No Smoke without Fire

Saturday was a day of decision making about where to try and photograph some steam locomotives. There were basically two choices head for the Yorkshire Dales and Cumbria or stay much more local within West Yorkshire. Each location or locations would offer the chance to film a couple of steam charter trains.

In the end because of time commitments we opted for staying local which with hindsight was a bit of a mistake. 

46233 Duchess of Sutherland with The Scarborough Flyer

We opted for some pictures and video shots at Burton Salmon as two charter trains one hauled by 46233 Duchess of Sutherland with The Scarborough Flyer and the other by 5972 Olton Hall (known to many as Hogwarts Express from the Harry Potter films) with The Wizards Express. The two trains were scheduled to pass our location around 30 minutes apart.

Checking the Realtime Trains web site as we headed to Burton Salmon both trains appeared to be on schedule. Once we arrived at our chosen location things started to go a little pear shaped. The first train to pass by should have been 5972 Olton Hall but North of Leeds updates on the progress of the train stopped. We were left to ponder whether the steam locomotive had broken down or perhaps been rerouted through Garforth to York avoiding our chosen spot.

Either way as it happened the Duchess arrived first a few minutes early and passed by with barely a hint of any exhaust smoke.

Perhaps this should have been our clue but we didn't latch on. There wasn't any up dates for The Wizards Express for ages then the Realtime trains web site started updating with the train’s progress. It was running about an hour late at this point.

5972 Olton Hall at the rear of The Wizards Express

Eventually The Wizards Express arrived but with diesel haulage in front and 5972 Olton Hall ignominiously been towed along at the back of the train. A rather disappointing day’s steam photography.

Once back home it was apparent that Network Rail had banned steam locomotives from operating due to the risk of them setting off lineside fires. The Duchess had only made it as far as York before Network Rail insisted she be replaced by diesel power. 

This doesn't really bode very well for the rest of the summer if a couple of warm sunny days have this effect. Locally July is turning out to be a wet month. Obviously the problem is the build up year after year of dead vegetation along the trackside  just waiting for a hot spark to set it alight.

With the summer steam season in Yorkshire about to get into full swing with the annual weekly runs of The Scarborough Spa Express, Scarborough Flyer and The Waverley it looks like we could have a repeat performance of last year with the trains being diesel hauled and a token steam engine at the front in light steam only.

On Monday West Coast Railways are planning to move empty coaching stock hauled by a steam locomotive from Carnforth to York presumably to operate the first Scarborough Spa Express of the summer on Tuesday. I wonder how that's going to pan out.

Copyright: Original post from http://steamdaysblog.blogspot.co.uk/author M Garrett

Wizards Express

I picked up on the UKsteam info web site many weeks ago now that 5972 Hogwarts Castle was to haul a charter train between Carnforth and York. The date was added into the diary but the details of timings and route were only posted the day before the scheduled run. 

The locomotive in question is the Great Western Railway 4-6-0 steam locomotive No. 5972 Olton Hall. Olton Hall and its red carriages starred as the Hogwarts Express in the Harry Potter films and the steam locomotive was renamed Hogwarts Castle in the films. 

The location chosen for taking pictures was close to Milford Junction in West Yorkshire. It’s a location I've used before and usually gives satisfactory results. However the weather decided to play its part with plenty of clouds and rain around.

The trains progress from Carnforth was tracked on Realtime Trains and in general the locomotive was on or a little in front of time as it headed for York.

As the smoke from the locomotive almost merged with the dull grey of the sky as it came into view. Fortunately the heavy rain which had been falling held off for a few minutes.

Like all the main line shots it was all over quickly as the train steamed past us on its way to York. My video of the locomotive and train is shown below.

Another journey with the same locomotive is planned for early July.

Copyright: Original post from http://steamdaysblog.blogspot.co.uk/author M Garrett

4468 Mallard Goes to Grantham

Just couldn't resist the opportunity to try to capture some video of the world's fastest steam locomotive on its way from the National Railway Museum at York to Grantham. Unfortunately it wasn't in steam for its journey south.

This is 4468 Mallard pictured between Milford Junction and Knottingley.

