The Great Britain XVI - 13/04/24 to 21/04/24

From the videos I’ve seen it sounded lovely! Both fives working away nicely

 

Got so transfixed I forgot to press record!

 

As one who sees things from both sides of the camera lens I will say that the only people who know what’s really going and why there is diesel assistance are the support crew or those on the footplate.
There are those of us who attend galas for the lineside experience and have no interest in travelling but it doesn’t take a lot of time to visit the ticket office first and make a donation equivalent to a day rover ticket. A day’s enjoyment at a bargain price, a lot less than the cost of a photo charter.

 

First I have heard of this, but could well be, and would be good if so.

 

Interesting - from where did you glean that statistic?

 

Apart from anything else, I imagine it was the obvious place to attach the second "Five" for the forthcoming days. By the way, I'm curious as to what happened there to cause the 36 minutes late departure - anyone happen to know?

 

I didn't know there was a diesel shortage - when did that happen? They seem to be able to muster them when required.

 

Typo the word shovage doesn’t seem to be understood by my phone

 

Ah - perhaps because it is a made up word!

 

The LMS Black Fives are seen blasting through Bromsgrove and then are captured going at a brisk pace at the top end of the hill. Plenty of noise from upfront so no complaints there, though as expected the box was taking a few coaches, which was to be expected. All in all a fine show !

 

From looking at RTT I would guess if they were not ready to go "bang on the dot" I suspect that was the first realistic path. Remember it was the down main they were joining and running on until Stockley Junction. Lots of HeX, GWR and then EL services to contend with. Even full on 47 effort would not have that lot moving very fast from a standing start by the time they had to slow for the junction. Les Ross on the back may have given them a high speed get away, but not much use on other parts of the journey

 

Here's my footage of 44871 and 45407 The Lancashire Fusilier roaring up Sapperton Bank on Day 1 yesterday and the Lickey Incline on Day 2 today. A different contrast in weather, but the two Ian Riley Black Fives performed equally brilliantly. Even though the diesel was working flat out on the Lickey, they both performed really well. Hope you enjoy the video.

 

The steam drivers will know how hard they wanted the diesel to work, but only the diesel driver knows what it was actually doing. It would need to work fairly hard just to move its own weight up the Lickey.

 

Paying passengers don’t get the credit they deserve, without them we wouldn’t have mainline steam to enjoy

 

After a bright start in north Staffordshire by late morning the clouds had started to roll in before the rare sight of steam on the fast lines between Stafford and Crewe witnessed the Black 5s heading north at Heamies Farm near Norton Bridge.

 

My footage of 44871 & 45407 storming the Lickey Incline, filmed from Vigo Bridge.

 

Possibly one for another thread but With both @Rileys 5’s having the backs of the tenders lined out (which I believe was a St Rollox trademark along with the slightly bigger numbers on the cab sides)
6880 also has this on its tender, was this just a St Rollox trademark, or did other loco works apply this?