Favourite Locos : 46229

I well remember that day in May 1980 when I saw 'Duchess of Hamilton' approaching York station ready to work it's first train. I had never seen a 'Semi' in 'real' steam days so this was my first sight of one on the move. To say that I was impressed would be something of an understatement.
Now, had I been making sound recordings that day, or recording the performance I would have not have been impressed at all. We all expected great things from this engine but, in those early days we were sadly disappointed as, although the loco did all that was asked of it, no sparkling performances were forthcoming.
In this recording made on board the 'Cumbrian Mountain Pullman' on 20th March 1982, 46229 is passing Selside. The pedestrian progress is due to a 20 mph PWS the in force. As the loco clears the restriction and begins to accelerate the steam operated coal pusher on the tender can be heard in operation.

One theory put forward to explain the mediocre performances that we had been getting was that footplate crews were frightened of unleashing all that power and, rather than take the risk of something going wrong, kept the loco on a tight rein. Perhaps they had a point!
This recording was made during a photostop at Appleby on a northbound 'Cumbrian Mountain Pullman' on 12th March 1983. Back then photostops often included one or more runs past. Remember those? Nowadays, we hardly even get photostops! The driver on that day didn't allow for the fact that the rails on the foot crossing at the end of the platform may be a little slippery and the loco looses it's feet in dramatic fashion. Nothing dropped off though!

By this time the performance of the Duchess had improved dramatically mainly thanks to some encouragement from a certain support crew member who gave footplate crews some encouragement to have a go.
The southbound 'Cumbrian Mountain Pullman' on 19th March 1983 was quite a remarkable train. I travelled to Carlisle by service train to join this one and well remember arriving to find the Duchess parked in the middle road facing towards Glasgow! However, this wasn't a surprise run over Beattock. It turned out that the train was the wrong way round leaving London and, as Bernard Staite was particular about who was in the front coach he arranged for the entire train to be dragged out to Upperby before the Duchess took us round to London Rd Jc. thus turning the train. How very different to the way things are today!
I'm certainly glad that he went to the trouble otherwise I may not have got this recording of the Duchess reaching Ais Gill in a little less than 24 minutes at around 45 mph. Not bad with a 14 coach load.

On the 26th March 1983 we had a variation on the Cumbrian Mountain theme. On this occasion the train, the 'Thames Eden Pullman' which started with steam from Sheffield and was hauled to Leeds by Black 5 5305.
Waiting to take over at Leeds was 46229 'Duchess of Hamilton' and, at that time unknown to us, Holbeck driver Jim Melia. After a satisfactory run out of Leeds and a water stop at Hellifield Jim and the Duchess tackled the S&C. We passed Settle Jc. at 62 mph and and speed fell to 42 mph by Helwith Bridge. Beyond this point Jim decided to give us a run for our money. On the gradient up to Horton speed rose to over 50 mph and remained at around 52 mph all the way to near Ribblehead where the loco had to be eased for the slack over the viaduct.
This recording was made approaching Ribblehead. This is more like it!

But Jim wasn't finished with us yet. Having taken water at Hellifield there was no need to stop at Garsdale and we ran non stop to Appleby. Having passed Garsdale station at a little over 60 mph and accelerated to 68 mph before passing through Moorcock Tunnel where this recording starts. From that point speed was maintained through Shotlock Hill Tunnel until, on the easier gradient beyond speed rose and we passed Ais Gill summit at a magnificent 70 mph. A remarkable performance which was almost without precedent especially on the S&C which, at that time was a 60 mph railway.