Spring/Summer/Autumn 2018 CMEs

Are you sure it was Ian Riley's decision not to provide locos for the Manchester WCMEs? I understood that one year recently he was offering them but heard back from WCRC / RTC that they were not required. The Citadel trains are being promoted by Riley himself, working with WCRC. His other ambition, to take Flying Scotsman over the same routing, looks set to be a good Christmas present this year.

Peter, on a still windy Manchester afternoon, with dusk falling at 5 pm
https://pjhtransportpix.zenfolio.com/

 

That’s a bold statement about Ian Riley unless you know for sure .

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-cumbria-45850556
Photo off BBC article linked above.

 

I wouldn’t be surprised if this is the area just after Hayfell bridge about a third of a mile further North Ian as the road yards from the lineside had a two foot torrent of water crossing the road heading towards the line . I decided to turn around and head home instead of going to Stockber due to the terrible road conditions.

 

From : - http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/service_disruptions/today.aspx === looks like today's CME was very lucky to avoid this.


The Met Office has issued a weather warning for strong winds today. As a result of this, speed restrictions have been imposed until 10:00 on Monday 15 October.

In addition to this, a landslip has occurred between Oxenholme Lake District and Penrith North Lakes.

As a result of these issues, services are currently suspended between Preston and Carlisle.

TransPennine Express and Virgin Trains customers whose journeys are due to start / end or pass through this region are advised NOT to travel today.

Customers can get a full refund, without administration fees, if they wish to abandon their travel plans for today or they can travel at any time tomorrow (Sunday 14th October).

 

Was due to pass Penrith at 1220 so not a bad effort by everyone concerned considering the conditions


The return leg with a bit of slipping - should have had the rail head treatment train running in front of it (Taken from a legal position, in case anybody may wonder....)

 

Your hardly likely to endear yourself to Ian talking like that are you?

 

That last one is a cracker Howard.

 

Judging by RTT, it's struggling to find a path back along the WCML away from Farrington, I guess a knock on effect of the landslip at Grayrigg, everything must be all over the place now.

 

Hey I was only asking him about why he chose to buy 45407 off Paddy Smith and out of the two (by then 45212 wasnt on the mainline, let alone under overhaul as was still in ticket) I was trying to ask him which of the two engines was his absolute favourite. What happened was he would turn to me when I was speaking and then just turn rudely away to speak to others. I was only trying to be chatty and speak to him, the lads who work with him though are a friendly bunch and are willing to talk to me aswell as answer my questions but Ian for some reason doesn't seem to be very friendly.

As a result whenever iv seen him on the footplate of 45407 including earlier this year when the engine (disguised as 45157 The Glasgow Highlander) was working "The High Peak Explorer" with 45690 Leander, I decided to avoid accessing the footplate when he was there cause if I ask to get aboard for a look I know what the outcome will be. In other words wont get a response, basicaly it's like going round ya nans for tea and when talking you try to change the subject and they wanna stick to their current topic. With this it's ya see them not talking to others ya try speaking to them and then they just start talking to others and ignore ya.

 

The Jacobite is regular work for the engines, there's only been a handful of occasions so far that one of the engines has worked tours which arent Jacobite related. Only tour I believe that 45407 has worked this year which wasn't a Jacobite was "The High Peak Explorer" which she worked with Leander, 44871 has recently done a few down south including outings with Scotsman but it's not very often we see this happen. 45212's not done that many either and I doubt were gonna see them on stuff other than Jacobite's next year while 62005 is out of action for work at 10A unless it is back in action then.

 

Thought we were ready to leave RT but Les Ross couldn't make the brake. The cords were pulled but still low air pressure. Traced to one of the connections between carriages. It wasn't 100% airtight. Took a few attempts to secure it.

 

Still not answering the question I asked re Ian Riley and why you reckon he doesn’t want to run his 5’s to be honest?

 

If you answer Steves question we can put this silly saga to bed

 

My my.......you are an unpleasant fellow.
And it's 'want to'...........not 'wanna'
Been to Carlisle recently have you ??

 

What Ian does with his locos is his own affair and he’s certainly not in the business to pander to the whims of an ill mannered, petulant “enthusiast”. As for 45212, if main line haulage is so important to you, get yourself to Scotland.

