Home»All Photographs»Year Albums»2020»September»2020_09_26 Lune Rivers Trust Steam Special

"The Lune Rivers Trust Steam Special" on Saturday 26th September 2020 was confidently predicted to be a celebration of Stanier Jubilee haulage from Coast to Coast across the north of England including a double headed return run. I must admit to being sceptical; WCRC do not like to run engines they do not own when one of theirs is available. Very early in the run it became clear that something was seriously wrong culminating in a 78 min late arrival in Hellifield. Then there was a total transformation with one of the fastest runs ever recorded between Hellifield and York. I was convinced steam had been replaced by diesel at Hellifield but the moment I left my parked car at Colton Junction I could see steam approaching after Bolton Percy. A rush up to road level and the train was passing fast hauled by 35018 BRITIASH INDIA LINE. Surely, on this basis, arrival in Scarborough would be 'right time'. But no, more problems and it was 51 min late. The rest of the saga was even worse. The light engine from York was cancelled and at one point so was the return train. It left eventually 106 min late, lost more time, then regained a chunk, lost even more and eventually rolled into Carnforth 130 min late. I wonder what the unfortunate passengers thought? I expect many were sufficiently lubricated by free West Coast alcohol not to care too much.