The best laid schemes of this particular man certainly went decidedly agley on Saturday 4th August!
That day should have seen three locos working in the North West; first there was 60009 doing an out and back CME, then there was 6201 working south over the S&C and lastly an ECS move from Carnforth with 48151 to round off the day.
First the weather; let's just say that the rain and miserable conditions would have done justice to January, only a bit warmer.
Then a late start meant that we would miss the northbound run with 60009. Well, we should have missed it but passing Hellifield a cloud of steam indicated that the A4 was running late but, as we didn't want to risk missing 6201 coming south, we pressed on to Ais Gill hoping that we would beat the A4 to the summit and perhaps have a chance of a recording. We just made it but without time to set up! As things turned out, we would have had plenty of time for a recording on the climb to Blea Moor but hindsight is a wonderful thing - if only we could have it in advance!
So, on to Kirkby Stephen and Bull Gill about a mile south of the station to wait for 6201.
We stood there in the rain for quite a long time. It was the sort of rain that seems light but makes you very wet in quite a short time. It was also quite windy. Worse was to come.
The train turned up a little late hauled by a Class 67 diesel! We later found out (but still can't quite believe it) that although in steam and ready to go, 6201 was unable to work the train south from Carlisle due to a problem concerning some paperwork that Network Rail needed! Getting wet and no recording is a minor disappointment compared with that felt by the passengers who had paid £79 or more for the privilege of travelling on the train.
We had plenty of time to cheer ourselves up with Fish & Chips and then went on to Appleby to discover that due to the late running during the outward journey, 60009 would be leaving Carlisle behind the last service train rather than in front of it.
So we decided not to try for a recording north of Appleby as well since the A4 wouldn't be having an hour's stop there and went straight back to Bull Gill where it was still raining and, if anything, the wind was stronger. Oh joy!
Very fortunately as things turned out, our wait and another soaking proved worthwhile as 'Union of South Africa' was going very well indeed with a load of 12 coaches as you can hear.
But our day of getting it wrong wasn't yet over!
Now, the A4 was a little late but we still felt that we had a sporting chance of reaching Clapham before 48151 and, thanks to empty roads we got there just a little before the time that we could have reasonably expected the 8F to arrive.
We rushed to get set up feeling fortunate to have got there, pleased that the rain had eased a little, that there was hardly a breath of wind and sounds seemed to be carrying very well. As an added confidence booster that we hadn't missed it, we could see what appeared to be at least one spectator waiting in the dusk on the platform at Clapham station not far away.
I'm sure you can guess the rest - after waiting for about 30 minutes we realised that we had missed it. The spectator proved to be part of a fence!