The North Yorkshire Moors Railway held their usual Autumn Steam Gala over the first weekend in October and, as usual, getting advance information concerning loco workings was to say the least difficult. Quite why this railway seems to want to keep such information a secret while others seem to manage to provide it weeks, sometimes months in advance is beyond me and it was only on the first day of the gala that I was able to get a copy of the loco allocations.
Originally, visiting locos had included two Bullied Pacifics, one of Ian Riley's Black 5s as well as newly restored 69023. Of these only one of the Pacifics and the J72 actually turned up but when the railway announced shortly before the event that they had secured an additional high profile visitor I feared the worst. Sure enough, this proved to be the A1 Tornado, a loco that has yet to impress me in the noise department and hardly a substitute on that score for a Black 5!
Information received just a couple of days earlier from no less a person than the GM said that Tornado would be used on the Friday night diner and as recording the diner is one thing that makes a gala visit worthwhile I gave the Friday a miss (though I did have other reasons too!).
Imagine my surprise when, after downloading the loco allocations, I discovered that the A1 wasn't working the Friday diner but the one on Saturday - not what I was hoping for at all!
The first train we were able to record at Darnholme on the morning of Saturday 2nd October 2010 was hauled by the aforementioned 60163 and while going well enough with 7 coaches, as you'll hear in this recording, sounded as unimpressive as usual.
According to the loco allocations this train should have been banked by the Super D but that loco was a no show throughout the weekend. Here was the first indication that the loco allocations that I had paid for the previous day were going to be something of a work of fiction.

As originally planned, the gala was supposed to have a Somerset & Dorset theme though quite how an A1, a Q6 and a J72 fits in to that I have no idea but the next train up from Grosmont was hauled by the visiting Unrebuilt Battle of Britain Pacific 34070 'Manston' double heading with the resident ex S&DR 7F 53809.
Not being impressed with our recording at Darnholme we went a little further down the line to a spot near Beck Hole Bridge and when the pair appeared running a little late the 7F didn't appear to be doing much but the Pacific doesn't sound too bad heading away towards Goathland.
And, assuming that 34070 was the loco that many visitors had come to see and photograph on the railway, who made the rather odd decision to stick the 7F in front of it?

We stayed at Beck Hole for one more train then headed off to Levisham to be in plenty of time to get a recording of 'Manston' returning from Pickering.
Once again the loco allocations were wrong as the 34070 & 53809 returned an hour earlier than indicated on our timetable so it was just as well we were early too. However, this did mean that we had a proper S&D cameo to record since the pair were crossing the train hauled by 92220 and, as this recording begins, both trains get the right away at almost the same time and can be heard heading in their respective directions. Once again it's the Bullied Pacific that sounds to be doing most of the work on the Grosmont bound train.

We remained at Levisham for a couple more trains mainly because it gave us the chance to patronise the excellent weighbridge tea hut!
The 9F, also running an hour earlier than indicated, was next to return north and sounds fine heading away into Newtondale while 825 heads for Pickering.

After an abortive trip back to Beck Hole where we expected to record the Battle of Britain working by itself only to find the 7F on the front again, thanks to the 7F coming off at Goathland, at last, back at Levisham we were able to get the recording that we wanted of 34070 'Manston' working a train by itself and it seems to make easy work of its 7 coach load as it departs and heads off into Newtondale.

As I mentioned earlier I had to miss out on a visit on Friday for various reasons and was also quite pleased to miss what proved to be a very rainy day. Had I been at all smug about it I would have certainly had my comeuppance on Sunday 3rd October 2010 as that day proved even wetter.
In view of the weather and the motive power booked for the first train off Grosmont that morning we didn't rush to get out being quite happy to miss out on standing in the rain just for another A1 recording but we felt getting wet might be worthwhile for the next train which was booked for 34070 'Manston' by itself.
On the hillside above Esk valley it was very wet but 'Manston' did turn up and it didn't have a pilot this time; for once, the timetable proved accurate.

