NELPG's 50th Anniversary at the NYMR

With the way things have gone this year I wouldn't have been at all surprised if my recordings from the Harz in June had been my last for the year but a friend suggested going to the North Yorkshire Moors Railway on 30th October 2016 where the railway was having a mini-Gala to mark the 50th Anniversary of the North Eastern Locomotive Preservation Group.
The timetable that day was just the normal one that would have been in operation anyway and featured a few two hour gaps between trains so some careful planning was required to get as many recordings as possible without too much hanging about and we decided that our best plan was to start at Levisham for the first train off Pickering, booked to be hauled by the BR Standard Class 2 2-6-0 76084, a loco that I had never seen, much less recorded, on its only booked working for the day. While not a NELPG loco, 76084 was restored at Ian Storey's workshops so there is a connection.
We recorded 76084 departing from Levisham from a spot about half a mile north of the station and it seemed to be going well enough when it passed on the gradient.
As I said earlier, I hadn't even seen the loco before and indeed, I still haven't as, from the spot where we recorded, the line is hidden by trees so all we saw was the smoke.

Back Again for Steam in the Harz

In early June 2016 I made my annual pilgrimage to Wernigerode in Germany for steam on the Harzer Schmalspurbahnen. Whatever happens elsewhere, you can always count on plenty of steam and some good noise.
Tuesday 7th June 2016 proved to be a fine day and saw a friend and myself on the first train to the Brocken with the intention of leaving the train at the summit to walk down to a spot we had recorded at last year with excellent results. This was Eckerloch where, with a light easterly wind blowing, we hoped to hear trains approaching from Schierke for some considerable time.
After the walk down the rocky path, which seemed to me to be rockier than last year (or am I just getting too old for this sort of thing?) it was very pleasant on this warm day sitting among the trees enjoying a cooling breeze with nothing but bird song and the occasional train disturbing the peace.
Sound did carry well but one thing that was different from our previous recording session here was that last year we could clearly hear trains above us in the Brocken Spiral. This year the wind direction wasn't quite right and we only really heard trains whistling at the Brockenstraße crossing.
Still, we had no complaints and 99 7237 on the second train we recorded sounded fine as it approached, passing at the other side of the valley before rounding the tight curve at Eckerloch and passing below us.

The NYMR Spring (not entierly) Steam Gala

The North Yorkshire Moors Spring Steam Gala held over two weekends in May didn't quite work out as the railway had planned, or as we might have hoped, this year.
When the railway realised that the two guest engines weren't going to arrive they had a major change of plan altering the event to a Scottish Branch Line Gala and added a few diesels to the mix. Not what we wanted at all.
Despite the change of plan and the diesels there was one loco that I was quite keen to get a few recordings of which would only be there for the first weekend due to commitments further north; this was the K1 62005 which, although once a regular performer on the line, now is something of a rarity but any thoughts of going over there for the first weekend were quickly shelved when they broke it on the first day.
As far as the second weekend was concerned, I will admit that my enthusiasm for a visit was at an all time low. After all, I felt that I would do as well to go on a normal operating day in the summer when the peak timetable was running and probably do better for steam than I would do at this gala. However, a friend decided that he was going over there on the second Saturday, 14th May 2016, and offered me a lift, so I went.
The main reason for going was for the trains running to Battersby but before that we had a chance to record the first train off Grosmont hauled by the Q6 and we went to Beck Hole Bridge where we were horrified to see that the lineside trees there had been given a serious clearance. While there was now a much better view, there was very little shelter from the wind of which there was plenty. I tried to find some shelter without success and in the end, didn't even switch my recorder on as there was no point in recording lots of wind noise.
Of course, that would have been the best recording of the day as we could hear the Q6 right from exiting the tunnel at Grosmont. Typical.
After a visit to Grosmont to see the interesting diesels; one was a Deltic which made the visit a bit more worthwhile, we set off for Glaisdale and a spot to the west of the station where the train, hauled by 76079 masquerading as 76001, was booked to stop to cross a service train.
There was plenty of wind here too but we found what shelter we could and hoped for the best.
This train was running top and tail with a diesel on the rear, the diesel being the aforementioned Deltic; 55 022 masquerading as 55 007 and when we heard the Standard 4 approaching we thought it was going very well if it was hauling 5 coaches plus a switched off Deltic. As you can hear, the Deltic was not only not switched off but providing substantial assistance.
Now I quite like to hear a Deltic but I could have done without it this time.

