"Royal Scots Grey" skies: A dismal day for the Deltic...

It's not often that a diesel features on this blog, mainly as their presence is reserved for when the beloved steam engines have an off day if I'm honest! However, I will make a special exception on this occasion for the Deltic. Whilst sat tapping away in the office earlier this morning as the November elements buffeted the windows, a trail of steam heralded the unexpected passing by of "Scots Guardsman". The rebuilt Scot was bound for its home at WCRC's Carnforth depot. Unfortunately I hadn't heard about this move, hence me missing it! I then heard that the Deltic D9000 "Royal Scots Grey" was on its way back to Crewe after working a Saphos job and that its passing was imminent. I wasn't long out on the lawn when the growling Napier engines came into earshot on the wind. Seconds later, the immaculate Deltic came rumbling past me light engine, proudly wearing the winged thistle headboard which the class wore when hauling the 'Flying Scotsman' train. She then disappeared into the gloom.

British Rail's Class 55 eventually numbered 22 examples, of which 6 survive today. They were successful and very powerful machines, outputting 3300hp and being well capable of achieving 100mph. The class remained at the forefront of ECML passenger service until the Intercity 125s started to appear in 1978. I believe that the Deltics were in effect eventually let down by their successful but complicated engine design, meaning that they required costly specialist maintenance and therefore they became unattractive once sidelined. Today they remain popular with diesel enthusiasts and nobody should underestimate their contribution to British railway history. D9000 herself was built in 1961 and was one of the last three Deltics to be withdrawn, in January 1982. It was lovely to see the growling Deltic today, and looking so well kept too!...

Please note that the above image was taken from land outside of the NR boundary fence.

Firing An Eight Freight For The GCR's "Last Hurrah"...

"8F No48305 in full flight, piloting 9F No92214" (Clive Hanley)

"Smoke in my eyes, soot in my hair, cinders in my shoes. I'm watching the needle falling away and singing the Eight Freight Blues". Thankfully, unlike Dave Goulder, I didn't spend today running late in a sorry state on 8215. Instead we were running well aboard 48305 at the Great Central Railway for the first day of the 'Last Hurrah' weekend: an annual event which brings the curtain down on the main running season. Five steam locomotives, a diesel and two railcars were rostered to take part in the gala, with myself and driver Nigel booked for a 05:45 sign on with the 8F this morning. I arrived at a soaking wet Loughborough shed a little before 05:30, in good time to sign on and read the notices. Driver Nigel was already oiling the engine up and had checked both the firebox and smokebox before I arrived. Therefore, with coal piled high in the tender and wood and rags ready in the cab, I could quickly light up...

Though 48305 wasn't in steam yesterday, she did have the remnants of a good warming fire under the brick arch and the heat emanating from the doorplate assured me that she wouldn't take long to come around. Once the wood started to catch atop my freshly added bed of coal, the 2-8-0 began to sing. The rain was awful this morning: it was a complete washout by all accounts. There was little to do but take shelter in the cab whilst the torrent continued outside. Alongside us, 6990 "Witherslack Hall" was also brewing up whilst the three Standard engines were the other side of the bridge...

With the fire continuing to take, I scurried around the cab filling the steam brake oil pots whilst Nigel continued with the outside motion. Cleaner Alex soon appeared at the door with a most welcome, steaming hot cup of tea which was enjoyed whilst listening to the rain on the roof. What a lovely morning for ducks as they say...

As the light finally started to come up, the rain did ease back a touch into a light drizzle rather than a heavy downpour. Here, LMS and GWR stand side by side...

Cleaners Alex and Julian kindly helped us clean the engine in any way they could, despite the foul weather. Alex gave the cab brasses a buff up with some Peek, which really did make a difference. The polished fittings looked smart...

Our off shed time was booked for 09:00 but, thanks in part to the poor weather, we ended up being ready well before 08:00! This gave time for our wash and change, as well as another cuppa'. Usually we'd use this time to clean the engine but with the rain beating down our efforts appeared futile. Our first working was the 09:30 Loughborough to Rothley local, although on the tail rather than the front. Standard 2 No78019 took us neatly to Rothley whilst we hung on the back with drift steam applied...

At Rothley we sailed through the station before the class 2 brought us to a stand at the brook. The mogul was uncoupled and our lamps changed to reflect a stopping passenger service. By now the pressure on 48305 was sitting at around 200psi and I was ready to fire back to Loughborough with our short train: made up of two suburban coaches and a parcel van. Below, damp passengers join the train once we'd pulled into the platform. The persistent rain was still at it...

From Rothley we had a steady run back to Loughborough, calling at Quorn on the way. Once back at base we had to perform a brisk run round to reach the head of the impressive tanker train waiting in the down loop...

Unusually, our freight train was scheduled to run nonstop right through to Leicester. Most GCR freights tend to either reverse at Swithland or, more commonly, at Rothley Brook and so it was a bit of a novelty to take the tankers all the way through. Here, 48305 chuffs along the single track section, approaching Greengate Lane...