In the rain our enthusiasm for chasing about trying to get as many recordings as possible had dissolved very quickly so we decided to concentrate on what we felt could be most worthwhile and the next train we thought worth recording was running on the Esk valley line from Whitby to Battersby hauled by a loco that I hadn't seen on the main line since 1967. This was the Black 5 4-6-0 45428 which, although it had developed a bad blow from its left-hand cylinder, didn't sound too bad.
After recording that train and getting 34070 departing from Levisham when it returned from Pickering (and a visit to the weighbridge for Bovril!) we headed back to Lease Rigg for the afternoon Battersby train with 45428 which, departing from Grosmont a little late, sounds louder than it did earlier. Unfortuantely so does the blow!

After that, sitting in the car, I got a strong impression that we were both waiting for the other to admit to having had enough of the rain so, as I felt I was wet enough already, it was I who was the first to suggest calling it a day and although 'Manston' was still out and about, though only on the freight (amazingly it had just the one round trip on apassenger train that day!) that is exactly what we did.

I'm afraid that this gala isn't going to be one that, other than for all the wrong reasons, will stand out as memorable...

For the penultimate week of the season we had anticipated that the Scot would be back on the Scarborough Spa Express but we were wrong. Black 5 44932, which had been covering for other locos down south appeared at York over the weekend and that proved to be our loco for a week so, with the prospect of another Black 5 to record, I had to have a ride on 25th August 2010.
44932 wasn't a new loco for me as I'd had a few runs with it back in the 1980s and I have to say that, back then, it was a rather poor engine. I recall one really dire run from Derby to Manchester and back which saw the loco stall on the climb to Chinley only getting going with difficulty after setting back over a catch point being held over by a lineside spectator! I'd heard reports that since it was bought by David Smith and restored at Carnforth that it was much improved and I'm pleased to be able to confirm that it is far better than it was when I last rode behind it although, as you'll see, there was one feature of this run that harked back to the loco's performance back in the 80s.
I also discovered during the course of the journey that 44932 has a claim to fame; apparently it was the first of a batch of Black 5s to be built at Horwich Works.
Once again I went for a ride from York in the morning and as you can hear, driver Mick Rawlings soon has the show on the road and 44932 accelerating smartly away from York.

You will have read elsewhere that, during my morning out with 5690, we didn't get a clear road from Wakefield Kirkgate up the difficult climb to Westgate but the loco managed the restart without problems on that occasion.
With 44932 the start out of Kirkgate was positive enough and I was beginning to think that we must have had a green at the platform end, that was until the red signal appeared...
After two trains had left Westgate heading south the signal cleared but now much of the train was on the steep, curving gradient. Worse still, there is a flange greaser on the curve and although the initial restart was Ok, with 12 coaches now on the gradient, 44932 was soon slipping and eventually stalled just short of the junction with the main line into Westgate.
Attempts to restart from this position proved unsuccessful and the decision was quickly taken to set back and have another go but, before we could set back it was essential to check that the derailer protecting the junction behind us was clear; getting the back of the train off the road wouldn't have helped!
This took a little time during which an East Coast service from Kings Cross had arrived and, since we still had the route set into Westgate, was standing at the signal on the viaduct.
In due course we set back behind the signal that had stopped us in the first place now back at red and I expected that the route would be reset and the East Coast service would be allowed to proceed in front of us. But no. Perhaps the signallers didn't want to reset the road and deny the driver on Class 91 and some of his passengers a grand stand view!
Having set back, Mick Rawling makes another attempt to coax 44932 into Westgate, this time successfully and makes some fine sounds in the process. I hope that those on board the train from London enjoyed the sight and sound which common sense suggests that they should have already been on their way and missed but who knows what goes on in those signalling centres? I'm sure they know what they are doing but some of their decisions are a complete mystery to me at times. Perhaps it was by request of the driver on the Class 91 who was standing in the open doorway of his loco taking in the view?

Having reached Wakefield Westgate, now about 25 minutes late, we were soon on our way again and, on the 1 in 100 climb 44932 made yet more fine sounds accelerating the 12 coach train to a little over 25 mph.
Once the gradient eases approaching Outwood we accelerated by 5 or 6 mph and that speed was maintained to the summit at Ardsley.
Nothing wrong with that with 12 coaches behind the tender.