 

You clearly have an attitude problem, I have spoken to Ian Riley on a few occasions when he has been driving at Fort William and found him very pleasant, I asked him to create a bit of exhaust on the downgrade over Arnabol Viaduct and he duly obliged. He is a man of few words but then so are a lot of others.
To say that he doesn't want to work his engines away from the Jacobite is ridiculous, they have been everywhere from Caithness to Cornwall. What you don't seem to understand is that they do need downtime undergoing maintenance, especially having done a season on the Jacobite. The curves and gradients on the Mallaig road will knock hell out of any loco.

 

The CME 13 October 2018 – 45699 Galatea hauling 10+POB

A bit of planning was required; Northern are beset with yet another Saturday strike and services are reduced to an hourly shuttle train between Preston and Blackburn leaving Blackburn at 13 past the hour. The 09.13 arrives at Preston at 09.30 leaving me time for some breakfast before boarding the CME at 10.25ish. The returning CME is scheduled to arrive in Blackburn at 17.36 but the next train back to Preston is not until 19.13. On Monday a lady from RTC rang to say that because of the strike passengers getting off at Blackburn could book a taxi to Preston and submit the receipt to RTC for reimbursement. I thanked her for the kind offer but explained that I intended to take the morning train from Blackburn to Preston, she offered to reimburse the cost of the ticket – I think that I can “absorb” the £3.55 especially as I have a much shorter drive and save £4 on car parking costs.

The weather overnight was definitely autumnal, strong winds and very heavy rain. Light rain was falling and the road was strewn with leaves as I left home for the short drive to Blackburn where it was raining steadily. The service train was on time and arrived at Preston on time and Oswald was on time for a bacon butty and a cup of tea. Whilst waiting for the CME there were several announcements that various trains from Scotland were delayed by 20-30 minutes and some services were cancelled. Les Ross arrived early and we left RT and made good progress but were then stopped on the DFL at the north end of Lancaster station – was this the disruption?! After 3 or 4 minutes we were off and ran steadily into Carnforth loop (10L) where Galatea and its support coach where already waiting. Les Ross was quickly detached and Galatea hooked on, we were ready. But how long would we have to wait; the timetable was in tatters?

Mick Kelly was driving and Frank Chippendale was the booked fireman but the firing was being done by trainee, Trevor Wrench. All trains were subject to a 50mph speed restriction between Lancaster and Penrith; the faster trains wouldn’t catch us just as quickly but we wouldn’t be able to build up high speeds before the climbs and it was unlikely that we would have a clear run. There was a strong wind from the west and heavy intermittent rain. 5½ coaches back, top light open 2 inches, fingers crossed – ready!

7E, yes EARLY we were off, Yealand was topped at 32 and speed built with 53 at Milnthorpe, by Oxenholme it had fallen back to 37 and we had dropped a couple of minutes, but still early. We passed Lambrigg at 34, would we be looped at Grayrigg? No, we reached the top at 28 and still 1E. Speed increased, Lowgill 47 and increased further as swept through Tebay still over a minute early. Speed held well as we passed under the Greenholme road bridge at 47, Galatea was roaring, Scout Green 33 (only 2 or 3 cars), down to 24 over the bridge to the Shap Wells Hotel, just beyond where the trees have been felled there were 4 brave souls (@sgthompson and @nige757 being amongst them). On the open stretches of line the wind carried the sound away but in the cuttings the roar from Galatea’s chimney was wonderful. The minimum for the climb was 21.6 around MP37¼, speed rose to 28 as I passed the summit board (2L). We were somewhat constrained down the hill; but so was everyone else. We were not looped at Penrith (2L) and once clear of the restriction Galatea was away with a max of 77 around Southwaite. A slow approach into Carlisle saw us stop in platform 3 only 1½L – a good effort given the speed restriction and the weather.

Steady rain was falling as I made my way to a very crowded Woodrow Wilson, where I managed to grab a “shelf”. A few months back I had a disappointing pizza, but Mrs W had had one at our local Wetherspoons and said it was good, so I tried again. As before, it could have done with a few more minutes in the oven to turn soggy into crispy. So having wiled away almost an hour of our allotted 90 minutes I made my way back to the station – still raining.

Mick Rawling backed 45699 and support onto the southern end of the train, Rob Russell was firing. We were booked out at 14.10 six minutes after Northern’s strike day service to Skipton, A late running Aberdeen - KX left before us to make its way to Newcastle, that would be “out of our way” at Petteril Bridge Jn.

