More (or less) steam on the Moors

60007 'Sir Nigel Gresley' back in action

Back in the early days after the end of steam in 1968 4498 as it was then numbered was one of the first locos that I travelled behind on the main line and, although there have been gaps while the loco was being overhauled, it seems to have been out and about through most of the intervening years until it came out of traffic on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway for its most recent overhaul.
It's return to working passenger trains on the NYMR had already been advertised for early August so when I visited the line in July, while I thought I might see the loco, I didn't expect to see it working passenger trains.
I was a little surprised therefore, to be able to get this recording of the loco climbing the 1 in 49 gradient to Goathland with the 15:45 departure from Grosmont on 25th July 2006!
The loco sounds to be going well with 7 coaches behind the tender. In addition, there was a Class 24 diesel attached to the rear of the train but it didn't sound to be assisting, just adding to the weight of the train.

Firecon

The North Yorkshire Moors Railway, like others, suffers from time to time with high fire risk causing problems and such was the case during my visit after a prolonged spell of hot and dry weather at the end of July.
The railway has a number of Fire Control emergency timetables that can be used ranging from Firecon 1, no risk, through Firecon 2, diesel pilots from Goathland to Levisham, through to Firecon 4, all diesel.
For the first two days of my visit we had to suffer Firecon 2 which, as well as having diesels working from Goathland to Levisham, also meant that the first train from Goathland had a diesel pilot up the climb from Grosmont.
This situation was made worse by the railway having a shortage of working steam locos causing a diesel to be in use on one diagram in place of a steam loco each day. So the second train from Grosmont was also diesel hauled even once back on Firecon 1. Talk about picking a bad time for a visit!
However, all was not lost as you can hear in this recording of the double chimney BR Standard Class 4 2-6-0 75029 making a very fine sound passing Thomason Foss with the last train of the day on 25th July.

Whitby

Like last year the NYMR are running trains to Whitby and, also like last year, these trains go through Grosmont to Glaisdale so that a service train can pass and the loco can run round in the passing loop there.
The railway is working towards being able to run these trains off and back onto their own metals at Grosmont but this requires some alterations to the signalling arrangements and, no doubt, the inevitable and dreaded safety case to be written to the satisfaction of all parties!
The work required could not be completed in time for this year - but perhaps next? However, for the enthusiast and sound recordist there is a decided advantage in having the trains running to Glaisdale. From Whitby to Grosmont there are no gradients of any note and little opportunity for noise but, beyond Grosmont, the gradient becomes steeper.
Last year I managed to get a number of good recordings of 76079 but, with that loco away from the railway, ex LMS Black 5 4-6-0 45407 was doing the honours on 27th July.
This recording was made between Grosmont and Egton Bridge just beyond the first bridge over the River Esk which has a speed restriction on it. Despite only having 4 coaches behind the tender the Black 5 makes a fine sound accelerating after the check.