9Fs being banked over Shap

[alexl92]

I was watching some clips of 1960s steam earlier and one video showed a 9F hauling a train of standard 4-wheel box vans up towards shap, being banked by a Standard Class 4 4-6-0. This makes sense, except that the train is not all that long - I'd estimate at around 10-15 wagons.

I'd always thought that even on that gradient, a 9F would be fine with such a load as I've often seen picures of them hauling far longer trains. Is there any reason why the banker would have been used in this case - for example to tryand maintain a certain speed - or am I overestimating the 9Fs/underestimating the gradient?

 

[Merthyr Imp]

A possibility could be that the 9F was suffering from some defect, for example, not steaming well for whatever reason.

 

[neilb62]

I need to ask round at work but I remember hearing that all trains of certain classes were banked up Greyrigg and Shap, regardless of load.

 

[Taunton]

I believe there was a requirement on certain gradients that all freight trains with unbraked wagons had to be banked at the rear (ie even double heading was not acceptable). Although such gradients had catch points to protect broken-away unbraked wagons running back into the service behind, these were a complete nuisance and disruption if actually used in anger, and always ran the risk that the opposite line might be fouled with derailed wagons.