All over the place

During the last twenty-odd years I've travelled the length and breadth of the country behind steam locos on the main line so here are some recordings made all over the place!

There have been quite a few opportunities over the years to visit some quite unlikely places behind steam locos. One such unexpected oppertunity arose in 1986 when a steam hauled train was organised to run from Newcastle to Saltburn and back behind LNER K1 2-6-0 2005. Steam has not revisited Saltburn since.
During the afternoon of 17th August 1986 2005 is heard departing from Redcar for Saltburn.

By 1986 experiments with Radio Electronic Tokenless Block (RETB) in Suffolk had proved successful and the system had been installed on the lines north of Inverness to Wick & Thurso and Kyle of Lochalsh.
By allowing the closure of the majority of signal boxes on these routes large savings in manpower and infrastructure costs had been made. In view of this the West Highland lines were to be the next to 'benefit' from the introduction of RETB.
This would, of course, have an impact on the steam hauled services running between Fort William and Mallaig so Scotrail decided to carry out an experiment to see if there were any inherent problems in using RETB with a steam loco by running Black 5 4-6-0 44767, which had been running that summer from Fort William, on the Far North Line from Inverness to Helmsdale and back on Sunday 31st August 1986.
After an interesting run from Inverness and despite some small difficulties with obtaining water 44767 eventually reached the main climb on the route to Helmsdale which is that from Culrain, through Lairg and on to the summit beyond.
Having reached Lairg without difficulty 44767 is heard departing and beginning the 1 in 70 climb beyond.
Although not quite John 'O Groats, near enough!

If Helmsdale isn't quite John 'O Groats then at least Penzance is as near to Lands End as it is possible to get by train.
Steam returned to Cornwall in October 1995 when BR Standard Pacific 70000 'Britannia' was booked to work trains to and from Penzance.
Unfortunately things didn't go according to plan on the outward journey when pilot loco 7802 'Bradley Manor' ran a tender axlebox hot and had to be removed from the train at Plymouth. This left the Pacific to continue on its own to Penzance with a 12 coach load and some very steep gradients still to surmount. All went well until on the climb to St. Austell the loco stalled recovering from a 20 mph speed restriction and diesel assistance had to be provided.
For the return journey a week later on 21st October 1995 we had a load of 13 coaches and the powers that be insisted that the train be assisted by a diesel at least as far as Exeter. It even required some persuasion before they would agree that the Class 47 diesel could be coupled behind the steam loco rather than on the front!
This was unfortunate and not what we had paid for. Indeed, I very nearly decided not to bother as the train, which started at Crewe had a very early start and would, no doubt have an equally late finish but, as there was still some scope for something to record I went.
On arrival at Crewe we were not pleased to find that the coaches set aside for dinners were at the rear of the train and would be nearest the steam loco on the return, our seats would be right at the back. However, at Penzance after a little negotiating, we were able to occupy a window at the rear of the locomotive's support coach although this would mean spending most of the day standing.
The effort proved worthwhile as you can hear in this recording made on the first serious climb after departing from Penzance.
The crew on the Brit had words with the driver on the Class 47 and instructed him to do no more than was absolutely necessary, if possible just move his own weight and no more.
This recording begins soon after passing Gwinear Road. Having reached 60 mph on the falling gradient beyond speed only falls to a little under 50 mph on the climb through Cambourne where the gradient eases. And no audible assistance from the 47 either!

South West Wales had a visit from a steam hauled train on 22nd August 1998 when 6024 'King Edward I' was out on it's own territory working a train from Newport to Carmarthen and back. During the outward journey having negotiated the Swansea avoiding line the King is heard climbing the 1 in 50 gradient of Cockett bank.

Steam returned to the North Wales Coast route in the late 80's with trains working through from Crewe to the western terminus at Holyhead.
On 3rd January 1994 we had a steam hauled run on the route with ex LMS Princess Royal Pacific 46203 'Princess Margaret Rose'. This proved to be an outstanding run.
Although, on occasion, we had travelled faster, sometimes much faster, up to this time the maximum permitted speed for steam locos running on the main line had been 60 mph.
However, there had been various moves afoot to permit this limited to be raised to 75 mph for certain locomotives. 46203 was the first to have this new limit applied and this was the first public train to be officially permitted to run at these speeds. Our driver on this day certainly took advantage!
By running at over 70 mph where possible we were able to complete the 44½ mile run from Chester to Llandudno Jc. in just over 40½ minutes, well inside even time. An excellent performance with 12 coaches behind the tender.
This recording was made at the start of the return journey as 46203 departs from Holyhead and begins to climb the 1 in 75 gradient which begins at the platform end.
The hum audible in this recording is coming from the generator coach which was being used to provide train heating.

Another of my interests which sometimes coincides with my interest in railways is hill walking and there can be no better place to combine the two than Snowdon!
It's a strange thing but although it is only three or four years since I last walked up it I'm sure that they have made the path up Snowdon from Pen-y-Pass steeper. They may have increased the height of the mountain too because I found the walk somewhat harder than last time. Or could there be some other reason?
Anyway, on 4th September 2003 I did make it (and hope to continue doing so for a few years yet) and was rewarded by getting a recording high on the mountain something that I had failed to do on previous visits.
One problem with recording at this altitude is wind, usually strong to gale at this altitude but on this day there was no more than a light breeze.
With the complete recording lasting almost 17 minutes it is hardly surprising that I was disturbed by a few aircraft. To be more precise, 3 helicopters, 1 light aircraft and two RAF jets! Two of the helicopters were on mountain rescue duties, the light aircraft was probably on a pleasure flight from the airfield near Caernarfon and in North Wales it is almost impossible to avoid the sound of RAF jets at any time. Fortunately the RAF arrived over the summit at the same time as the steam loco passed my microphone and, as the loco was making plenty of noise they can only just be heard!
This recording was made at about the 3000 foot contour above Clogwyn Station and I was able to hear the up train, powered by the eponymous No. 4 'Snowdon', climbing all the way from Halfway Station.
This recording begins as No. 4 leaves the passing loop at Clogwyn where a diesel powered train was waiting to cross and, as the second mountain rescue helicopter arrives on the scene, continues the climb to the Summit.
Soon on a gradient of 1 in 5.5, the steepest on the mountain, the locomotive makes a fine sound pushing it's well filled single coach up the mountain.
Despite the aerial interruptions a most satisfactory reward for the effort of climbing the mountain and my highest altitude recording so far!

We'll end with, what for me was a rare visit down south which I made on 28th February 1998 for Bullied Pacific 34027 'Taw Valley' running from Victoria to Salisbury and back out via Horsham and the coast and back via the main line.
During the outward journey we stopped at Havant while a seemingly endless procession of trains overtook us. Eventually we got the road and 34027 is heard departing for Southampton.