Home»All my photos»2021 Railway Photographs»Green giants earn their corn 20 October 2021

How about this for a business model? Take two of the most famous British steam locomotives, run them both at the head of four trains in a summer fortnight over the Settle to Carlisle line, and watch the profits roll in from all the Premier dining coaches packed with middle class folk looking for a different day out. What could possibly go wrong?

Well, Covid of course, which forced postponement to leaf-fall October, and the realisation that two trains each day, each headed by two locomotives, was a logistic bridge too far. Steam punters dared to hope the steam engines would run without a diesel behind, a forlorn hope which would soon be comprehensively dashed.

But earlier at Preston, with hope still in our hearts, we could discern, through the pouring rain, the welcome sight of Peppercorn A1 Pacific No 60163 Tornado, which coupled up to our train from Tamworth, making 11 coaches. The diesel which brought us in remained coupled at the rear. “The diesel?”, we asked. “Purely for insurance,” we were assured.

It was still raining as we climbed the tree-lined track from Bamber Bridge towards Blackburn. Despite the conditions we were storming our way in the 40s up towards Hoghton, passed at 51. This wasn’t insurance, it was shovage. Even a minimum of 25 on the climb to Wilpshire was not convincing, and I stopped taking notes until Hellifield.

Would it be different on the S&C? 42 mph by Long Preston suggested not, followed by 61 before Settle Junction, 50 through Settle, 48 at Helwith Bridge, 50 through Horton and nothing below 41 until we started slowing for Ribblehead. So I stopped recording and sat back like all the others and enjoyed the ride, the drinks, the chat. After rattling down Ais Gill at line speed with the brakes on, we were soon in Carlisle.

I took the usual photos of Tornado at the north end but after that we went into the city and were too late back for any decent pictures of Gresley A3 4-6-2 No 60103 Flying Scotsman. The train’s clientele contained few of the ‘usual suspects’, who know the etiquette of allowing each other to take unobstructed pictures of the engine.

I started the return journey by enjoying my (excellent) dinner in the bright sun which had emerged by then, but resumed watching the speeds at Kirkby Stephen (47 mph), followed by Birkett 48, Mallerstang 51. On in the high forties until 44 at the Ais Gill summit board. Subsequent eye witness and video evidence has confirmed my belief that shovage was a major and planned component of delivering these trips. Later, from Whalley Viaduct at 25 we touched 30 at Langho and remained in the high 20s to Wilpshire summit, minimum 25.

We were soon back at Preston and I went for a last look at Flying Scotsman. Yes, I was disappointed that there had been no tangible means of measuring the performance of these two fine engines, but it had been great to be out with them for the day, along with good food, drink and company. The glass was well more than half full.