A selection of Mainline Action

26 July 2010: Midland Tornado: 71000 Duke of Gloucester

The Duke of Gloucester replaced Tornado for this unusual run from London to Gloucester and return. A huge crowd gathered at the Pike Pool Lane location to be greeted by a whirlwind ascent by the Duke. Yes it was too good to be true, the Duke was literally pushed up the bank by an over-enthusiastic diesel! No only were the onlookers substantially short-changed, so were the passengers whose Lickey run might as well have been an afternoon spree up the flat Midland Mainline. We accept that the Duke was pulling a very long train and that it was probably necessary for the diesel to do some work to 'pay' for its weight, but this was ridiculously OTT! Thanks chaps! The run through Hinckley station was much better.

My companion for the day, Brian Burrows has some good shots of the event. You have to sympathise with Clive Hanley who was unable to leave his employment to witness the run....that in itself was unusual!

You Tube (1min 34secs). Don't blink or you will miss it!

8 April 2010: Great Britain III: "What time do you want me in Falkirk?"

The quote above was not a hopeful enquiry by Mary Queen of Scots of her husband Lord Darnley, but a question I heard asked on a mobile phone during today's Lickey adventure. It seemed to sum up the situation of many of the observers in the large gallery who were in the early stages of a great trek up to Inverness and the Kyle of Lochalsh in pursuit of the Great Britain train; the excitement was palpable. The commitment of most of these, though considerable, was surely surpassed by an ex-patriot from New Zealand who had made the trip across to the UK especially for this event! He only just made this run, which made up about half an hour on a 45 minute deficit at Standish.

Here we see 44871 and 70013 Oliver Cromwell tackling the Lickey Incline. They were making it look so easy that we were almost relieved when they slipped at the top of the bank, allowing the Lickey to get at least something back on them.

This clip is HD, so I hope it works on You Tube without too much jerking!

9 May 2009

70013 Oliver Cromwell at Cossington with the "Palatine".

An uninspiring view of Cromwell on the Midland Mainline at Cossington. Many thanks to the gentleman in the hi-viz who stood at the crossing 100yds in front of 20 photographers who had the privilege of including this important man in their shots. Well worth the cost in fuel, time and effort for most of them...I have carried out the necessary measures on the still above, which I would dearly like to have carried out at the time. You tube (55secs)

Smaller file (2.3mB)

19 October 2008

5043 Earl of Mount Edgcumbe on the Shakespeare Express

Tyseley's magnificent newly restored Castle, The Earl of Mount Edgcumbe made its first public passenger run on the Shakespeare Express. Here we see the train at running in windy conditions at Hatton Triangle with great panache. Unfortunately, much to everyone's disappointment the loco was failed for the afternoon run with a hot axle box. (2.3mB)

6 July 2008

5029 Nunney Castle on the Shakespeare Express

With regular engine 4965 Rood Ashton Hall limited on its trips on the Shakespeare Express this summer under its mainline boiler extension ticket,  5029 Nunney Castle took on the duties in the first run of the year. The two shots in sunshine on a day of mixed sunshine, showers and cloud are about as likely as a 14 year old British girl winning a Wimbledon singles tournament.

I was set to film the lunchtime run at Hatton Triangle, but the heavy rain on the journey down caused a rescheduling to Lapworth station, where Nunney was a bit down on Rood Ashton's usual pace, but made up for it with a rousing whistle.  I filmed the evening run at Bishopton, alone at this popular location with my wife. The sun came out a couple of minutes before the train came through, and amazingly, stayed out. (3.2mB)

14 June 2008

5029 Nunney Castle on the Lincoln Imp at Barrow on Soar

Mainline Leicestershire: Tyseley-based GWR 4-6-0 5029 Nunney Castle rushes towards Barrow upon Soar station with the Lincoln Imp. Not much went right here: the train appeared without warning and it ran on the inside line (the worst for the lighting conditions). (1.4mB)

1 March 2008

71000 Duke of Gloucester on the Cheshireman at Pillings Lock

This was a useful reminder of why I hate filming steam around Leicestershire. There is no denying there are some spectacular locations on the mainline, but not around here!

