The Long Drag

The name 'Long Drag' was given to the northbound climb from Settle Junction to Blea Moor on the Settle Carlisle line by footplate men in steam days. I'm sure that with a heavy goods train and a loco shy of steam that is exactly how it was - specially for the fireman.
Now, in the days of preserved locos which are usually in better fettle than they were in the past a run up the Long Drag isn't as daunting as it was in the past although things aren't always quite straightforward.
The 1 in 100 gradient which apart from a few short easier sections continues all the way into Blea Moor Tunnel begins at Settle Junction. With modern day steam hauled trains beginning their journeys at Hellifield or beyond it is usually possible to get a run at the bank on the preceding falling gradients. Usually, but not always.
On 7th April 1984 Unrebuilt West Country 4-6-2 34092 'City of Wells' was unfortunate to suffer a signal check approaching Settle Jc. with the Cumbrian Mountain Express. The check brought our speed down to 20 mph before the signal cleared. In this on-train recording 'City of Wells' is heard accelerating the 12 coach load away from the check.

After Settle Jc. the 1 in 100 gradient is briefly interrupted at Settle station and then continues to Helwith Bridge where the line is actually level for about ¼ mile before resuming. In this on-train recording we hear 46229 'Duchess of Hamilton' emerging from Taitlands (sometimes referred to as Stainforth) Tunnel going well heading for this easier section at Helwith Bridge on 2nd June 1984.
And if you think you can hear an odd background noise in this recording you are not mistaken. Much of the run was a complete wash out from a sound recording point of view as for most of the time we were pursued by a helicopter!

Beyond Helwith Bridge the 1 in 100 gradient is only eased by two short sections of 1 in 200 near Horton-in-Ribblesdale before Ribblehead Viaduct is reached.
In this lineside recording Stanier 8F 2-8-0 48151 is heard at the head of 12 coaches going well passing Selside on 12th December 1998.

Once Ribblehead is in sight the worst of the Long Drag is over. Nowadays there is a 30 mph speed restriction over Ribblehead Viaduct which usually, but not always means that the loco can be eased to avoid exceeding this speed on the easier gradient over the viaduct.
On 21st December 1996 Stanier Class 5MT 2-6-0 2968 was going quite fast enough to need easing approaching Ribblehead station. We had experienced an absolutely tremendous run with this fine engine. After suffering a signal stop at Settle Jc. we had accelerated to 36 mph before Helwith Bridge then competed the rest of the climb to Ribblehead with speed maintained at around 40 mph and this with a 9 coach load behind the tender weighing over 350 tons.
In this on-train recording 2968 is heard on the last part of the climb to Ribblehead before being eased for the speed restriction over the viaduct.

Once off Ribblehead Viaduct the 1 in 100 gradient continues past Blea Moor sidings and signal box and actually continues a little way into Blea Moor Tunnel.
The finest performance that I have ever been fortunate to witness on the Long Drag was behind 60009 'Union of South Africa' on 28th April 1984.
On that occasion our driver was Edwin Altham from Skipton who alas is no longer with us. Edwin was one of those enginemen who, given suitable circumstances was prepared to have a go and, on that day, 'have a go' he certainly did!
With a 12 coach train weighing over 450 tons we had passed Settle Jc. at no less than 68 mph from there to easing off for Ribblehead speed never fell below 52 mph and we were able to record a time of just 16 minutes 10 seconds from passing Settle Jc. to passing Blea Moor signal box which, as far as I am aware is still the fastest time for that section since steam returned to the line. I feel that I should also add that, as we passed over Ribblehead Viaduct the view back down Ribblesdale was completely blotted out by smoke from lineside fires unfortunately caused by our passage! While no one on the train that day was heard to complain Edwin was not popular with his bosses for a little while after that episode.
This on-train recording begins as we pass Blea Moor box with the record run in the bag and Edwin gets the regulator open once more on the last section of 1 in 100 into Blea Moor Tunnel.