"Shakespeare IV": A Castle's Sunday Stroll...

"5043 Races Through Widney Manor" (Pic - R.Postill)

Hi all. Each summer Sunday the "Shakespeare Express" operates on the main line between Birmingham Snow Hill and Stratford-upon-Avon. Today was no different and so bright and early on this sunny morning I was on my way to the former 84E to volunteer for another day on the Support Crew. I arrived at around 6:30am and found the rest of the team already preparing the impressive Castle on the shed frontage. As the minutes pass by the engine is slowing coming around whilst busy hands oil the motion and buff up the brass work. I was on the ladders cleaning the nameplates. The many letters of "Earl of Mount Edgcumbe" require a fair amount of elbow grease to clean well but the result on the beaded nameplate is typical Great Western elegance. I can't help thinking "Defiant" will be an easier nameplate to clean though! In the warm sunshine of this August morning, nothing could detract from the nostalgic atmosphere of a Great Western express passenger locomotive awaiting the off...

Our scheduled departure with the ECS for Snow Hill was the usual 9am and so the shining 4-6-0 hissed over to the waiting train about an hour earlier. Under cloudless skies she awaited the road, no doubt looking forward to a casual Sunday stroll through the rolling fields of the Warwickshire countryside...

Right on time, 5043 whistled up before Driver Phil Cowley opened the regulator. Taking the Castle to sea, the eight coach train was soon accelerating towards the city centre with ease. Its interesting to listen in over a cuppa' in the Support Coach as the Castle gets underway on route to Moor Street and ultimately Snow Hill. The 'cold' engine gradually warms through as the minutes pass, easing the exhaust into a sharper tone. It takes time for a four-row superheater to thoroughly acclimatise! At Snow Hill, heads are turned as the 4-6-0 tears into the stiff gradient hidden within the tunnel on the station approach. Arriving into the platform, excited passengers are already there waiting to join the 10am departure for Stratford. Once the "Earl" was on the front of the train, some of us trotted off to the local shop to grab 'supplies' (mainly junk food!) and one of the lads kindly treated us to a Costa.

Back at the station, 5043 was raring to go. On board the Support Coach I was again on bacon duty, slaving over the cooker in the fat fumes as the first few stations of the North Warwick line passed by the window. Down at Stratford, the Castle was watered in the usual way before dropping back onto the train...

With Stratford now behind us, 5043 was soon strolling back to Birmingham via the Claverdon route. The chat aboard the Support Coach was the usual - all things steam and a general round of putting the world to rights...we're good at that! Its quite nice to sit back and listen to the "Earl" at work as countless fields and luxurious properties pass by the window on route to Hatton junction. Once back at Snow Hill, the "Earl" was swiftly run round in preparation for the second round trip of the day. The Birmingham layover is minimal on the second trip and it doesn't seem like two minutes until we're "on the move" again. Slipping down to Stratford at 45mph tender first is a leisurely affair for the double chimney beast, quite literally a walk in the park...

"Arrival at Henley" (Pic - J.W.Hinks)

At Stratford, 5043 was watered a final time in readiness for the last departure homeward. Passengers in Premier Dining can enjoy a High Tea on the way home, experiencing a most pleasant bygone era of opulence as the scenery flashes by. Leaving Shakespeare's birthplace right on time, the Castle was in good voice as she climbed steadily towards Wilmcote. From there we crossed over onto the Claverdon line and enjoyed an easy run to Hatton before a spirited jog along the Solihull line. David Chandler captured this amazing shot of 5043 as she tore towards Widney Manor. I think it clearly shows the excitement and true nature of main line steam. This is it, its as real as its ever going to get - just brilliant...

"A Castle In Flight" (Pic - D.Chandler)

All too soon, the regulator was closed for the Tyseley set-down after a cracking run. From Tyseley we ran to Moor Street where an amazed gaggle of onlookers excitedly fumbled for their iPhone's and tablets. The engine was the subject of many pictures in just a few moments, that is until she let out one mighty roar from the chimney as the first bark of her revolutions was ejected skyward. The noisy engine then roared into the gloom of Snow Hill Tunnel, blasting easily up the gradient. As the tunnel envelopes the engine, all traces of light depart the footplate except for the round pulsing glow through the gap in the firehole doors. Heat and steam engulf all whilst the rhythmic bark of the chimney overcomes every other sound imaginable. Through the darkness eventually comes a trail of light, reflecting into the gloom carried by the two snaking rails which steer the engine. At last the Castle emerges, leaving a thick cloak of smoke and steam exiting the tunnel in her wake, like the breath of a dragon. In the days of steam it wasn't uncommon for the heavy freight trains to get stuck in the damp tunnel and many a tale is still told of coughing young Fireman appearing from the gloom to summon the Station Pilot for a pull!

Once run round a final time and having been photographed within an inch of her life, 5043 is readied for the ECS run home. It could well be all in my head but many a spectator on the ECS trip barely looks up from their paper as we pass through, acting as if a steam engine on the twenty-first century main line is nothing short of a mundane sight! Once back on Tyseley land, the empty "Shakespeare" stock slowly descends into the middle road, settling down just shy of the crossing. The Class 08 is then rudely awakened from its evening slumbers to shunt release the steamer. I was asked to work the signalbox for the shunting moves...

Once the 08' has drawn the stock clear, the road is set for Platform 1 and the shunter is given the signal to set back. Slowly but surely, the ECS is rolled back into its stabling position. The diesel is then held inside the starting signal: set to the "on" position below: and this then allows the Castle to be given the road. The engine then slinks back to the safety of the shed ready for disposal...

Finally, the Castle rests on the shed frontage after another successful day out on the national network. This wonderful piece of GWR engineering has been turned from an unbelievable wreck into arguably one of the main lines most formidable performers by the team at Tyseley. As the heat radiates from her resting cylinders, you can almost sense the "Earl" dreaming of that next trip...

I was soon on my way home from Tyseley after another tremendous day out. The Castle is a work of art and it is an absolute pleasure to be part of the team. I must thank the lads at 84E for their continued hospitality and of course the photographers who have kindly sent in images for use in this post - thank you. Until next time, Sam...