Rail Action on the Cumbrian Coast March 15

kevsmith Mar 22, 2015

  1. kevsmith

    kevsmith TrainBoard Member

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    Weather getting better, Days getting longer time to fire up the cameras and get out a bit more! As the railtour season really kicks in the first two specials on the Cumbrian Coast offered a contrast in styles

    First up was 46115 'Scots Guardsman' one of two preserved Stanier 7P 4-6-0s of the Royal Scot class introduced by the LMS in 1943 was at the helm of the Cumbrian Coast Express

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    catching it first in Askam in Furness (about 100 yards from our house) I chased it over the hill and caught it again at Lindal in Furness as it battled the steep incline up from Dalton. As it rounded the curve we all became aware of something amiss, fearing a hot box or a failing big end bush the rythmic squeak turned out to be a stuck whistle valve much to everybodies relief. you can hear it clearly on the video.

    Yesterday was the 'Cumbrian Docker' a tour taking in obscure non passenger branch lines including Barrow and Workington docks on the Cumbrian Coast. This was hauled 'Top and Tailed' by two of our Class 57/0 freight engines and used Riviera trains rake of coached finished in Chocolate and Cream livery

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    Leaving the main line at Salthouse Junction the train slowly proceeded along the dock wall towards the severe curve where the line heads towards Ramsden Dock and the end of the shortened branch line at the 'Barrow marine terminal'.

    The Class 57s and Mk I coaches grind around the curve

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    After only a short halt for the train crew to change ends the the train came back to the main line before heading north at line speed past the slag bank of the former Barrow Steel and Ironworks which provides a good vantage point for passing trains.

    I am planning to shoot more here this summer as you can track the trains on the curve. I did some sighting shots back at the end of February to work out where the light was as in this shot of a Saturday 6K73 working from Sellafield to Crewe

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    More in a mo

    Kev
     
  2. kevsmith

    kevsmith TrainBoard Member

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    The line was singled a few years ago and is bi-directional running between Barrow station and Park South Junction so despite appearances this shot of the special is of it heading away from me.
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    More obvious is this shot of a Saturday 6C53 Crewe Sellafield flask train. Hauled by a pair of our venerable old class 20's

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    Anyway video here at.

    [video=youtube;6bFct9lF_9U]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6bFct9lF_9U&feature=youtu.be&list=UUI6p-eLL5zX3K226z27Josg[/video]

    cheers

    Kev
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Mar 22, 2015
  3. BoxcabE50

    BoxcabE50 HOn30 & N Scales Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

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    The terminology 'Top and Tailed' must be a reference to having an engine at each end?
     
  4. kevsmith

    kevsmith TrainBoard Member

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    Thats Right. We use it extensively these days due to lack of run-round tracks at the end of some of these branch lines. The back engine is left idling with the brakes set to operate off the train pipe.
    Kev

     
  5. BoxcabE50

    BoxcabE50 HOn30 & N Scales Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

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    Sounds like they really stripped everything which might be considered excess track? Are these lines producing much freight/goods traffic? Or has that all gone to trucks?
     
  6. kevsmith

    kevsmith TrainBoard Member

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    Barrow Docks is just used by us now for Nuclear traffic, Workington has some Nuclear traffic and also a fairly regular chemicals flow. The problem with the runrounds is they are long enough for our relatively short freights but not long enough in this instance for two locos and nine coaches.

    Kev
     

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