Royal Scot on the main line

The fact that my previous recording of a steam hauled train running on the main line was made back at the beginning of November last year tell you that steam on the main line has been a bit thin on the ground for me for a while now and that is something that's likely to be the case, probably for the rest of the year.
First we had WCRC's suspension that threw a spanner in the works for a while and that was followed by the problems on the S&C north of Appleby resulting in the closure of that section of the line. The closure seems likely to last well into 2017 and has caused most of the regular steam hauled trains that run in the north west to be either cancelled or run elsewhere. The result for me means that there will be precious little easily accessible main line steam for me to go out for so it was good to be able to get out for one on 16th April 2016.
There were actually two trains booked to run that day, the first and most interesting was running with steam from Crewe to Carlisle out via the Cumbrian Coast and back over Shap hauled by a loco that I hadn't yet had a chance to record; ex LMS Royal Scot 4-6-0 46100 'Royal Scot'.
After a far too early start from home our first recording of 46100 was on the climb away from Wigan, where the train stopped to pick up passengers, not far from the summit of the climb at Boar's Head.
We had recorded here before with mixed results but we were both pleased with what we got and considered that it was just about worth getting out of bed before 5 o'clock to get this one.
We were also pleased to note the lack of a diesel on the rear of the 11 coach train and that it was running just about on time.

Flying Scotsman on the Moors

With no real prospect of any main line steam to go out for the foreseeable future, Sunday 13th March 2016 found us at the North Yorkshire Moors Railway to get a few recordings of their visitor for the week, the recently returned to traffic after an eye wateringly expensive overhaul, 60103 Flying Scotsman.
Flying Scotsman had been out an about since late February, drawing the crowds wherever it went and the NYMR was no exception; I've never seen the place so busy. The trains Scotsman was hauling had been sold out for months but the number of spectators around the railway was astonishing.
Knowing that any of the popular spots would be crowded, we started our day at a spot off the road above Esk Valley which, it being a hazy day and the view being straight into the sun, we expected to be, and were, undisturbed.
As the trains Scotsman was hauling were 8 coaches, it was deemed necessary to provide a banker as far as Goathland and as 45428 had been banking the previous day, although from our position, we identify what was on the rear, we assumed it was the Black 5. However, a little later we saw 45428 on another train so changed our view wondering if 44806 was back in use. It was only after we'd got home that we discovered thanks to ever useful YouTube that it had been 76079.
Not too bad a recordings mainly thanks to the noise from the banker!

The Keighley & Worth Valley Winter Gala

As seems to have happened each of the last few years, recording opportunities early in the year came to naught so my first recording opportunity was at the Keighley & Worth Valley Railway's Winter steam gala but I nearly decided not to bother...
When I booked a night's stay in a hotel back in December, the railway was intending to have 45212 and 62005 as visitors for the gala, both of which would arrive by rail as the weight restricted bridge which prevented, among other things, 'Wells' return to the railway last year was still on-going. However, both 45212 & the K1 dropped out fairly early. 44871 was supposed to be the replacement for 45212 and there were suggestions of something else coming but that never got beyond suggestions.
Then the West Coast Railway Company getting another suspension made 44871's move unlikely and despite valiant attempts to get another train operator to move it, it never made it.
From the home team 90733 was an early withdrawal then with a few days to go 75078 had a problem preventing it from running.
So, that left the S160, 4F, Coal Tank, 85 & Nunlow. Not exactly the gala everyone was expecting then.
The timetable had a few changes too; no goods train, no shuttles beyond Ingrow but there was an 'Express' which actually stopped at Oakworth when I recorded it despite the timetable saying first stop Haworth.
Arriving at Keighley on Friday 26th February I headed for Oakworth and set off down towards the loop to find that, in the adjacent caravan site, building work was going on though it didn't seem too noisy.
The first train I could record was double headed by the Coal Tank, 1054 piloting newly returned to traffic, Taff Vale Railway 0-6-2T 85.
On 6 coaches the pair didn't have to work too hard but still managed to start a small fire on the banking opposite which did nothing to warm the place up and burnt itself out fairly quickly. There were a few more fires later in the day but it was just last year's dead stuff burning off and not really a major problem.

