Vintage Trains The Shap Mountaineer 45596 Bahamas

[Hermit60109]

45596 in the Lune Gorge and then the return via the S&C seen here on the approach to Birkett Tunnel. By the afternoon the weather had taken a turn for the worst.

 

[Mollman]

Great photos, thanks for sharing

 

[AnthonyRail]

Fantastic photos, very scenic.

 

[Dave S 56F]

A Trespasser at kirkby stephen caused a signal check stop there for 45596 Bahamas as the person in question had dropped his lens cap on the lines and went to retrieve it in full view of the signaller in the kirkby stephen box wether he got fined for causing the slight disruption and before quite some time before our train had reached kirkby stephen another highlight of the day is that 45596 managed to get 42 M.P.H. up shap summit.
we was told of this incident when the train stopped at Hellifield stuck nearly 2 hours waiting for a class 37 to come up the W.C.M.L. from Tyseley as 47773 had failed.

 

[railfan99]

Given the frequent need for head end power, how does Vintage Trains manage to operate without a diesel at the rear - great - when other operators such as The Railway Touring Company always seem to have one?

 

[bleeder4]

Given the frequent need for head end power, how does Vintage Trains manage to operate without a diesel at the rear - great - when other operators such as The Railway Touring Company always seem to have one?

The Belmond British Pullman rarely has a diesel either. In fact, that was out just a few days earlier with Clan Line - no diesel in sight. As long as the steam loco is powerful enough to haul the number of coaches you have, then the extra power from a diesel won't be needed. Vintage Trains specifically set a limit on the number of coaches so that Bahamas would be able to manage them unassisted.

 

[Wilts Wanderer]

Given how little effort Tangmere was putting into its ascents of Shap and Ais Gill - given the shove the diesel on the rear was providing - compared to Bahamas, it really does illustrate how much more ‘value for money’ the VT tours give those of an enthusiast persuasion, compared to WCRC.

 

[Wuggie Norple]

A Trespasser at kirkby stephen caused a signal check stop there for 45596 Bahamas as the person in question had dropped his lens cap on the lines and went to retrieve it in full view of the signaller in the kirkby stephen box wether he got fined for causing the slight disruption and before quite some time before our train had reached kirkby stephen another highlight of the day is that 45596 managed to get 42 M.P.H. up shap summit.
we was told of this incident when the train stopped at Hellifield stuck nearly 2 hours waiting for a class 37 to come up the W.C.M.L. from Tyseley as 47773 had failed.

I think the speed of 45596 at Shap Summit was somewhere around 37-38mph, an excellent effort for a Class 6 on load 10. This was followed by an exhilarating non-stop run to Carlisle with speed in the high seventies, with a late running Pendolino chasing us down.

The wait at Hellifield was about 63 minutes; shame it was in the goods loop and not at a platform.

The Tyseley Thunderbird was 37 240, newly overhauled and resplendent in Transrail livery. It had only recently completed its loaded test run, and I think I am right in saying that this was its first mainline run in preservation hauling a passenger train. VT shrewdly took advantage of this by offering one-way tickets from Blackburn to New Street for £60(?), and a goodly number of 37-bashers took up the offer.

All in all, a great day out with VT.

 

[Hermit60109]

Great photos, thanks for sharing

Many thanks pleased you enjoyed the photos.

Fantastic photos, very scenic.

Many thanks pleased you enjoyed the two shots. Lune Gorge and the Settle & Carlisle Railway in the north-west superb locations to photograph steam in the landscape.

A Trespasser at kirkby stephen caused a signal check stop there for 45596 Bahamas as the person in question had dropped his lens cap on the lines and went to retrieve it in full view of the signaller in the kirkby stephen box wether he got fined for causing the slight disruption and before quite some time before our train had reached kirkby stephen another highlight of the day is that 45596 managed to get 42 M.P.H. up shap summit.
we was told of this incident when the train stopped at Hellifield stuck nearly 2 hours waiting for a class 37 to come up the W.C.M.L. from Tyseley as 47773 had failed.

Yes we came across the same story later in the day and stupid behaviour from the photographer on the bridge. There is some footage on YT of 45596 just crawling through the station. Great performance from the Jubilee and hope we see more unassisted steam in the north-west.

 

[alastair]

A Trespasser at kirkby stephen caused a signal check stop there for 45596 Bahamas as the person in question had dropped his lens cap on the lines and went to retrieve it in full view of the signaller in the kirkby stephen box wether he got fined for causing the slight disruption and before quite some time before our train had reached kirkby stephen another highlight of the day is that 45596 managed to get 42 M.P.H. up shap summit.
we was told of this incident when the train stopped at Hellifield stuck nearly 2 hours waiting for a class 37 to come up the W.C.M.L. from Tyseley as 47773 had failed.

With respect, the delay at Hellifield was 1hr 29 m, not "nearly 2 hours" and was mainly caused by (correctly) allowing the following Ribblehead/Rochdale service train to run ahead of us in the long section to Clitheroe. The assisting 37 had arrived 46m before we departed. Also relevant to note that, commendably, the train was only 12 late at Crewe.

 

[bleeder4]

A Trespasser at kirkby stephen caused a signal check stop there for 45596 Bahamas as the person in question had dropped his lens cap on the lines and went to retrieve it in full view of the signaller in the kirkby stephen box wether he got fined for causing the slight disruption and before quite some time before our train had reached kirkby stephen another highlight of the day is that 45596 managed to get 42 M.P.H. up shap summit.
we was told of this incident when the train stopped at Hellifield stuck nearly 2 hours waiting for a class 37 to come up the W.C.M.L. from Tyseley as 47773 had failed.

Video of the trespass incident on YT: