Fastest stretch of L&MR

[TomW]

I'm off to see (and hopefully film) a Black Five running the coast to coast express on Saturday and I'm planning it out so I can see it leave Liverpool in the morning and run back down to Liverpool at night. Seeing as this will be my first standard gauge steam locomotive I've seen since I was 5-6 I want to see it at speed so I was wondering if anyone would know where between Manchester Victoria and Liverpool Lime Street it would be running fastest.

As far as I'm aware it will be calling at St Helen's Junction, Manchester Vic and York as well as Lime St and Scarborough for both runs and seeing as I don't want to pay £20+ that I don't have to travel up to Leeds or wherever I want to know where on the Liverpool-Manchester stretch the train will be at its fastest.

Any northerners that know better have any suggestions as to what station would be ideal to watch from?

 

[Bevan Price]

Provided it is not following an all-stations local, likely to be fastest at Roby or Huyton, then Patricroft / Eccles.
It will be working hard, but not travelling so quickly, on the uphill section from Huyton Quarry through Whiston to Rainhill. At Lea Green, it will probably be slowing for the stop at St Helens Junction. There has been recent engineering work + speed restriction at Earlestown, which may still apply on Saturday. .

 

[46223]

I'm off to see (and hopefully film) a Black Five running the coast to coast express on Saturday

Word is it's 46115 on this and not a Black 5.

 

[Darren R]

Word is it's 46115 on this and not a Black 5.

That's what the UK Steam website is saying - but they're also reporting reduced steam sections due to fire risk. Currently suggesting steam-hauled from Liverpool to Milford outward and Milford - Manchester Vic return.

http://www.uksteam.info/tours/t13/t0713b.htm

(The linked page also has links to the relevant pages on Realtime Trains to allow you to check on how it's running on the day - could be useful depending on how far you're travelling to see it.)

 

[TomW]

Word is it's 46115 on this and not a Black 5.

It is, not sure where I got Black 5 from then, unless I'm thinking the August tour.

The linked page also has links to the relevant pages on Realtime Trains to allow you to check on how it's running on the day

I was about to say the times aren't on RTT so why are they linking it then I clicked on the headcodes, my bad.

Also regarding diesel haulage, will the loco just be deadhauled or are they taking it off the train for those sections? (if they do resort to that cause it seems to be a big maybe on that timetable)

Thanks for the help guys, much appreciated.

 

[46223]

Rumour has it 45699 'Galatea' is now booked for this.

 

[Signalmans Eye]

I've also heard it 45699(green?)also working to Lpool on return

 

[Darren R]

I couldn't help notice that in the event the train started from Manchester Victoria due to a "coaching stock problem." I also notice that although booked to stop at Milford loop for an hour outward bound to take on water, it only actually stayed for a few minutes and departed almost an hour early. Does anyone know what happened?

 

[TomW]

I couldn't help notice that in the event the train started from Manchester Victoria due to a "coaching stock problem." I also notice that although booked to stop at Milford loop for an hour outward bound to take on water, it only actually stayed for a few minutes and departed almost an hour early. Does anyone know what happened?

"Reduced steam due to fire risk" has been tossed around a hell of a lot with this tour in particular, I assume they're referring to the more leafy areas of Knowsley etc. We're in the midst of a heatwave and I imagine there'd be a lot of dry wood especially round the Broad Green-St Helens area of the line and from what I can gather dry flammable things + cinders = a big no no.

But yeah that little surprise left me a little bit ticked off yesterday, I put the saveaway to good use and got the ferry back to Birkenhead though and that cheered me up immensely. Guess I'll have to wait for the Liverpool-Holyhead tour to come through later this month for my first real taste of standard gauge steam.

As for the Milford part, I have no clue whatsoever.