Scarborough Spa Express 2002

The name Scarborough Spa Express made a most welcome return for the summer of 2002 with the West Coast Railway Company running trains from that resort to York on three days each week. With stock and locomotives stabled at Scarborough unlike the trains of the same name in the 80's this Scarborough Spa Express ran twice each day from Scarborough to York and back.
The locos for these trains were 8F 48151 and Hall 5972 'Olton Hall' still in its Hogwarts red livery, hopefully cashing in on the popularity of 'Harry Potter'!
The programme of trains didn't run entirely without problems and passengers were pretty thin on the ground at times but, with the WCRC providing stock, locos and crew it should have been a relatively cheap operation to run and, hopefully, will be repeated next year.
My first outing was on 31st July 2002 with the expectation of a noisy run to Scarborough and back with the Hall. Sadly, the Hall was broken and the 8F was in charge instead. The 8F didn't appear to be in particularly good order with bad blows from both cylinders and I would really love to know what was being held together by the length of string which extended from the fireman's side cab window and disappeared into the frames half way along the boiler. I hope that it wasn't holding a wheel on! Despite all this we got to Scarborough and back without anything dropping off.
Hissing nicely the 8F is heard in this recording setting off from York on the midday run back to Scarborough.

By 13th August 2002 the 8F had returned to Carnforth for attention and 5972 'Olton Hall' was left to look after the trains.
The route from York to Scarborough is relatively flat and offers little in the way of opportunities for noise. At least that is how it used to be. Back in the 80's on an SSE it was usually possible to put the tape recorder away, sit back, enjoy the passing scenery and perhaps have a beer. However, with the Hall matters were somewhat different with wall to wall noise being the order of the day as you can hear in this recording made passing Seamer during the return journey to York.

Raising the echoes under York's overall roof 5972 'Olton Hall' departs for Scarborough on 21st August 2002. Lets hope they run again next year!