The last stop before returning to York was at Castleford.
Previous recordings here, while satisfactory haven't been quite as good as this one.
As we were still running a little late perhaps Mick Rawling decided that we could do with trying to make up some time between Castleford and York so the regulator stayed well open a little longer than on previous runs.
By Burton Salmon our speed had reached a mile a minute and, as 44932 is a 60 mph loco, I couldn't possibly suggest that speed continued to rise...
The fast running did reduce our lateness and, had it not been for a signal stop approaching York, we'd have regained even more time!

For a few days around the August Bank Holiday Weekend I had a friend from Germany staying with me who's favourite preserved line in the UK is the North Yorkshire Moors Railway; I should add that he is also a sound recordist who also has a web site.
Our first day on the railway was 27th August 2010 and we spent most of the day at Darnholme but in the evning there was a dining train running from Grosmont to Goathland and back. I had my fingers firmly crossed that the loco for this train would be the Black 5.
Having had some good recordings there during the day we returned to Darnholme for our first recording of this train and I was pleased to find that it was indeed the Black 5 working this heavy train. Less welcome were the hordes of ravenous midges that gathered if one remained stationary for too long. I wonder what they eat when they can't get sound recordist?
After that we went down to Levisham for a recording of the returning diner although my German friend was not optimistic about getting a good recording and even suggested that there wasn't much point in bothering! I, on the other hand, would not have missed this for anything.
We went to a spot I'd tried before about a mile and a half into Newton Dale from Levisham station near Gallock Hill and Kale Pot Hole where, as I had hoped, conditions were almost perfect; there was virtually no wind and all that disturbed the silence was the sound of moisture from the mist that had gathered in the valley dripping from the surrounding trees and the faint sound of Pickering Beck.
Sound was carrying extremely well; I could even hear a car down near Levisham station going over the cattle grid there and, better still, the owls were calling!
In due course the sound of a Stanier hooter as 45428 approached Levisham station signalled the start of the performance.
And what a performance; it was well over 15 minutes before, with a distant, final whistle, the sound of the Black 5 faded away and the owls, who had stopped calling, perhaps to listen, began again.
So, I asked my German friend; now did he see why I wanted to stay for this one? 'Now I get it!' was the reply!
To get the best out of this long recording, please listen to it through headphones. Heard through computer speakers you will miss a great deal of the atmosphere.

On the following day there was another evening diner with 45428 as motive power again.
Fortunately the strong wind and showers that had troubled us earlier in the day had gone and we were able to hear 45428 long before it reached Beck Hole.
With a heavy train of 8 coaches behind the tender 45428 isn’t trying to set any records and it was over 8 minutes after we first heard it that the sound of the hard working loco died away as the train reaches Goathland.

After another day on the NYMR on 31st August 2010 we has a change of scene; 46115 was working the Scarborough Spa Express that day and my friend wanted to see it.
I suggested that we try somewhere west of Weaverthorpe as, if the SSE departed from Scarborough on time it often got checked by signals there having caught up with the preceding service train.
Having looked at the level crossings at Heslerton we decided that West Heslerton would be best; my friend wanted a photograph at the crossing but I was keen to try for a recording and set up my microphone in a nearby field.
It doesn't sound as though the Scot was checked at Weaverthorpe and it is motoring nicely as it passes.
The wind was carrying sound back and the train remained audible until the crossing barriers have to close again for an eastbound service train.

The last Scarborough Spa Express for the year ran on 2nd September 2010 with Ian Riley’s Black 5 44871 working trains for the last two days while the Scot, which had worked earlier in the week having gone back to Carnforth to be ready for another railtour at the weekend.
44871 was the third Black 5 to work SSEs this year which, for a Black 5 fan, made this year’s trains particularly attractive. Indeed, after early fears that we would see a certain red GW loco working most of the trains we actually managed to have a complete season of LMS motive power.
The last time I had ridden behind a Black 5 we had run into problems on the steep climb between Wakefield Kirkgate and Westgate when, having been stopped by signals, the loco was initially unable to complete the climb.
When 44871 stopped at Kirkgate we didn’t have a green at the platform end and, as he gives the right away, you’ll hear the guard comment to someone that he has failed his rules exam! The reason for this unusual comment was that someone had described the colour of the signal we were facing as amber and, as everyone on the railway should know, you only see amber on traffic lights, never railway signals!
As 44871 gets under way we were all pleased to see the signal change to green indicating that we had a clear road. The climb is completed without difficulty and we soon arrive at Westgate where yet more excited passengers were waiting for their final steam hauled ride to the coast.