My final recording was of the S160 2-8-0 5820 which is a loco that I'm always happy to hear.
As the S160 vanished round Globe Curve, the Taff Vale tank came out of the station heading down the headshunt at quite a pace. Having passed my recording spot, it stopped so that the crew could deal with the small lineside fire the S160 had started.
I wonder if this is going to be a regular job for the loco? If it is, perhaps they'll paint it red, replace the whistle with a siren and fit flashing blue lights!

The North Yorkshire Moors Autumn Gala

The North Yorkshire Moors Railway actually had a couple of interesting visitors for a change; the ex SR U Class 2-6-0 31806 and 34092 but, also as usual, only made minimal use of them with 'Wells' only being booked to work 1 round trips by itself and the U, 1½. However, that was according to the loco roster so there was every chance that things would change.
To maximise our chances we were at Thomason Foss ready for the first train of Grosmont on Sunday 27th September 2015 and to our surprise, not only did the booked locos appear but the train was on time; could this last?
This recording is of 34092 double heading with 76079 making easy work of the gradient on the way to Goathland.
It didn't last...

The lateness continued for the rest of the day and there were quite a few changes to the booked motive power and instead of the K4, the next train turned up with the Q6 which had returned following its banking duties.

The ex LNER K4 2-6-0 61994 'The Great Marquess' turned up on the next train and we were pleased to get a recording of as it is soon to come out of traffic, possibly never to reappear as a working loco.

After the diner, when the Q6 returned from Pickering on the back of a train with the U on the front which should have been single headed, I realised that if we wanted to try for another recording of Wells by itself we would have to leave straight away for Levisham as Wells would have to return on the diner there being nothing else at Pickering to work it; the diner should have been the Q6 coming back leaving Wells to double head the last train with the U.
The recording we got of 34092 at Levisham wasn't all that exciting and certainly wasn't enhanced by numerous low level fly pasts by the Red Barron in his bi-plane!
We had noticed this bi-plane presumably doing pleasure flights from a grass strip somewhere close by on other occasions but had never been 'buzzed' at low level by it before. I always thought there was a minimum altitude for these things...

On the train that crossed Wells at Levisham we were quite surprised to see the U all by itself and, there being nothing at Pickering to double head, it looked like we were going to get a recording of it by itself; providing the Red Barron didn't return...
I'm pleased to say that the bi-plane stayed away but again, the recording wasn't all that good. 31806 wasn't worked particularly hard as it departed but it still started priming as it passed.
Better than nothing I suppose.

A little UK main line steam

On 3rd October 2015 I had the rare, for this year, opportunity to get out for some main line steam with two trains running in the North West.
The first one was a charter for the Lune Rivers Trust running from Carnforth to York and, is this train picked up Bentham, we were there for our first recording well before 8AM.
Conditions were almost perfect with only a very light breeze which we expected to carry the sound back to us.
At about the right time we heard something with three cylinders approaching which then sat in the station for a while; this proved to be 45699 Galatea.
The start sounded far too fast to me without the expected noise and no trace of a slip. The reason soon became apparent; a Class 47 on the back shoving hard. Not what we wanted at all and a further attempt at Hellifield gave no improvement.

The other charter that day was running from Cleethorpes to Carlisle over the Settle - Carlisle line hauled by 45231 and we headed off through the fog to Selside where the fog cleared to mist and we even saw a little sun.
When 45231 appeared, from the sound, it didn't appear to be being assisted and we got a good, long recording. However, as the back of the train came into sight we were surprised to see not one but two diesels, one of which appeared not to be under power and the other doing very little to assist; perhaps just moving its own weight.
Now that's the sort of diesel assistance we don't object to.
We stayed at the lineside for a further charter train and made a recording of it too but I couldn't possibly include it here, even if it was of a Deltic...

The Keighley & Worth Valley Autumn Gala

The Keighley & Worth Valley Railway didn't have a lot of luck with their arrangements for visiting locos for their Autumn Steam Gala this year.
They originally had two interesting ex-Southern locos lined up but an ongoing problem with a weak bridge made getting locos in by road impossible, a problem that also meant that 34092 was absent.
Instead they arranged to get one of the Tyseley Halls to visit and as that could arrive by rail there would be no problem getting it to the rail. Unfortunately, at almost the 11th hour, Network Rail decided that, as they weren't certain about clearances on the route, they veto'd the move.
Despite the lack of visitors I still went as I'd pre-booked a hotel stay and arrived at the railway at about mid-day on Friday 9th October 2015 just in time to get this recording of 90733, which was carrying a Low Moor WD number and some decidedly unconvincing weathering, leaving Keighley with a shuttle to Damems.

