Esk Valley 22/3

Ralph said bullocks not buttocks lol

 

I've decided to do a lot of landscape photography around the Castleton area!

 

Yes sounds good lol

 

No idea how the Battersby reversal went, but it went quickly because it made up shed loads of time there! As for the locations - the one at the Esk tideway was astonishing, the track noise round those tight bends is something I have not heard in many years,.

 

No illusion,but but these are exceptions to a general patern. SAR for example had not insignificant problems with fuel. It is all very well having a general specification of acceptable coal if the quality of what is actually supplied is not checked. You will yourself have come across otherwise sound locomotives that have not steamed well enough to maintain required schedule. You would never expect a steam locomotive to produce its maximum power output on a day in and day out basis. With an electric or diesel it is another matter. But with steam you just cannot depend on it. The remarkable performances that we so admire would be a timetableable occurrence if only the engines involved could be relied on to be consistent. Inconsistent fuel and associated inconsistent combustion gives good reason for change in traction policy.

 

Battersby reversal was interesting. 61264, by that time pushing from the back, couldn't get a purchase on the rails, probably due to surface rust at that end of the platform, resulting in more than a few clanks from the beer bottles in the buffet! Its good to see that the water crane is in good condition at the end of the platform.