The climb from Wakefield Westgate to Ardsley was good enough but not as good as the run I had with Ian Riley's other Black 5, 45407 earlier in the season but the part of the run that usually doesn't provide much to record, York to Scarborough, was very noisy. After some good noise on the run from the water stop at York 44871 is off again after being eased passing through Malton station. From there, the noise was continuous until we were passing West Heslerton.
An excellent end to the season.

The photograph above was taken on the same day as the final SSE of the season and becomes the last SSE to be semaphore signalled away from Scarborough. Just over a week later 6233 'Duchess of Sutherland' hauled the final steam hauled train to leave Scarborough under semaphores as, in October this year, the trackwork and signalling are to be remodelled and all the semaphores will be gone by the time the next steam hauled train visits the town. It will all look very different in the future.

On Sunday 5th September 2010 I had the chance to go out for a couple of recordings of 44871 working the Waverley over the Settle Carlisle line; though dry, this particular day was very windy!
For the northbound working the drystone walls at Selside proved essential to keep our microphones out of the wind but it did at least carry the sound of the Black 5 with its 12 coach load to us and we could just hear it before it came into sight just north of Horton-in-Ribblesdale.
Twelve coaches is a heavy load for a Black 5 and I thought 44871 was doing pretty well when it passed us. Not a record breaking run, certainly but competent none the less.

We had quite a long time to wait before the return from Carlisle which we had decided to record at Greengate Bridge about a mile south of Kirkby Stephen station so, while waiting for one of the three fish & chip shops to open, we paid a visit to the Stainmore Railway at the former Kirkby Stephen East station which we had driven past many times saying that we must have a look some day. Well, now we have and I have to say that, aside from a collection of rusty diesels, a Peckett tank loco under overhaul and a couple of teak coaches there isn't much to see. The place has the air of one of those preservation sites where nothing much seems likely to happen. I hope I'm wrong as, while they are never likely to be able to build a railway to the east over Stainmore, if reconnected to Appleby East it would make an excellent terminus to an interesting railway. I doubt that anything will happen during my lifetime though.
So, after that and some fish & chips we went to Greengate Bridge and, once again, the dry stone wall provided some shelter from the now even stronger wind and, as our position on the east side of the line gave no view whatsoever down towards Kirkby Stephen, I had my recorder running a good 15 minutes before the train was due to ensure that I didn't miss anything and left my friend in charge while I walked to the bridge promising to give a wave when 44871 appeared.
We had been caught out in the past as southbound trains often run early from Appleby but on this occasion 44871 was late.
Often the slowest part of the climb to Ais Gill is this section approaching Birkett Tunnel and I'd like to think that was the case here as 44871 was not going at all well when it passed us.

For the second and third weeks of the Scarborough Spa Express we had Ian Riley's Black 5 45407 as motive power and I managed to get out for a ride on the train on 4th August 2010.
Unlike previous years, with the stock having standard class at the front leaving York, instead of having an evening out, I had another morning out which is actually more convenient as it doesn't involve catching any last trains or buses as the evenings did last year.
Our driver for the morning was Albert Seymour who, on this rather damp and dismal August morning was just the man for the job; getting 12 coaches up the gradients at Wakefield, particularly the start from Westgate on a damp rail would not be an easy task.
Our first pick-up after leaving York was at Normanton, a station that is a mere shadow of its former self. Once it had a platform that would easily accommodate our 12 coach train but now the usable part is just a few coach lengths.
Once the surprisingly large number of passengers had boarded, 45407 heads away past the site of Goose Hill Jc. and on towards our next pick-up.