Next came the S160 2-8-0 5820 which also sounded good climbing towards Oakworth especially with the extra long whistle specially arranged for a certain lineside sound recordist!

If you were a passenger at Oakworth wishing to travel to Oxenhope and you'd have been a little disappointed to find that instead of the usual one 'Express' run, this afternoon, there were two.
The next 'Express' was hauled by the Coal Tank, 1054 piloting 75078.

Having recorded four trains at the loop I walked down to a little way beyond Damems station to record the goods train which was only going as far as there.
The goods, made up of about 10 wagons was hauled by 90733 with 5820 on the rear to take the train back to Keighley.
As it makes a change to record something other than a passenger train, I kept the recorder on for the train's return just to hear the wagons and the WD clanking past.

The following morning, despite only having a limited amount of time, I went back to Keighley but, as everything seemed to be running about 20 minutes late, as had been the case the previous day, I only made two recordings.
The first was of 90733 heading for Oxenhope along GN Straight.

After that I walked back to nearer Keighley station to make this recording of a shuttle heading for Ingrow.
The loco was 5820 which sounds to be worked very gently out of the station to avoid a slip.
The Coal tank, 1054 was at the rear of the train but banking passenger trains isn't permitted.
The reason for my early departure from Keighley was so that I could get home in time to record a train running from Scarborough down the coast through Bridlington but although I was there in good time ready to record, the train, which should have been hauled by Galatea never put in an appearance. Galatea was failed at Scarborough with, of all things, a flat battery. That's one I've never heard before.

Scarborough Spa Express

After the problems experienced over the previous two summers, it came as no surprise that there were no summer Scarborough Spa Expresses in the West Coast Railway Company's programme for 2015. There were however three trains booked to coincide with the school's half term autumn holidays so it looked as though, after not getting a main line steam ride in the UK last year, I wouldn't be drawing a blank for 2015.
For various reasons I was only able to do the very last train during its morning run round the Wakefield circuit and while I enjoyed the run, mainly because it gave me the chance to meet up with quite a few people who I hadn't seen since last year's trains ran, I have to say that from a performance and noise point of view, this Scarborough Spa Express was just about the most dire I've experienced since first riding on the trains in the 1980s.
The main reason for the lack of noise was the diesel attached at the rear of the 12 coaches which at times provided a great deal of assistance.
Still, while I and other enthusiasts might not have been too happy with that aspect, it didn't seem to affect passenger numbers as all three trains ran pretty well full so maybe we'll see the same sort of thing again next year though I can't see a return to a full summer programme.
Probably my best recording was the departure from Normanton. 45699 was the loco.

It's bath time again!

On Sunday 1st November 2015 the Railway Touring Company ran another train titled 'The Tin Bath', a name which must puzzle many.
The route as usual saw the train running through Manchester Victoria, the Hope Valley then back to Manchester via Penistone and Brighouse. Motive power was provided by Ian Riley's pair of Black 5s, 44871 & 45407 recently returned from a season working trains on the West Highland Extension.
Our first recording was of the pair, on 12 coaches, on the climb out of Manchester Victoria.

Then it was off to Barnsley to get a recording of the two Black 5s climbing the 1 in 50 gradient towards Penistone and went to a spot not far from the site of the long vanished Summer Lane station that we had used before.
Thanks to the very light breeze we could just hear the pair all the way down at Barnsley station but the sound soon faded away as the train entered the cutting on the first part of the climb.
Once clear of the cutting, 44871 and 45407 sound fine on the climb and even seem to be accelerating slightly on the gradient as they pass.

We had one final recording opportunity after that.
The train stopped at Brighouse for water and once we had seen it arrive, we went to an overbridge a little way down the line where a friendly farmer allowed us access to one of his fields so we could get a little further away for our recording of the departure.
This might not be an earth shattering recording but I have to say that it was good to get out and be able to get 4 recordings of the same train and, after the various recent disappointments with diesels pushing and locos failing, to get four good recordings to boot.