black 5 working hard, there was little or no wind to carry the sounds towards or away, this was pure decibels. The noise grew louder and 45407 appeared around the curve at the old Wilpshire station. Moving steadily, exhaust shooting skywards then a blast on the hooter as the loco approached the station. A feather at the safety valves, the exhaust colouring as coal was placed on the fire, louder and louder. The loco looked as fine on the outside as it sounded on the inside. As 45407 drew nearer the sound became almost deafening, trapped in by the steep sides and road bridge of this natural amphitheatre. Absolutely wonderful. The loco passed under the bridge, smoke swirled down obscuring the view, it cleared, and 45407 barked towards the nearby summit. Once the driver was happy that the majority of the train was on falling grades he closed the regulator and the soundtrack ended. abruptly.

6C, 5E & 23mph with little or nothing coming from the 57.

Samuel Johnson once wrote, "A main who is tired of London is tired of life." Living in the 18th century I don't think that he said anything about Black 5s but if he'd been about yesterday maybe, "A man who is tired of listening to a Black 5 is tired of life." Sadly there is sometimes a downside, and watching the carriages ease past there appeared to be many unoccupied seats - "coffin dodgers!?"

 

The sound from that video is spine-tingling good. I usually avoid trips of 10+ coaches behind a Class 5, especially over Shap, because of the inevitable huge shovage. On this occasion the loco was clearly being worked to its full potential and the result was glorious. Full marks to Rileys for the quality of the loco, the crew for driving it with such confidence, and @nige757 for the excellent video.

 

In the last of the light 45407 climbs Wilpshire Bank with the WCME on 28/2/2026

David
Cop lane on Flickr

 

That was some running-in turn.

 

Very nice David,good to see the sun.

 

Thanks Henry,it's been in very short supply hereabouts !

 

Nice to see 45407 out and about again despite West Coast having a hard time of it with the M.K.1. C.D.L carriage saga that limits use to 2 Black 5s, Tangmere and Eddystone. The RTC is still hanging in there doing charter trains for 2026 and long may it continue. Hope that a solution is found for West Coast to eventually fit C.D.L. to their M.K. 1 fleet, Fingers crossed.

 

Very audible from the 3rd and 4th carriages on the way back with the climb of Whipshire

 

Had some good thrash out of 5407 back in the day when she was “Paddy‘s engine“. seems she’s lost none of her bark.

 

Always refer to 5407 as Paddy's engine

 

Thanks Al, if I keep turning up (and I do), just now and again I'll get to witness something a bit special. Back in 2013 48151 brought 13+ a 47 on tick over up the bank and a week later 44932 did similar. Back to Saturday, Riley's certainly set the standard in Black 5 overhaul and driver Mick Rawling seems to have the way with the 5s (and Jubs), I remember some excellent runs with Mick in charge of 5305. Happy days!

 

Would like to see the timings. Any members timing the train?

 

Its not just fitting the CDLs, its whether 10A will come up with a solution that doesn't need a diesel on the rear to operate it. Hopefully they'll adopt a solution similar to Vintage Trains.