Often stations built on gradients are built at a point where the gradient can be reduced but this is not the case at Wakefield Westgate which is on a 1 in 100 gradient and if that weren't bad enough there is a reverse curve to rejoin the through road and a turnout to contend with. None of this makes for an easy start and, like the Scot in my previous SSE ride, I expected some slipping before the train was clear of the station.
Well, have a listen; how's that for good enginemanship?
The 1 in 100 gradient continues until just before Outwood station where it eases briefly to 1 in 280 at the site Lofthouse station then resumes at 1 in 122 before reaching a summit close to where Ardsley loco shed once stood.
On the 1 in 100 gradient 45407 managed to accelerate around 450 tons to around 25 mph before accelerating further into the low 30s before the summit. Now I think that is pretty good. And the noise wasn't bad either!
Here is the full recording, all 12 minutes of it. There goes my bandwidth allowance again...

The next day was 45407's last day on SSEs so I thought that I should try for a lineside recording and, as the area that I normally use near the station seemed likely to be rather too noisy I walked up to the site of Scarborough's old gas works.
I have recorded there once in the past and didn't get anything remarkably good; part of the problem is traffic noise from the nearby busy road but there's nothing to be done about that.
45407 departed just about on time and was going well when it passed. Sound carried back well too and, if I could just get the road closed, I would go there more often.

The popularity of the new Scarborough Spa Express route has surprised many doubters (including me) who were sure that the trains wouldn't do as well as they have in previous years and this was amply demonstrated on 10th August 2010 when LMS Jubilee 4-6-0 5690 'Leander' was in charge of the train. There were over 440 passengers pre-booked and, with the addition of a number of pay-on-the-day types, myself included, around 500 passengers must have travelled that day easily justifying using a 12 coach train.
On my previous two runs on the SSE this year I have been more than happy with the noise; OK, the new route might not have the excitement of a fast run between York & Leeds but the various restarts and the climb from Wakefield have given me plenty of material but, while there was nothing wrong with the Jubilee's performance, it didn't quite come up to the standard set on the previous runs. Just my opinion and, as I said, nothing wrong with the running but, just compare these recordings with the similar previous ones and see what you think.

When the new route was first announced one of my first thoughts was, what would happen if a train was stopped on the steep, curving climb from Wakefield Westgate to Kirkgate? Well, on this occasion I found out.
As we left Kirkgate the very gentle start made me suspect that perhaps we hadn't got a green at the platform end which would have indicated that the road was set right through to Westgate and so it proved. With the train nicely on the steep gradient we came to a stand at a red signal while an East Coast services headed south.
Well, I'm pleased to report that getting the train restarted and up the climb didn't prove to be a problem and there were some good sounds to be heard in the process.

Travelling behind 45407 a week previously I had been most impressed with the way the loco took 12 coaches out of Wakefield Westgate and up the 1 in 100 climb beyond. I have to say that with the Jubilee, ostensibly a more powerful loco, I was far less impressed.
5690 managed to accelerate the train to just over 20 mph before the gradient eases at Outwood but the acceleration didn't seem to continue as I would have expected on the slightly easier gradient beyond. I have no wish to impugn John Fletcher's skill on the shovel but could it be that there was a slight shortage of steam?
To me, the noise wasn't anywhere near as impressive as either of the previous two locos I'd ridden behind on this route and the leaking gland on the right hand cylinder did nothing to help.
No, I'm afraid this run has done nothing to change my opinion; you just can't beat a Black 5!
This short section of the complete recording was made passing Outwood.

Thanks to a friend, on 19th August 2010 I was very pleased to have the opportunity to get out for some lineside recordings of 46115 on the Scarborough Spa Express on its new route, a route which, in theory at least gives easier opportunities to get more than just a couple of recordings.
Our first port of call was, unsurprisingly, Wakefield in the hope of getting something good on the 1 in 100 climb and we headed for the park at Wrenthorpe about ¾ mile away from Westgate station which proved ideal although, thanks to trees growing where the sidings here used to be, blocked all but a limited view but that didn't bother us too much as sound was carrying very well and we heard the train completing the climb from Kirkgate and arriving at Westgate just about on time.
Departure was also on time and we were able to hear 46115 right from the start. Of course we could also hear the seemingly compulsory aircraft passing overhead as well as a surveyor in the field behind us shouting instructions to his mate as to where to put his pole!
Fortunately none of these extraneous noises interfered too much with this excellent recording of the Scot getting away on the 1 in 100 gradient while an EMU passes down the gradient towards Westgate.
Sound also carried back quite well and the loco must have been not far from Outwood before the sound faded away.
Not a bad start to the day's linesiding!