After a short delay we were away (2½L) and now 7½ coaches back. Thankfully, the rain had stopped and we made a steady start, 2 miles out and under the M6 at 25. We topped the first stretch of 1/132r (just beyond Cumwhinton) at 26. Just under a mile of level track allowed speed to increase to 38 at Howe & Co SB, we climbed up the next 3 miles of 1/132r where speed fell back to 27 but quickly recovered to 39 on the 1/132f at Low House Xng SB, we reached 51 in the dip before Armathwaite and passed through the station at 46 (3½L), light rain was now falling. We held 47/46 on the 1/220r through Baron Wood Tunnels, power was kept on as we gained speed down the 1/165f towards Lazonby with a max of 60 in the dip with 56 being held through the station. We hammered on with 54 through Little Salkeld but the rain was becoming harder, Langwathby 46 (4L). On the level speed increased to 51 past Culgaith SB (3L), Kirkby Thore SB (46 & 3L) on the easier grades to Long Marton speed increased to 54 it was now pouring down and the window had to be shut for the last 3 miles into Appleby (4L).

We did not take water, a few hardy passengers got off and then back on having got suitably wet. We were away 1E, but instead of the usual spirited start we reached only 35 in the dip to Ormside viaduct where the 1/100r begins - usually high 50s (at least). Was it difficult rail conditions? A problem with the loco (45699 has had injector problems this year)? Our steady run continued, Helm Tunnel in 25 out 21, Griseburn Viaduct 20, on the easier grades speed increased, Crosby Garrett 29 but 5L, Smardale Viaduct 34. Now the next section of 1/100r begins and down to 14 as we passed Kirkby Stephen (9½L) - the rain had now stopped. There were only a few hardy spectators as we went in (and out) of Birkett Tunnel at 13 with a slight slip after leaving – perhaps the rail was bad and Mick was being understandably cautious. On the easier grades we passed Mallerstang at 24 (16½L) with a max of 29 beyond. Back to the crawl, Angerholme 16, Ais Gill Viaduct 14, road bridge 14.5 then a minimum of 12.8 beyond, by the time I passed the summit board we were speeding along at 21. Again an understandably low “turnout” at Ais Gill.

Down the hill to Garsdale 55 but 25L. A spirited run along the top saw us shave another 2 minutes as we passed Blea Moor SB 23L. There followed a quick but carefully braked run down the hill; we passed Settle Jn SB at 60 and 21L, finally stopping in Hellifield loop for water (20½L). Les announced that NR had requested that we run at reduced speed between Appleby and Ais Gill as the driver of an earlier freight train had reported hearing a “bang” and they were concerned that there may be possible infrastructure damage.

We were allowed 17 minutes to take water but took a little longer, departing 22L. A good run in dry conditions saw us pass through Clitheroe at 43 (13L), now hope for a green at Whalley, fingers crossed – window now open. Yes, regulator opened and Galatea roared through Whalley at 49 (11L), by Mitton Fold Golf Club we were down to 31, through Langho at 27 (10L). The gradient slowed us to 19 as we entered Wilpshire Tunnel and out at 17. The trees to the right have been felled but we were approaching the section where last year’s train slipped before coming to a stand – no problem this year! On past the mossy platforms of the old Wilpshire station and through Ramsgreave & Wilpshire at 15 (10L) and over the summit. A clear run into Blackburn where we stopped in platform 3 (9L). A short drive and back home for 18.10.

Storm Callum caused severe disruption but we were more than lucky; a clear path along the WCML (before the landslip at Lambrigg), no fallen trees, no flooded track. After last year’s slip on Wilpshire Bank I had wondered if Paul Simon’s song, Slip, Slidin’ Away might be “song of the day”, however as it transpired “Bridge over Troubled Waters” was more appropriate. The Lune was high at Lancaster and surging through the Lune Gorge, the Eden had overflowed its banks in many places and the Ribble was angry as it flowed beside the line at Sheriffs Brow. Torrents were cascading down the fells and fields everywhere were flooded.

My thanks to everyone who planned and operated the train, as always friendly and professional. Special thanks to the staff at NR who “slipped us in” on what must have been a very busy and disrupted day. Thanks to those few who braved the weather to provide the photos and videos.