On 18th February 2006 the LMS Princess Royal Pacific 6201 'Princess Elizabeth' was booked to work a train from Deby to Bristol and back. At least, that was the original plan.
A few days before the train was due to run, Network Rail discovered that there was a possible problem with clearances on the down line at Yate. This meant that, for the outward run, steam haulage was curtailed with the loco being detached at Gloucester while the train continued to Bristol diesel hauled. 6201 reached Bristol via Severn Tunnel Jc. The return from Bristol was steam hauled throughout.
A further problem on the day was caused by the late running of the empty stock to its first pick up point apparently caused by frozen points. Well, it was a bit cold!
During the outward journey I tried for a recording near St. Andrew Jc. on the steep climb from Landore St. Jc. to Camp Hill but of course, the recording of 6201 that I really wanted was of it climbing the Lickey on it's way back from Bristol.
I went to a spot about half way up the bank between Pikes Pool Lane Bridge and Vigo. Recording conditions were almost perfect. I was able to find an eminently suitable position right at the top of the hill south east of the line and about 200 yards back. There was virtually no wind and only a little road noise to be heard. So far, so good!
With a 12 coach train there was no way that the loco was going to be permitted to climb the bank unassisted and a Class 66 diesel had been attached to the rear of the train at Gloucester.
I was fortunate in having a friend travelling (and recording) on board so I was able to get regular updates on progress by mobile 'phone - this modern technology can be very useful at times.
The departure from Gloucester had been about 20 minutes late and I got a further text message passing Cheltenham which suggested that we shouldn't expect the train to reach Bromsgrove until about 6.30 PM, 15 minutes late.
Since I changed from recording on tape to using mini-disk I have gotten into the habit of trying to start recording well before I expect the train to arrive and, at just after 10 minutes past six I was thinking that I could give it another 10 minutes before starting the recorder when I thought, 'What the heck, there's about 70 minutes left on the disk!', so I started the recorder checked that everything was Ok and walked away to the top of the hill to watch the light fading in the sky over the Malvern Hills away in the west and await events.
No sooner had I reached my vantage point than I head the sound of a train approaching from beyond Bromsgrove. As the sound grew in volume I suddenly realised that the roar was coming from Lizzie running just about on time with a driver who was determined to at least start the climb with as much speed as possible!
And what a sound. I can honestly say I have never heard anything like it!
Once through Bromsgrove and onto the 1 in 37¾ gradient speed begins to fall quickly and the horn of a DMU can be heard sounding a warning to lineside observers some of whom had set up floodlights near the track at Vigo - surely not a sensible thing to do.
As 6201 passes speed is still falling, though not as rapidly and by the time the train reaches Blackwell I am told that the speed was around 30 mph.
Obviously, to produce a performance like that, the Class 66 diesel must have been doing it's fair share of the work but, fortunately, is hardly audible in the recording and, aside from it's horn, neither is the descending Class 170 DMU!
Those on the train felt that the diesel only started to work really hard on the last third of the climb while a lineside observer just above Pikes Pool Lane Bridge thought that it was going flat out when it passed him.
But who cares. Whatever the diesel was doing, it in no way detracts from this recording.
'Princess Elizabeth' was already one of my favourite locos having given me some impressive sound recordings, particularly on Shap in 2004, but the sound of it climbing the Lickey has to be the most impressive experience I have had at the lineside in over 25 years of sound recording!