While the Scot went via Engine Shed Jc. and Woodlesford we travelled by a rather shorter route to Castleford for our next recording but only just made it in time to record 46115.
Our recording position was at the edge of a cemetery about ½ mile from the station. Understandably, the residents didn't make a sound as the Scot departed although, as you can hear, a young visitor seemed quite intrigued as to what we were doing!

After Castleford we decided that, although with the roads being busy, we might as well try to get a third recording of 46115 after it left York; nothing to lose after all.
Despite the traffic we made it to Bootham, just beyond the level crossing in time to record the Scot accelerating away from the water stop alongside York District Hospital.
But we only just made it!

After our recording at Bootham and with a few hours to spare we had time for fish & chips and a couple of recordings at Levisham on the NYMR but let's get back to the Scarborough Spa Express.
We had been thinking that we might be able to get three more recordings of 46115 but, as we expected the roads to be busy not only with normal commuter and tourist traffic but also with home going racegoers leaving York after the third day of the Ebor Meeting, we decided to play it safe and headed straight for Outwood, further up the climb from Wakefield than our recording spot earlier in the day. As things turned out, we would probably have done it without too much difficulty had we recorded the train leaving York but it wasn't worth the risk.
Reaching Outwood we weren't best pleased to find that the fine weather we had experienced so far, as per the forecast, had changed to rain which hadn't been forecast but at least it wasn't too heavy and did ease off at the appropriate time!
For our recording we walked a little way north of Outwood station to the site of Lofthouse Colliery and were pleased to find that, although there are two motorways not far away, road noise wasn't much of a problem; we could have done without the hum from the nearby electricity sub-station.
Outwood is about 2½ miles from Wakefield Westgate and, to be honest, I didn't expect that we would be able to hear 46115 until it was well into the climb. We did just hear the start but this recording begins a little later.
The train was running about 20 minutes behind time when it passed us but from the sound of things the driver is doing his best to get some back. What a fine sound!

Nothing ventured, nothing gain as they say so off we went to try for yet another recording between Bolton Percy and Colton Jc.
Once again we just made it in time but when 46115 appeared in the gloom it seemed that we weren't going to get much of a recording as it was obvious that the signals were not in the Scot's favour.
Luckily, as 46115 approaches, the signals cleared. Perhaps the train was routed over the crossovers to the Leeds lines at Colton West Jc. and needed the westbound DMU, which you can hear pass, to clear the route. So we did get our recording after all!

Our next recording was on the climb to Copy Pit and despite a fairly strong breeze from the west we were able to find a reasonably sheltered spot high on the hillside overlooking Lydgate Viaduct and Kitson Wood tunnel.
This recording wasn't quite so good as, as you will hear, 46115 had developed a very loud steam leak from the middle cylinder. This proved to be due to the gland packing had been blown out but while affecting the sound, this didn't seem to be affecting performance and the Scot sounds to be going well on the gradient.

We made one more recording after this near Darwen where the steam leak sounded, if anything, worse than it had on Copy Pit then went off to try for another near Greenfield.
Modern technology came to our aid once more informing us that the loco had been declared a failure on arrival at Manchester. This was more in the way of a precautionary failure, WCRC not wishing to risk a problem on the main line and the delays to other services that this might cause. The loco was able to take its train up to Castleton where the problem was dealt with and it returned to Carnforth with the empty coaches later the same day.

Will RTC try for fourth time lucky?

