Steam from Stratford

In May 1986 the Humberside Locomotive Preservation Group's (now the 5305 Locomotive Association) Southern Railway King Arthur 4-6-0 777 'Sir Lamiel' was still down in London and taking a hand in working the very popular Sunday Lunch Shakespeare Limited dining trains to Stratford-on-Avon.
Being for diners only these weren't the kind of train that I would normally travel on. Well, for one thing, they were expensive and taking meals does rather interfere with sound recording activities!
However, on 18th May 1986 I was invited to travel in the support coach on one of these trains from Marylebone to Stratford and back.
To give passengers a longer stay at Stratford these trains were only steam hauled on the outward journey as far as Banbury being diesel hauled from there to Stratford while the loco and support coach continued to Dorridge, reversing there before running to Stratford tender first to be reunited with the train.
The start out of Stratford is steep and on this occasion the diesel which had taken the train from Banbury to Stratford provided a little assistance at the start, but only as far as the platform end after which 777 was on its own.
As you can hear in this recording made approaching Wilmcote at the top of the 1 in 75 gradient 777 had no problems on the climb.

During the weekend of 7/8th June 1986 the Birmingham Railway Museum ran a series of trains between Tyseley and Stratford-upon-Avon.
Motive power for these trains was provided by GWR Castle 4-6-0 7029 'Clun Castle' and LMS Jubilee 4-6-0 5593 'Kohlapur'.
I was particularly pleased to see the ex Holbeck Jubilee back on the main line it being one of the few steam locos, now preserved, that I had ridden behind in pre 1968 BR days.
To avoid any tender first running locos were changed at Stratford with the loco that had brought the train from Tyseley turning on the triangle at Hatton while the other loco worked the train to Tyseley and back.
During the outward run from Tyseley the Jubilee had to slow at Wythall station due to limited clearances through the platforms.
Once through the station 5593 accelerates on the gently rising gradient to the summit not far away at Earlswood.

The return to Tyseley was in the hands of the Castle 7029 which is heard in this recording departing from Stratford-upon-Avon.
Soon after the start the loco begins on the 1 in 75 ascent to Wilmcote and speed begins to fall but the Castle has no difficulty on the climb.

5593 was motive power for the next train out of Stratford and is heard from the lineside passing Bishopton not far from the start at Stratford and going well climbing the 1 in 75 gradient towards Wilmcote.

Again heard from the lineside 'Kohlapur' is heard between Wythall and Earlswood returning from Tyseley to Startford.

With the final train of the day 7029 'Clun Castle' is heard not far from Wood End Tunnel making a very fine sound climbing the gradient to the summit at Earlswood.

4498 'Sir Nigel Gresley' returned north from Marylebone on 16th February 1985 with another Thames-Avon Express.
From Stratford-upon-Avon, instead of returning steam hauled to Marylebone we ran to Tyseley where the A4 left us. In this recording 4498 is heard reaching the top of the 1 in 75 gradient out of Stratford and passing Wilmcote before easing for Bearley Jc.

Over the weekend of 8/9th June 1985 the Birmingham Railway Museum ran a series of 4 trains each day between Tyseley & Stratford upon Avon as part of the GW 150 celebrations.
These trains were supposed to be hauled by Castle 7029 'Clun Castle' and, newly returned after major overhaul, Jubilee 5593 'Kohlapur' making it's main line debut.
Unfortunately the Jubilee had failed on the first train on the Saturday and wasn't available so the Castle worked all trains.
During the afternoon of 9th June 1985 7029 is heard from the lineside passing Bishopton on the 1 in 75 climb out of Stratford with the 9 coach Shakespeare Express.