UK: David Rodgers, S'borough Flyers, Cumbrian M'tn, July2011

[Steve Appleton]

From the photographer, David Rodgers, 25 July 2011.

Friday, July 22 2011, saw the start of the season's "Scarborough Flyers" running from Crewe via Standedge to Scarborough and return. Unfortunately the 2 key locos in the pool at Crewe - 6201 Princess Elizabeth and 70013 Oliver Cromwell - were both temporarily out of action. With no suitable loco available to work the train Unrebuilt Battle of Britain pacific No. 34067 Tangmere was hastily sent light engine from London to Crewe on Thursday to work the train. This proved an interesting trip! This was the first occasion ever that an unrebuilt Bulleid pacific has worked over the Pennines via Standedge. The west side of the Pennines was reported to be cloudy so I stayed fairly close to home which was pretty sunny. I ventured to Mirfield East Jct and was rewarded with photos of the pacific accelerating away from a signal stop due to a Trans-Pennine Express crossing its path. I have only been to this location twice for steam and on both occasions the train has been stopped at the signal with priority being given for the Leeds route.

The forecast glorious evening was of course cloudy and with a later return path this year there is almost no chance of sun on the climb to Standedge tunnel so I decided to take a trip down to Huddersfield station. However, before setting off news came that there were "loco problems" at York. This was found to be a cylinder lubrication failure. Amazingly, urgent phone calls were made to the National Railway Museum and a suitable spare part was obtained from sister No. 34051 Winston Churchill, this was fitted and the train departed York 52 minutes late. I only just made it in time as by Huddersfield the train was only 23 minutes late. Thanks to some good running (Driver Mick Kelly, Fireman Neal Woods), a fairly pedestrian schedule and omission of the booked Denton water stop the train was on time back into Crewe!

Saturday, July 23 2011, Black 5 No. 45305 worked the "Cumbrian Mountain Express" from Liverpool via Shap to Carlisle returning via Settle and Blackburn. Despite a good forecast I decided just to stay relatively local. Pendle Hill can be seen in the background as No. 45305 is seen on the return journey running well to time accelerating away from a signal stop at Whalley and tackling the 1 in 82 grade to Wilpshire summit.

All photos copyright: David Rodgers, 2011.

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