4468 Mallard the world's fastest ever steam locomotive was returning to the district where it broke the record on 03 July 1938. That record top speed of 126mph (203km/h) after passing through Grantham, Lincolnshire, on 3 July 1938 still stands. 4468 Mallard will be on display near Grantham station on 7 and 8 September, as part of the 75th anniversary celebrations of the record being set. The steam locomotive is normally kept at the National Railway Museum in York.

I managed a little bit of video as well as the three locomotives made their way slowly towards Grantham.

Copyright: Original post from http://steamdaysblog.blogspot.co.uk/author M Garrett

Some Steam Action Would be Good

Only this week and next to go for this season’s Spa Express to Scarborough. The season has been very disappointing and the next couple of weeks are unlikely to change my opinion.

On Tuesday the first round trip of the week saw 48151 been pushed around by a class 47 diesel. Most enthusiasts have now realised that steam action will be very limited with the “fire risk” diesel tucked in behind the steam locomotive.

Our first location was Hillam Lane near Burton Salmon to pick up the morning run on the outward loop from York. It’s the first time I've done any photography at Hillam Lane with no other enthusiasts somewhere along the lane. There was no dramatic action as I suspect once again the class 47 was putting in the effort.

We had a morning walk around RSPB Fairburn Ings capturing the returning Spa Express just outside the reserve crossing the river Aire. There was plenty of action on the river with pleasure craft making their way up and downstream.

In the evening we headed to Woodlesford station as this is a good place to get some close up shots of the locomotive as the train stops in the station to drop off passengers. This wasn't the case as the carriages at the end of the train were positioned on the short platform with the locomotives up the track and out of view. Once again only a couple of other enthusiasts had bothered to turn up.

Last year we had several steam hauled trips from Leeds or Wakefield but I wouldn't consider it this year as if I’m booking a steam trip to the coast that’s what I expect and this season that wouldn't be the case. I’m also wondering if one of the companies might try something different with a steam hauled charter to somewhere other than Scarborough or Carlisle. Give or take the odd cancellation there will have been 30 trains to Scarborough (Scarborough Spa Express and Scarborough Flyer) and 6 charters to Carlisle. Personally I’d like a change.

Enough of me having a rant here's a video of The Scarborough Spa Express on 20 August 2013 with a few extras both on rails and water.

If you would like to see 48151 putting in some real effort check out the video below with 48151 working The Lancastrian in February 2013.

Copyright: Original post from http://steamdaysblog.blogspot.co.uk/author M Garrett

48151 with THE YORKSHIRE COAST EXPRESS

The Yorkshire Coast Express ran from Crewe to Scarborough passing through Milford on its way to York and the coast. The train was hauled by 8F 48151 throughout.  It was our intention to photograph the train just before it arrived at Milford loop for a water stop and then to move on to Sherburn in Elmet to capture it pulling away after taking on water.

On a lovely sunny, but bitterly cold, day 48151 cruises into its stop at Milford Loop. Disappointingly no smoke but I suppose as it was going to stop for water a mile or so up the line this was to be expected. It was a nice change to be taking pictures in sunshine rather than the dull gloomy weather of our last few excursions.

Once the train was out of sight at this location we quickly packed up cameras and tripods and headed for the station at Sherburn in Elmet. It's only a few minutes up the road giving us plenty of time to set up on the station platform to capture 48151 pulling away from its water stop.

In the end we had plenty of time to get set up before The Yorkshire Coast Express came through on its way to Scarborough. The pictures were a little more difficult to shoot due to a group of photographers standing at the end of the platform and blocking everybody else's view of the approaching express. Some people are just not very thoughtful.

I travelled to Woodlesford Station on Wednesday evening as 48151 was due to pass through on the return journey to Crewe at around 18:20. However, by 18:30 48151 hadn't shown up and on Realtime Trains it still appeared to be in York. I decided I might as well head home. I later found out that 48151 had been failed at York suspected of causing lineside fires on its run from Scarborough to York so no pictures at Woodlesford.

Our video at these two locations is shown below.

Copyright: Original post from http://steamdaysblog.blogspot.co.uk/author M Garrett