The rain seemed to have eased slightly on our southward journey, although by the time we had ran round at Leicester North it was chucking it down again! Below, the damp bulk of the 1943-built 8F stands ready for a northbound departure, with lamps set to reflect a class 7 working. What a wet day this was...

Thankfully, on our return run to Loughborough, we seemed to leave the rain behind after Rothley. Photographer Clive Hanley caught us approaching Quorn with 'one yellow' on the down home signal, meaning we'd be held at the down starter...

"Approaching Quorn with the northbound tankers" (Clive Hanley)

Once we made it back to Loughborough we were uncoupled by a shunter before steaming down to No1 shed road via the water column. Due to the timetable running behind, our next working (the observation saloon) had been cancelled and so we were told to "await instructions". 48305 therefore had little more to do than watch the world go by at a damp, autumnal Loughborough whilst we awaited our next move...

An hour or so passed before we were given instructions to run round onto the front of the next late running passenger train, which was booked to 9F No92214. This superpowered doubleheader (of 17F classification!) would make light work of the five coach train. Here, 48305 waits under Great Central Road bridge...

With time to make up, I had no doubt that we were in for a spirited run and so duly made up the fire to suit. We'd only be staying on as far as Rothley, where we'd chop off and run into the down platform to await our booked northbound path on the van train. Our unplanned doubleheader left Loughborough with both engines in good voice, although the 8F seemed to do the lion's share of the work once the 2-10-0 eased down. As we'd sat at Loughborough for a good while with a quiet fire, the eight freight was a touch cold hearted on the run to Quorn, although she did go well. The pressure hovered between 180 and 200psi but once we'd got a few miles behind us she was beginning to get hot again. Ironically, she was back in fettle just as it was time for us to come off at Rothley! Below, 48305 sits in the down platform road at Rothley with lamps already set for class 7 so that we could leave as soon as the vans arrived...

With the 9F on its way to Leicester on the single line with the passenger train, the van train duly turned up with the class 37 diesel on the front. Once the train was at a stand at Rothley Brook, we were signalled out with the 8F to pick it up. With the road with us, we were given the tip from the Guard to pull away in the direction of Loughborough. We were booked to stand in the down loop at Swithland for 15 minutes but, to get us back quicker, we were given all green on the down main as we approached, running nonstop back to Loughborough. Once we'd arrived (around 45 minutes late against the timetable), we were relieved by the afternoon crew of driver Simon and fireman Alan. Clive Hanley caught us after relief, walking back to sign out...

"Driver Nigel, fireman Sam and cleaner Julian after relief" (Clive Hanley)

Whilst walking back to the shed, 48305 was snapped one last time...

I eventually signed out at 16:30, around an hour later than planned but hey, these things happen. It was a great day with 48305 and I certainly didn't have any 'Eight Freight Blues'. The GCR timetable at galas is tight at the best of times: that's what creates the main line spectacle people come for. However, despite the delays, the quick thinking operations team managed to keep everything moving and fair play to them (I know how much effort goes into it all). My thanks go to driver Nigel and cleaner Julian for another great turn on the footplate, as well as cleaner Alex for his help during morning prep. Photographer Clive Hanley (who has a brilliant photo site which can be found here) kindly allowed me to use three of his fine images in this post: thank you, Clive! Finally, thank you all for reading this absolute muck as usual. Cheers all, Sam...

Please note any views or opinions expressed in this blog are merely personal and do not in any way represent the views or opinions of any other person, group or organisation.

5Z52: "Sherwood Forester" moves south to Southall...

It's that time of year again, when main line steam engines pass our Northampton depot either whilst working a festive job or when performing a loco or stock move in order to do so. Today it was the turn of Saphos Trains' LMS Black Five No45231 "Sherwood Forester" to move south to Southall on head code 5Z52. The 1936-built 4-6-0 is one of Stanier's 842-strong class of mixed traffic class fives, first introduced by the LMS in 1934. 45231 was at the head of a 12-coach ECS working when she cautiously appeared around the curve from Mill Lane, tailed by a green class 47. At this point she was running about 15 minutes early and so was held on the approach to Northampton station at a red signal. As a few orange vest wearing onlookers peered at her from our lawn, the 5MT simmered in the sunshine with the occasional pop of one of the safety valves. It was definitely the perfect weather for it today...

45231 hung around for about 10 minutes before she was released on a caution signal to continue southward towards the station. The chuffing of the air pump (a Saphos fitment) is a noticeable difference to what we're used to with our vacuum braked engines. (I believe all of the Saphos main line workings are now on air). When the signal cleared to a caution aspect, the 5MT gave a blast on her hooter before hissing into life and casually strolling away in the direction of London...

The 47 was doing most of the work as they started away from us, rumbling away at the rear of the blood and custard stock. I appreciate loadings are key to economic success with these jobs but a 5MT on load 12 with a 47 too is an unrealistic prospect and will mean that the 47 will have to do its fair share of the work. For the uninitiated, the 47 will add at least another 2.5 coaches of load with its weight. Ahh well, what can you do? This is modern main line steam. As long as we can still see these fine engines in action on the main, that's all that matters. 45231 is working to York tomorrow on an early Christmas job before returning to the capital later on. It was nice to see her again. I think this is the fourth time I've seen her passing work. Cheers all, Sam...

