CME 20/08/16

Hard to believe it was almost 18 months since 46115 had a tilt at Shap prior to this stellar performance. We topped the summit at 23 that day IIRC.
Hopefully encouragement for the next one a bit sooner.

 

I think if it had derailed I would have been cleaned up with the camera at the speed 46115 was travelling at !

 

OK, so my comments about the 20th August climbs of Grayrigg and Shap by 46115 being as good as any Class 8 were mischievous, but in more than 30 years I really can't think what Class 8 with 11 on our contributor could have been on that would have been performed that poorly. For we 'diehards' who have done more climbs of Grayrigg and Shap than you can shake a stick at, including most Winter CMEs, the run wasn't even good by Guardsman's standards. I asked the question, that no-one answered because I well remember the only run I've had with a Class 8 with 11 over Grayrigg and Shap in recent times, and that was in a different league. The train? Tornado on the Border Raider on 5th July 2014. It was reasonably 'like with like' because we stopped in Carnforth UDG Loop for 25 minutes, though the big engine had started from Crewe.

The departure from the loop was rapid, and I almost missed Yealand Bank as we topped it at 45. Things got noisy thereafter and we passed Milnthorpe, MP13, the foot of Grayrigg, at 73. The big engine breezed up Grayrigg. We passed Oxenholme at 63 then passed the 'climbing' summit, MP26 at 54. We didn't appear to have accelerated too hard around the Lune Gorge, but still passed Tebay at 78. To be honest I was a bit disappointed to have only passed the 1 in 75 summit of Shap, MP 37 1/4, at 43. Carnforth UDGL to Shap Summit in 33mins 21.1secs, Carnforth UDGL to Penrith 45mins 27.16secs, even time. As Mr Punch said 'That's the way to do it'.

 

I was only making the point that the Scot wasn't outperforming a Class 8 with 11 on last Saturday. We are usually disappointed not to better Shap Summit at 40+ with a Class 8 with 12 or even 13. The Scot has it's days when it's a good 7+. 8th March 2014 with 12 was our most recent good one - Grayrigg 40 and a bit; Shap 37 1/4 35, 12m 50s from MP26 to 37 1/4.

We're getting near the 21st Anniversary of the return of steam over Shap. 11 was the load and those of us who were there remember the Duke topping Shap Summit at over 50 mph after a planned 60 at MP31 1/2, just below Tebay. 11 was the load over Shap for a few years, 46229 matching the summit speed a year later. It's a real shame there's no 21st Anniversary Train. Perhaps we should have a What Went On Thread for that nearer the dates in question to reminisce... 30th September, 2nd and 3rd of October 1995.

 

My thanks for the positive response to my report of the trip - much appreciated. SG's problems the following day shows how fine is the line between "a good day out" and "a bit of a disaster". There has been some discussion about relative class 7/8 performance, so here is my two pennyworth. I think that Saturday's run north by 46115 was very good but not exceptional (but well worth the fare). Several class 8Ps have significantly bettered the run and with heavier loads (as they should) and several runs by class 8Ps have been slower.

On 23 July this year I travelled behind 46233 hauling 10 coaches (1 less than 46115). On both occasions the loco had been "on" from Preston (or before), had been watered in Carnforth loop and had the incentive of a start from Carnforth delayed by a TP service train. The GPS speed graphs appear below and are very similar. On the climb to Grayrigg 46115 starts with a higher speed than 46233 but this falls away more quickly to a lower final speed (as might be expected with a smaller loco and a heavier load). Overall, the Carnforth to Carlisle time showed a 1m 15s advantage to the Scot. On both trips I was on the "wrong side" for mileposts so can't give the "peak to peak" times. I know that these are individual runs, but I think that they demonstrate what many enthusiasts feel; that 46233 consistently under-performs. If I book a trip behind either of the Scots, I expect a good run and I am seldom disappointed (and it is frequently very good or even better). However, if I book a trip behind the Duchess, I hope for a good trip only to find that it is OK, sometimes a little better but rarely does it demonstrate what these big machines are capable of. The rumours that 46233's custodians do not like their charge to be overworked persist and I have had this confirmed from what I regard as a reliable source. If true, it is their decision to make and to some extent understandable. I doubt if they will officially confirm or deny it, but, with the odd exception, it does seem to be borne out by the loco performance.

 

If 46233 can keep to time when worked within itself that is vindication enough of the owners preferences? Same for any loco, who knows what Saturday took out of 46115 and contributed to the following day's episode.