Dalesman 2018

Overcast conditions and running 67 late, 'Galatea' works through Helwith Bridge with the northbound 'Dalesman' rail tour from York to Carlisle, Mick Rawling driving, Frank Chippendale firing and Roly Parker keeping them in order



Working the return 'Dalesman' through Garsdale, LMS 5XP Class 4-6-0 'Galatea' putting on the style with Ron Smith driving, Martyn Soames on the shovel and Roly Parker guard.

 

Should have posted this yesterday but here goes, the going away shot towards Armathwaite Tunnel. I have to mention how clean Carnforth are keeping their steam fleet, not to mention how steam tight Galatea is.

 

The Dalesman (Eastern Route) 28 August 2018 – 45699 Galatea hauling 10+POB

Off to join at Skipton on a morning that felt more early autumn than late summer and unusually, for the last two weeks, it was not raining and none was forecast. We were in for a delay, the lead loco, 37669 had failed somewhere east of Shipley. Attempted repairs proved unsuccessful so the ensemble was pushed gently along (perhaps not so gently) by the diesel on the back. Our train arrived 45 minutes late (having delayed one NR service and causing another to be cancelled) unusually, it used platform 4. On to Hellifield where Galatea was standing in the UGL, we had to wait for some traffic to pass before the diesels were detached and Galatea was put on the front.

Almost 67L we were away, Mick Rawling driving and Frank Chippendale firing. I was at the front of the third coach and with the agreement of the three ladies with whom I shared the table the top light was opened – I was looking forward to a noisy run (unassisted!). Down the dip and just touched 60 at Settle Jn, down to 48 through Settle but sounding good, dropped to 40 at Langcliffe and into Stainforth Tunnel at 33. It is beyond the tunnel and on to Sherif Brow that you really hear the loco work; perhaps a combination of the cutting and the now warmed engine being opened up a little more? We dropped to 29 but then were back up to 31 at Helwith Bridge. Speed increased, as we passed 66738 at the head of its train on the Arcow Quarry branch, reaching 38 before we bent to the right beyond Crag Hall farm. Back down to 34 but we rallied to 36 on the slight easing at Horton in R and then it was slog, slog, slog all the way. Wonderful sounds as we climbed past Selside at 32 (where I spotted @Bodorganboy videoing at the roadside), on we went 31 through Ribblehead then over the viaduct reaching Blea Moor SB in 23 minutes and 54 seconds of pure enjoyment (not quite the booked time of 22 min from Settle Jn and we were now almost 68L).

Some fast running was needed if we were to have any meaningful time in Carlisle; and that is exactly what we got. We swept through Garsdale at 59 and topped Ais Gill at 54, 60 down Mallerstang, 59 through Kirkby Stephen and the quick running continued; kept in check by the odd brake application. We had improved to “only” 60L as we swept through Appleby at 58 and with no stop the 60L became 40L as the ice cream sales plummeted. Some sections of high speed were then punctuated by sections in the mid-50s and as we shot past Howe & Co SB we were still almost 37L. However a generous allowance and a clear run in saw us stop in platform 3 at Carlisle 22½L; much better than had seemed likely. Galatea’s problems on last week’s Fellsman appeared to have been solved . . . or had they? (I understand that the problem on the return leg of the Fellsman was caused by an almost completely blocked filter that greatly reduced the water available to the injectors; this “knocked out” one injector and, as the other can’t meet the boiler demands when working hard, the situation required a knowledge of the road; how hard would the loco need to work, how much water was needed and where and when could water be put into the boiler. In the circumstances it was an exceptional climb of Wilpshire and well done to the crew; no wonder Frank Chippendale was smiling when he waved).

The stock was to be left in the platform and after a brief look at the loco I made my way for lunch with President Wilson. A bit of shopping and then, despite the cool and cloudy day, I “forced down” an ice cream (£1.40 for a single cone; better than the £2 at Scarborough but not the tuppence of @Victor’s youth – alas!) Then back to the station for even more fun. I intended to mention this weeks ago but I forgot. Those who are infrequent visitors to Carlisle may recall that the roof was damaged by the storms of the winter a couple of years ago. After spending many, many months with scaffolding and the light blocked out by vast working platforms, earlier this the year the refurbishment was complete, the scaffolding was removed and Carlisle station is now a light airy place.