Please note that the above images were taken from land outside of the NR boundary fence.

A Great Western Sunday: Wonderful "Witherslack Hall"...

"Remember, remember the fifth of November, gunpowder, treason and plot". Today of course marks the 417th anniversary of Guy Fawkes night, celebrating the deliverance of King James I of England. The celebration commemorates the thwarting of the 1605 Gunpowder Plot following its discovery beneath London's parliament house. In a stark contrast to last Saturday night's turn aboard No73156 on the "Charnwood Forester" diner, this afternoon's outing on the footplate of the Modified Hall at the Great Central took place in fantastic Autumnal weather. I arrived in good time for my 12:30 book on, ready to work turn BL4 with driver John. I wasn't disappointed to learn that our charge for this 'one trip wonder' was none other than the 1948-built Great Western Modified Hall No6990 "Witherslack Hall", now returned to her own identity following a few weeks posing as scrapped sister No6988. Soon enough, the engine returned with her previous passenger working and we duly swapped crews at the water column...

It was a crisp November afternoon in sunny but chilly conditions. Due to a points failure at Loughborough, today's passenger service had to be shunt released by the Class 08 diesel shunter. Below, the Hall waits for the platform two up starter signal to be pulled off for us, once the diesel had propelled the stock into platform one. The chimney shows a tinge of smoke as some fresh coal starts to take...

With 15 minutes to go until our 14:00 'one trip wonder', I coupled the Hall up before grabbing this quick snap of her in the gloom of Great Central Road bridge...

The Guard confirmed the weight of our six-coach train before we blew up to create a brake. Driver John kindly offered me the regulator for this trip whilst he supervised a third man doing the firing. I was of course very grateful for this opportunity, particularly aboard a Great Western engine, which is my region of choice. Right on time, the "right away" from the Guard came and we departed Loughborough's platform one in a cloud of condensate from the cylinder drains. Once underway I wound the engine back and we set into the 1 in 176 steady pull towards Quorn in full pilot valve. It was a pleasure to sit in the seat and listen to the ticking vacuum pump as we chugged along through Woodthorpe and on towards Quorn. I think the last big GWR engine I drove was actually sister Modified Hall No6989 at a place that shall not be named. That was a good engine as well, just like No6990. The six-coach train was no issue to "Witherslack" as we made our way towards a leafy Leicester North.

At the terminus, we ran the engine around and then awaited departure back towards Loughborough, calling at all stations. After a brisk couple up we still had a good 10 minutes before departure, leaving time to snap the 4-6-0...

Now for a bit of Modified Hall history, although a lot of this will have been repeated several times before on this blog (sorry!). The Modified Hall is a Hawksworth enhancement over the 258-strong 4900 Class Halls, which began being produced at Swindon under Collett in 1924. (The Halls were of course developed from Churchward's earlier Saints). Hawksworth's 6959 Modified Hall class would eventually number 71 engines, with the biggest difference being the use of plate frames and also cylinders which were cast independently of the smokebox saddle. Hawksworth also modified the Swindon No1 boiler to include three row superheating and a larger regulator, in an effort to counteract the declining quality of coal. Though they provided a very similar outward appearance to the 4900 and the same tractive effort, the change in the superheater provided better performance when burning poorer coal and the Modified Halls were reported as being very free steaming machines.

Fourteen of the class survived until the end of Western region steam on BR and six have been preserved, with three currently operational at the time of writing. The cab layout (shown below) is typical GWR and most of you will be able to pick out the crucial controls. In the firebox can be seen a substantial 'Western wedge', which was later raked forward as we crossed Swithland on our final return trip...

The return trip on the regulator of No6990 was most enjoyable and I must thank John once again for the opportunity. It was fantastic to be back in the saddle as it were, particularly on a fine GWR machine! Throughout my years in this hobby I've heard a lot of Western bashing and, I must confess, in my youth I was guilty of it as well, purely through lack of understanding I might add (and bad teaching). I've since found that most people who dislike Great Western have either read the wrong books or don't understand why they don't like them. No, they haven't got the same mod cons as a BR Standard, but neither have the earlier LMS or SR designs. Yes, they found a design and stuck with it but nobody could argue that it is a design that worked and Swindon's engineering standards and standardisation policy were second to none. 

My years at Tyseley around their absolutely beautiful Castles cemented the Great Western as my favourite region and I don't think anything will ever change that now. Everything is nice in its own way of course, but GWR is just fabulous in my book and it wouldn't bother me taking No6990 on every turn. Here, the engine simmers quietly on No2 shed road having been screwed down ready for disposal...

Following the above snap the fire was raked through, the smokebox emptied and the boiler topped up before the necessary fittings were isolated for the night. What a pleasure to be back out on the freshly overhauled Modified Hall again, particularly after a cracking morning out on it the other week with Rob and Batesy. Thanks again to John for a pleasant few hours this afternoon. Cheers all, Sam...

Please note any views or opinions expressed in this blog are merely personal and do not in any way represent the views or opinions of any other person, group or organisation.