Hi Les. A very interesting day for you. I enjoyed the video. Saw Tangmere twice at Ribblehead on Railcam. My mate Kevin who you briefly met at Carlisle a while ago was at Hellifield and Ribblehead. I unfortunately am restricted now due to mobility. Thanks again Les
So many questions / observations resulting from this one, Mr G... First, yet again, what excellent commentary! You kept us viewers fully informed as the pandemonium unfolded. Second, I was wondering whether the tanker train from Workington is a new flow? I don't recall seeing it previously, and since there wasn't a "Z" in its TOPS ref, I assume it's a regular turn? Third, you must have had many experiences of the juxtaposition of the sound of the throaty growl of the 4-stroke Sulzer in a 47 & the busy-bee 2-stroke whine of the much more modern power unit in a 57. Which one do you prefer? Whilst on the subject of 57s, I guess they represent the best of both worlds for WCR, as they are authentic 1960s beasts from the outside, but have a far more modern (and far more reliable and efficient) power on the inside. Fourth, I quite like seeing Mk 2s in IC livery. Is this a result of WCR having to move some of its crimson-livered coaches to The Jacobite, and do you think they'll repaint these units into crimson before long? And finally, it was great to see the 2 choppers plying their trade, even if one subsequently failed. PS: Did you see my "clue" regarding the Green Signals quiz question. I couldn't find your email address.
The Tanks from Workington are the empties - on a Tuesday China Clay for the paper mill in Workington runs from Aberdeen, where its imported, to Workington Docks. Its an old flow. As for 47/57 to be honest I;ve no preference. I;m mopre a 20 / 37 and 68 person. The 57s do look equally the part with the 47w. The Blue / Grey carriages are hired in by West Coast and are owned by Riviera Trains from near Burton on Trent. I;m afraid I was so busy on Friday and out filming Saturday I forgot all about it until a saw a video last night of a chap driving past Hatton Cross station!
Tangmere sounded destinctly off beat as it departed. I grew up watching these locos having problems getting two or three coach local trains moving without slipping, so I assume that the 47 was helping to get things moving. The heaviest Southern train between Plymouth and Exeter (the Brighton) always got a pair of T9s as the pacifics couldn't handle 10 or 11 on those grades. Good video, as ever.
@@keystonedriving8180 certainly on this day the 57 was definitely pushing to get the train away. It must be a very heavy one with the MK3 sleepers beside the kitchen cars and Mk2s.
Thanks for showing. Why no Thunderbird action to shift the logs? Some thing British railways lack is the ability to use both tracks over distance. This requires pairs of leading and trailing track speed crossings every 10km and bi-direction signals, seen on some higher speed lines in UK but not a lot. And standard on higher speed lines in Europe. Yes its money but how much delay passenger minutes and cancelled trains has this day cost?
@@briancooper562 they actually got the train moving so I guess Colas didn't request assistance. The west coast main line certainly this far north in England was notorious for it's under funding. And from the rumours I've heard it may not get better
The chaos royal mail are going to unleash on the roads by axing the mail trains. My goodness, how's it even feasible to drop the trains? When's the contract/last train run out for them Les?
@@headsup2433 in some respects it would be all the same. The exception would be the availability of a loco at no penalty. Even then it would take a couple of hours to get to the front of the train. But upcoming nationalisation only affects passenger trains. Add to all this the very high frequency timetable south of Crewe - that will remain
@@martinjh999 the linr dropping away to the left is to Newcastle. The Settle line branches off at Petteril Bridge junction about half a mile away. The line to the right is the Cumbrian Coast line to Workington, Whitehaven and Barrow
@@LeslieGilpinRailways Thanks - Love the vids... I had an unfortunate trip up the other day with delays - Was going Chorley to Poulton-le-Fylde and there were nearly half an hour delays due to trespass on the line at Bolton and points problems around Manchester... Sympathise with anyone who got caught up in this lot of delays too... :)
@@timothyparsons8327 the 70 for that duty was shown earlier in the video and too late to shunt the train together for a 1300 start. In theory the later WCML times get it to Chirk on schedule
The age of these Loco's it's a miracle that some of them are still in service. Royal Mail are about to retire their fleet due to their age and lack of spare parts. British Rail was falling apart when i joined them in 1970 and the same loco's are still here 54 years later.