One place that I did want my Australian friend to visit was the North Yorkshire Moors Railway, more particularly Levisham for some lineside recordings. He had already visited the NYMR and had made recordings at the north end of the line but I wanted him to experience the particular atmosphere in Newtondale.
Starting at Goathland we packed his family off to Whitby on the train while we headed for Levisham and had a very successful few hours recording there. Rather than publishing my recordings here, if you'd like to hear what we recorded at Levisham, why not pay a visit to Steamsounds AU and have a listen to Tony's. Give him a couple of weeks though, I'm sure he'll have lots of catching up to do when he gets home!
After our lineside session we went for a ride, firstly behind 'Repton' returning from Pickering. Our original intention was to ride through to Grosmont but when we got to Goathland, waiting in the other platform was 45428 so plans were rapidly changed!
Since its return to service a couple of months ago this loco has managed to elude me so I was really pleased to have a ride behind it to Pickering and back and can report that it still sounds just as good as it did when I last heard it.
To prove the point, here is an on-train recording of it departing from Levisham and climbing the steep gradients into Newtondale. Trains that day were running rather late, not a rare occurrence on the NYMR, but our driver seemed to want to do his best to regain some of the lost time!
Our change of plan proved fortuitous and not just for getting the Black 5 but also because the train we would have caught back to Goathland, had we travelled through to Grosmont, was diesel hauled!

On the following day we visited York and got there in time to try for a recording of the first Scarborough Spa Express of the season departing from York.
For this year's trains we have a change of route. No longer does the SSE go round the very popular Harrogate & Leeds circuit morning and evening but instead goes via Wakefield Kirkgate and Westgate, then misses Leeds returning to York via Woodlesford and Castleford. While I'm sure that WCRC feel that there are good reasons, either operating or marketing, for running the trains via this route I have to say that, aside from slightly easier pathing, I can't imagine what they might be. Still, at least we have the trains running so I hope they do well.
Advertised motive power for the SSE this year is 5972 'Olton Hall' which, thanks to its appearance in Harry Potter films is painted red and carries the name 'Hogwarts Castle'. I suppose marketing the train to Harry Potter fans during the school holidays can't be a bad move but it wouldn't be the enthusiasts most popular choice of loco!
However, it seems that the Hall has gauging problems and there may be a chance that it won't actually work any trains at all; we'll see.
Motive power for the first week proved to be a big improvement on that advertised with 46115 'Scots Guardsman' doing the honours and 20th July 2010 saw my Australian friend and I waiting near the site of Chaloners Whin Jc. where the road noise from the nearby A64 was as bad as I've heard it. Still, never mind, 46115 turned up bang on time going very well with its 12 coach load. Certainly a good start to the season.

After visiting the NRM for a couple of hours with Tony and his family I realised as we passed through the station on our way to have a walk round the city that we were just in time for the Scot's return from its morning circle; now there's a coincidence!
'Scots Guardsman' was still running on time when it got back to York and sounds fine departing heading for Scarborough.

With the Scot working SSEs there was only one thing to be done on the following day with the added bonus that, unlike previous years, standard class was at the front leaving York and, better still, the front coach (behind the admin coach) was an SK so we had a nice cosy compartment on a lightly loaded train to record from.
This was my first ride behind 46115, indeed my first ever ride behind a Scot and I have to say I was quite impressed with this first recording which begins as we depart from York and ends near Colton Jc. where our progress was interrupted by signals for an East Coast express to cross our path.

Now for the main event.
The main interest for sound and performance on this route is the climb from Wakefield Westgate to Ardsley which begins with the train on a 1 in 100 gradient in the platform at Westgate. This was always a difficult start in steam days so it will be interesting to see how locos cope with a 12 coach load this year.
To be honest I expected that with the difficult start and 12 coaches behind the tender 46115 would probably complete the climb with speed in the high 20s. I hadn't expected we would reach the mid-30s. And I have no complaints about the noise either!
While it might not be quite the same as the climb from Wortley Jc. to Horsforth, from a sound recording point of view in may ways it is better since the loco is straight into the climb without any speed restrictions to contend with.
I'm starting to quite like the new route!

As you can see, I've published the complete recording, over 12 minutes long; I hope my bandwidth allowance will stand the strain!

After getting a lineside recording the next thing on the agenda was a ride to Bodiam and back.
Heard from a first class compartment (well, why not, it’s only a £1 extra!) 65 is heard departing from Wittersham Road and climbing the short 1 in 90/70 gradient towards Bodiam.
So, what did I think of my first visit to this line?
Well, I enjoyed it thoroughly; an interesting line through some very pleasant scenery, add some friendly and helpful staff and what’s not to like!