Having examined several locations to the north of Leicester, avoiding those I have used in recent years, I decided the location at Pillings Lock by the canal near Barrow upon Soar was a reasonable bet. With a 50% chance of sun there was a chance of a nice scenic shot despite the proliferation of trees; but it didn't happen. The sun went in within seconds of the train's arrival to set a pattern which was to be repeated time and again throughout the day.

71000 Duke of Gloucester at Pillings Lock (2.7mB)

17 November 2007

4965 Rood Ashton Hall on the Lincoln Imp

A golden opportunity to see old friend 4965 Rood Ashton Hall for possibly the last time in the foreseeable future when she passed through my home town on Saturday. A rare chance to experience the charms of the mainline around the East Midlands.

A modern allegory. Colourful Croft: the cry of defiance mingled with despair from the photographer below,  failed to prevent the inevitable from happening. I was also moved to wonder how the great Ivo Peters might have coped with filming signalmen who follow the modern Health and Safety dress code.

Lovely Loughborough: later, high above the heavily pallisaded bridge north of Loughborough Station, Rood Ashton Hall powers past in the early morning sun. (2.5mB)

2 September 2007

LMS "Coronation Pacific" no. 6233 "Duchess of Sutherland" on the "Shakespeare Express"

The 12:30 ex Stratford rushes through Lapworth Station at 67mph (1.7mB)

I picked up the late afternoon run on Wilmcote Bank. The whistle could be heard in the distance as the Duchess powered through Wilmcote Station. (3.3mB)

Shakespeare Express

(See below for On-board footage)

3/9/06: a run on the Shakespeare Express for recently restored 4953 "Pitchford Hall". The evening run (shown first) was a complete contrast to that of lunchtime as 4953 "Pitchford Hall", perhaps anxious to avoid a wait at Hatton Junction, makes stately progress on the middle stages of Wilmcote Bank. Plenty of time to make friends with a few passengers, exchange pleasantries with the stewards and have a good look at this lovely machine. Earlier in the day she had stormed the mainline section, and we see her charging through Lapworth Station! (3.2mB).

4965 "Rood Aston Hall" at Stratford station with the "Shakespeare Express" on 20 August 2006.

Editor's Note: who needs a tripod when a cheap monopod will do the business

4965 "Rood Aston Hall" makes light work of Bishopton Bank with the evening train on 6 August 2006 (1.3mB)

9 July 2006. It's the Shakespeare season again and we are all a year older. A packed gallery lined up on the footbridge to enjoy the sight of 4965 "Rood Ashton Hall approaching Bentley Heath level crossing. It's wonderful to witness the enthusiasm and interest generated by Mainline Steam, although one of the little girls thought that steam engines were filthy and disgusting - sacre bleu!. (2.1mB)

On-board Footage of the Shakespeare Express: 20 August 2006

These files have been uploaded to Google Video.

4965 "Rood Ashton Hall" departs Stratford and climbs Wilmcote Bank

The Hatton - Lapworth 'fast' section of the Mainline

The Dorridge - Widney Manor section. 4965 accelerates away from the Dorridge restriction and hits top speed at Widney Manor

The Tyseley - Snowhill section. The Shakespeare leaves Tyseley and passes Small Heath, Bordesley Junction and the splendidly restored Moor Street station before entering the tunnel into Snowshill. In true Ivo Peters tradition the tape runs out just as the train reaches platform 1.

Editors Note: do not be fooled by the spectacular lighting. This is, after all the environs of Birmingham with scenery to match. However, the train journey here is quite exciting as Rood Ashton Hall is accelerated rapidly to her speed limit of 60mph, before she rolls into Snowhill.

The sites below contain plenty of excellent photographs and a full programme of excursions:

 Vintage Trains  and  Shakespeare Express