Royal Encounters

A King on the Lickey

On 26th February 2005 we paid a visit to the West Midlands taking in the Severn Valley Railway but the main reason for our visit was to try for a recording of the GWR King 4-6-0 6024 'King Edward I' climbing the Lickey with the Lickey Incliner railtour returning from Newport.
It was only a last minute decision to go out for this train as we had heard that it would be stopping at Bromsgrove to attach a diesel banker, Network Rail not being prepared to take the risk of something going wrong had the train been single headed on the steep climb.
I can't help but feel that this was totally unnecessary. The train was made up of just 8 coaches and given a clear run through Bromsgrove would surely have climbed the 2 mile bank without difficulty.
The spot we chose for our recording was between Pikes Pool Lane and Vigo at the top of the cutting at the south side of the line from where we could see the train approaching Bromsgrove.
Our one hope was that the diesel banker would only assist if things started to go wrong but soon after 6024 had started away from Bromsgrove it became apparent from the speed at which the train was travelling that the diesel was pushing hard and, as the train passed us it must have been travelling at around 30 mph.
Still, even though the Class 37 diesel was obviously providing a lot of assistance, the King was being worked very hard too making a fine sound on the 1 in 37 gradient and can be heard reaching Blackwell and accelerating rapidly on the easier gradients.
Under the circumstances not a bad result but next time, if we must have a banker can we have a steam loco please?

photograph: Clive Hanley

See more of Clive's photographs here.

A Prince on the S&C

On 22nd March 2005 His Royal Highness, Prince Charles, The Prince of Wales had a ride over the Settle - Carlisle line in the Royal Train which, for only the second time since the 1960's was to be steam hauled.
The loco chosen was the LMS Coronation Pacific 6233 'Duchess of Sutherland', the same loco that had hauled the Royal Train conveying Her Majesty The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh along the North Wales Coast in 2002.
6233 was waiting to haul the train from Hellifield after it had arrived from Carnforth having dropped the Prince off at Clapham where he visited the Yorkshire Dales Millenium Trust and met local residents before travelling by road to Settle where he rejoined the Royal Train for the steam hauled run to Carlisle.

The Royal Train's next stop was at Kirkby Stephen where Prince Charles unveiled a plaque to commemerate his visit to the recently renovated station.
At Kirkby Stephen the Prince joined Carlisle driver John Finlinson, fireman Brian Grierson and inspector Jim Smith on 6233's footplate for the 15 minute run to Appleby.
Freight trains proved to be a feature of the day as, when we found a suitable recording spot just north of the station we also found a southbound empty Gypsum train held at Kirkby Stephen's home signal.
Again we were lucky as, once the Royal party had returned to the down platform the freight train was allowed to proceed and as this recording begins can be heard climbing away through the station as 6233 departs and accelerates rapidly on the 1 in 100 falling gradient.

At Appleby we had only a little time to find a suitable recording spot and were lucky that, while we were recording, only one car passed the roadside location that we ended up at.
Yet another freight train was being held until Royal Train was on it's way and the Class 66 diesel can be heard ticking over as 6233 starts away from the station.
As the Royal train passes heading for Carlisle the signal clears and the freight train continues it's journey south.

You can find information about 6024 on this web site. The Lickey Incliner railtour was organised by Vintage Trains who run steam hauled excursion throughout the year.
Information about 6233 will be found on the PRCLT web site and more information about the Royal Visit to the Settle - Carlisle line will be found here.