The loco and its coach, now with Ron Smith at the regulator and Martyn Soames firing, were coupled to the front. Several young children and many more “old kids” enjoyed a brief spell on the footplate. They were very carefully supervised with no more than two at any one time – everyone wanted to be the fireman. This old kid stayed on the platform; well behaved – for once!

We were away RT and I was now in the back of the 10th coach so any exhaust noise would be a bonus. As usual, we made a measured exit from Carlisle, 2 miles out and under the M6 at 26 this increased to 32 at the top of the 1/132r just beyond Cumwhinton, there then follows a level mile and we were up to 41 as we passed Howe & Co SB. We continued to run much as expected, marginally early at Low House Crossing SB (47), Armathwaite (1E & 53), out of Baron Wood No1 Tunnel at 47 followed by a max of 60 in the dip and through Lazonby & Kirkoswald (3E & 56). Another downhill and then up the 1/132r through what was Little Salkeld (54) but then the loco appeared to be eased and we passed through Langwathby (1½E & 37). We passed Culgaith SB (1E & 41); I might have expected 50, but we were early! The same pattern continued Kirkby Thore SB (1E & 38) again I would have expected 45/50, on the easier gradient we accelerated to Long Marton (1½E & 45). We stopped in Appleby (1E) for our booked 10 minute stop, I considered walking to the front of the train to see if anything was amiss but, as I was 10 coaches back and well out of the platform, lazyitis set in and I stayed put.

Away RT but a pedestrian departure, no mad rush into the dip at Ormside, we managed 42 just before the viaduct (expected 60) this had fallen back to 37 at Ormside, already 1L and the climb had barely begun – oh dear! Something was definitely wrong as we entered Helm Tunnel at only 24. Soon we were plodding along at 17/18 on the 1/100r, the easing to 1/166r saw this increase to 23/24 and then up to 29 as the gradient eased further around Crosby Garrett (7L) and we reached 31 into CG Tunnel and 35 approaching Smardale Viaduct. Here the 1/100r returns and soon gravity was biting again and we were down to 18/19 through Kirkby Stephen (9L) on the brief easing we scraped up to 23 which was quickly eroded as we crept into Birkett Tunnel at 18. There follows a mile of 1/330r around Mallerstang (12½L & 26) and this allowed the speed to rise to 29 just before Sycamore farm. The 3 miles to the summit were going to be long miles. Under the bridge at Angerholme at 18, 17.5 across Ais Gill Viaduct, fractionally slower under the road bridge and down to a minimum of 16.5 beyond but soon the weight of the train was over the summit and I passed the summit board at 23 and 18L. Appleby to Ais Gill had taken a whopping 46:50.

My guess - The loco appeared to be being worked to a relatively low steaming rate /water consumption rate; speed being determined entirely by the severity of the gradient. The climb had all the hallmarks of being accomplished using only one injector – the dead pigeon must still be in the tender tank! More seriously, it was a great display from the guys on the footplate who did exceptionally well to manage a very difficult situation. We didn’t hang about down the hill, but didn’t break any records; we were still 17L at Blea Moor SB. At Blea Moor the Arcow-Hunslet stone train was being held in the UGL; it would later pass us as we waited in the loop at Hellifield. We gained some time down the hill and were back to 12L at Long Preston but this increased to 14½L at Hellifield with our usual slow entry into the loop.

Galatea was detached and ran round its coach before going to the “naughty corner” to collect 37669 and drag it back to Carnforth; a bit of steam assistance! It didn’t appear that the trip over the top had been too stressful as Martyn and Ron were still smiling and waving. Soon with diesels front and rear we were off to Skipton, just a few minutes late. It was now almost dark so get off, walk to the car park and home for 9pm. On the way home light rain had begun to fall – bloody weather where were you on the 8th 9th and 10th when we needed you for “The Anniversary”. Mrs W and Oswald Jnr were at the football (won 4-1), they were all smiles when they returned home.

