Favourite Locos : 5305

That I should choose 5305 for this section should come as no surprise to anyone who knows me. As one time joint editor of HLPG News and now Membership Secretary of the 5305 Locomotive Association I could hardly choose anything else. As I work through digitizing more recordings 5305 will continue to appear on this page.
These recordings date back to the early 80's.
My first run with 5305 was in 1979 on one of the York Circles which ran twice a day on Sundays during the summer but I didn't do much recording in those days. My first steam hauled run over the S&C was behind 5305 in 1980 on one of the first SLOA Cumbrian Mountain Expresses but this recording was made on a later HLPG Charter which ran from Hull to Carlisle and back on 20th September 1980. This was just about the first time that I had managed to get things right on the recording front and was highly delighted with the recordings I made that day. This recording was made approaching Helwith Bridge during a fast northbound climb to Blea Moor.

In 1981 BR began running the Scarborough Spa Express, at that time only running between York and Scarborough - the morning and evening circles were introduced the following year. In addition to the SSE, trains were also run on certain Sundays between York and Carnforth to exchange locos. On 26th July 1981 5305 was employed on one of these trains. Being Sunday there were plenty of delays. The first of these came as early as Church Fenton where we were routed through the platform road while work was being carried out on the through road. However, the Five sounded well recovering from the slack and beginning the ascent of Leeds Bank.

By the time we reached Settle Jc. we were quite late. If I remember correctly single line working was in force from Settle Jc. to Carnforth and we had had to reverse at Hellifield to gain access to the up line. In any case our driver seems intent on making up some of the lost time as can be heard in this recording made passing Settle Jc. Unfortunately, the fireman has the boiler far too full and the loco begins priming badly.

For the 1982 season the Scarborough Spa Express itinerary was extended to include a run in the morning from York via Harrogate & Leeds back to York before proceeding to Scarborough. This circle was repeated in the evening in the opposite direction. Ordinary tickets were valid on these trains with the addition of the purchase of a steam supplement ticket which, if I remember rightly cost £2.00. This meant that 212 miles of steam haulage could be had each day for a very modest cost. It was only in later years that we began to experience the excellent locomotive performance that made the SSE evening circle so popular with enthusiasts and, in 1982, performances were generally mediocre. However, on a few occasions drivers did try to put in fast times. As on 1st August 1982. At the end of Platform 8 at York the Scarborough Spa Express gets the 'right away' for Leeds, the departure bell rings, the station announcer apologizes for a late running train and our driver seems intent on a fast time to Leeds. Later in the journey his intentions were frustrated, as was often the case that year, by signal checks.

It wasn't only the signalmen between York and Leeds who were determined to spoil things. On the evening of 22nd August 1982 we had suffered a number of checks on the climb from Leeds to Horsforth which culminated in being brought to a stand beyond Horsforth station. Eventually we got the road and 5305, after a brief slip climbs the last of the 1 in 100 gradient before heading down hill into Bramhope Tunnel.