The Four Trains Challenge

[willig]

Great Day this Saturday for steam on the main line in the UK.

There are four specials with excellent locomotives.

1. 6233 Duchess of Sutherland from Crewe to Holyhead.
This shot could be repeated;

PhotoID: 233395 Photograph © Graham Williams

Times at http://www.uksteam.info/tours/t09/t0509b.htm

2. 6201 Princess Elizabeth over the Settle to Carlisle line.
Here's a scene of the loco on that route;

PhotoID: 204367 Photograph © Graham Williams

Times at http://www.uksteam.info/tours/t09/t0509d.htm

3. 46115 Scots Guardsman over Shap
A shot on its previous trip over the route;

PhotoID: 279261 Photograph © Graham Williams

Times at http://www.uksteam.info/tours/t09/t0509c.htm

4. 70013 Oliver Cromwell from London to Manchester
Here's the loco;

PhotoID: 244547 Photograph © Graham Williams

It will be the first steam visit to Manchester Piccadilly station for thirty or forty years. Here's the station;

PhotoID: 205678 Photograph © Graham Williams

Times at http://www.uksteam.info/tours/t09/t0509a.htm

Now I know I'll be busy with lots of driving, but I reckon I can get shots of all four and in different locations to those shown above.

Is anyone else going to try the challenge?

[Wizzo]

Hate to spoil the party Graham, but The Palatine tour behind 70013 is now only going as far as Sheffield due to 70013 being declared out of gauge over the Hope Valley route - Network Rail at its best.................yet again only discovering that a loco won't fit over a route less than 4 days before the train runs, despite the path being booked months ago.

[willig]

Bummer!

Well, that makes it pretty well impossible, I guess.

At least I should make the three best locos. I might now be able to travel a bit farther North to catch them as well.

[Wizzo]

Originally Posted by willig

Bummer!

Well, that makes it pretty well impossible, I guess.

At least I should make the three best locos. I might now be able to travel a bit farther North to catch them as well.

Good luck catching the remaining 3. Personally I think 70013 is as good as the others (although I have yet to see that particular Scot)........Oli is VERY loud when working hard (see some of my vids on the sister site)

If the weather is good I have an early morning appointment with a Class 50 on Saturday

[Callufrax]

Originally Posted by Wizzo

Hate to spoil the party Graham, but The Palatine tour behind 70013 is now only going as far as Sheffield due to 70013 being declared out of gauge over the Hope Valley route - Network Rail at its best.................yet again only discovering that a loco won't fit over a route less than 4 days before the train runs, despite the path being booked months ago.

Sounds rather typical of Network Rail!

[Wizzo]

Originally Posted by Callufrax

Sounds rather typical of Network Rail!

It beggers belief.

Time and again railtours are announced months in advance and tickets are sold by the railtour operators, but Network Rail only do the detailed gauging and confirmed timings a couple of weeks before the event. This means that many tours end up either being cancelled or more usually rerouted because Notwork Rail find that either

1) The intended motive power doesn't fit (despite initially approving it........and if there have been engineering works in the meantime on the intended route that could affect the loading gauge why were the existing clearances not maintained ?)
or
2) There are pathing problems with the intended schedule and the timetable path that was sold to the railtour operator either never did, or no longer exists

The run up to the Royal Duchy railtour in April was a complete farce. There were at least 2 changes of route and destination forced on the railtour operator from that initially advertised before things were finalised. Even the pick up stations kept changing - how can a railtour operator sell tickets when the idiots at NR can't even tell them where the train can stop ?

[WembYard]

Typical, three of my favourite steam engines out (have yet to sample 46115, though sure that I will like it, being that it is LMS) and I am stuck at work

Still, can't complain too much; just had two weeks in Germany including a ride behind this beastie

PhotoID: 168647 Photograph © Janet Cottrell

Still, it will be interesting to see how they all get on.

[cassfan3]

Don't complain too much...you could live in the Southeast US...no mainline steam here for years