My visit to the second new line came on the following day, 9th July 2010. This was the 15 inch gauge Romney, Hythe and Dymchurch Railway which tells us that it is ‘The World’s smallest public railway’. Indeed? But then, I would need to be a pedant to mention such railways as the Ravenglass and Eskdale and the Fairborne and I’m sure there are others. So I won’t!
What I will say is that I was most impressed, particularly with the sensation of speed given, although reaching no more than 25 mph, when so close to the ground seemed quite fast to me. Passing other trains on the double track between Hythe and New Romney at that speed is pretty impressive too.
We began our visit with a ride all the way to Dungeness behind the Pacific No. 1 ‘Green Goddess’ which has only recently returned to service on the line after overhaul.
As our train was a heavy one, we were assisted by one of the line’s diesels as far as New Romney where many of the passengers alighted making the train far less heavy from there.
Intending to spend a little time at Dungeness, long enough to stagger up the lighthouse anyway, we tried for a lineside recording of ‘Green Goddess’ departing.
The background sounds at Dungeness as the train leaves heading round the loop back towards New Romney and Hythe were a bit different! First we have the constant hum of the nearby nuclear power station but there is also an army firing range at Lydd which, as you can hear, was in full operation. At least they weren’t shooting at us!

After a visit to New Romney we travelled back to Hythe then had another run to Romney Sands and back again behind ‘Hercules’.
Heading into the wind, the recordings we got on-train were a little better; this is ‘Hercules’ departing from Dymchurch.
Well, I really enjoyed my visit to this railway. I almost wrote ‘little railway’ then but this really is a main line in miniature and well worth a visit.

After the 9F had gone we saw 45428 descending to Grosmont and expected that it would return with the next train. Very good, after two trains I would have had recordings of the two locos that I particularly wanted!
The wait for the next train was considerably enlivened by the local wildlife, particularly woodpeckers of which there were two species, both Green and Lesser Spotted, to keep an eye open for but the star of the show was the arrival of an Adder slithering through the bracken. The UK's only poisonous snake was no trouble; we didn't bother it and it didn't bother us although it did seem to be heading for my friends bag at one point. I'd never seen one before so that was something else to cross off in my Wildlife ABC!
In due course we returned to the business in hand and prepared to record the next train.
When I began monitoring ready to begin recording, as well as hearing the Green Woodpecker that we had been seeing there was another sound that I'd never heard here before. At first I wasn't sure what the banging was that I was hearing but once the rest of the band joined in with the drummers there was no doubt. Presumably this was something to do with all those Brownies!
As this recording begins the sound of the band has given gave way to the sound of a Black 5 approaching; very good, 45428 as expected. However when the loco emerged from under the road bridge, it wasn't the Black 5 I wanted but 45407.
Mind you, while I'd have preferred 45428, I am making no complaints whatsoever as 45407 gave us the best recording of the day as it took 7 coaches up to Goathland!

The previous recording was made from the bottom of the valley where we found it had become quite breezy so, before the next train, we walked up to the spot that I have used so many times before at Dowson Garth across the valley from Green End where we found plenty of shelter and, as you'll hear, plenty of Crickets!
The next train from Grosmont, running somewhat late, was hauled by 92214 which sounds to be making fairly easy work of 7 coaches on the 1 in 49 gradient. Definitely a loco that needs to stay on the line!

The next train should have been a Black 5; I was still hoping for 45428 but wouldn't have minded 45407 but neither turned up. Instead, we got a diesel!
So, moving quickly on...
The 13:30 from Grosmont (which was a good half hour late) was our next train; again I still was hoping for a Black 5 but the approaching sound had a three cylinder beat and proved to be the ex-Southern Railway Schools Class 4-4-0 30926 'Repton'.
This is another loco that I've been more impressed with this year. It seems to make a lot more noise than it used to!

Hoping that muck spreading operations would have ceased we returned to Darnholm and this time went to the top of the cutting between there and Goathland for the next train, the 15:30 off Grosmont.
This train proved to be a disappointment too. No it wasn't diesel hauled, it just never appeared! Due to the late running, they had decided to drop a train out of the timetable to allow things to get back nearer to time.
The 16:30 off Grosmont was our last recording of the day and was another of 92214 once again going well on 7 coaches. I'll look forward to more from this fine engine in the coming months.
And I do hope it becomes a permanent resident!