A bit of a difficult day for those operating this trip so my special thanks to you. I shared the table with 3 ladies, very good company, no moaning and for just this once I knew as much about railways as anyone else at the table. The highlight of the day was on the outbound run, we had just descended the dip from Armathwaite and crossed Dry Beck Viaduct at 57 when Mick Rawling opened the regulator to give us some oomph up the 1/132r to Low House Crossing – the sound was superb.

I see that there is a final Dalesman planned for the 30th October, I’m undecided as it is leaf fall season, I’ve had enough of “little helpers” for one year!

 

Thanks for the mention. Galatea was going well and making plenty of noise as it approached Selside. Well worth the wait

 

I've just corrected a mistake on #323 the time taken from Appleby to Ais Gill was an even more whopping 46:50 (I'd looked along the wrong line on my sheet and quoted the time to Ais Gill Viaduct, 43:47). Sorry

 

Is there a restriction at Crosby Garrett? I’ve been staying there this week and everything has seemed slow - even the units have seemed to coast through.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

Nearly the same date three years previous same loco and load provides an interesting performance comparison:
https://settlecarlislesteam.co.uk/2018/28th-august-2018-the-dalesman?compare=,172#data

 

Presumably the main difference is the competency of the footplate crew ?

 

Could be weather/rail conditions. Could be coal quality. Could be how hard the loco was being worked for whatever reason. 67 late on Tuesday, needed to get on with it.

Mr Wistle refers to the schedule. It seems to me the NR scheduling model assumes trains go much the same speed up hill and down dale. So to do it from Hellifield to Appleby in an hour you will lose a bit of time up to Blea Moor and make it up on the other side. This is also very evident looking at the Grayrigg and Shap schedule for the CME.

If it turns out that the trip on 30 October is going to be steam only--- maybe a spy can help us out there nearer the time--- is there any enthusiasm for a Nat Pres table that day?

 

Just noticed I hadn't posted my shots from The Dalesman on Tuesday 28th. Taken near Selside on outward journey and in badly fading light at Dent Head Viaduct on the return

 

I am not well placed to comment on that but I have a few facts . . .

On 27 Aug 2015 The Dalesman left Hellifield 8E, the weather was showery. By Settle Jn we were over 10E and were allowed 31 minutes for the climb to Blea Moor SB, we arrived 11E. So running early, damp rails and a generous allowance produced a steady climb - all that was required. On 28 Aug 2018 The Dalesman left Hellifield almost 67L, the weather was dry. By Settle Jn we were around 66L but this time were allowed only 22 minutes for the climb to Blea Moor SB and we lost a couple of minutes against schedule, but were much faster than 3 years earlier - because we needed to be and the rail conditions were not a problem. (This year's Fellsman, that include a stop at Long Preston were allowed 32 minutes.)

On the south bound run of 27 Aug 2015 we left Appleby over 3E and were allowed 29 mins for the climb to Ais Gill, we did it in 30:00 (good rail conditions). The run of 28 Aug 2018 was beset by a problem with the loco and so yields no meaningful comparison other than how well the crew did.

The time of 30 minutes dead on the 27th Aug 2015 (Mick Kelly) compares favourably with 30:34 (Gordon Hodgson) with the same locoand load a week earlier. The times are remarkably similar to those recorded earlier this year with the same loco and load on the WCME. The 30:00 time on the 27th being near the fastest (from memory)

 

45699 in charge of today's Dalesman (04/09). Tried a pan shot for the northbound, return leg seen at a sunny Cotehill.

 

45699 at Risehill and Waitby Common on the return .

 

Todays return leg at Waitby common

 

Garsdale on the return...


https://www.flickr.com/photos/iancawthorne/44428174642/

 

Looking like it was close with the sun Ian

 

Very! Unit was in view as it went under the bridge too!

 

Same at Waitby lol

 

'Galatea' approaching Ribblehead with the penultimate 'Dalesman' for 2018 Ron Smith driving, Peter James on the shovel and Roly Parker guard



Drifting away from the viaduct, LMS 4XP Class 4-6-0 No. 45699 'Galatea' approaches Ribblehead Station with the return leg of the penultimate 'Dalesman for 2018 Steve Chipperfield driving, Trainee fireman Trevor Wrench on the shovel with Chris Holmes keeping a watchful eye on him, and Roly Parker guard.