JonathonAG
Member
- Joined
- 4 Jul 2005
- Messages
- 91
Well, yesterday proved exciting in places.
For many years, the SRPS has operated it's Railtour programme without any steam services included at all...mainly due to the lack of steam locos North of the Border. However, with A4 No. 60009 "Union Of South Africa" and K4 No. 61994 "The Great Marquess" now based in Fife....new oppurtunites have arised. In the pouring rain, the K4 made it's second railtour appearence on the mainline with a SRPS excursion from Polmont to the Strathspey Steam Railway and return.
The tour was handled by a WCRC Class 47 on the Polmont - Perth and Return Sections, While The K4 Handled from Perth over The Highland Mainline. Unfortunetly, An Unplanned Stop Was Made At Drumauchter Loop for 10 minutes as the K4 needed time to raise steam due to poor grade of polish coal being used at the time. However, this was rectified at Aviemore, where she arrived 5 minutes early and was serviced and given better coal by Strathspey members. This resulted, from reports, with better running throughout the day.
However, my day didn't go as to plan as there's did. A late start from my grandparents hour meant we never caught up with the train until 10 miles before the Drumauchter Stop....and a requirement to be home for 6 meant that I never saw any of the run from Boat of Garten southwards to Perth......that and my Batteries running out about 6 miles Noeth of Drumauchter which orevented me getting a perfect photo in a very short time of a few seconds....meant that not much was acheived.
The rest of the photos can be viewed here: http://jonathonag.fotopic.net/c1351127.html
Anyway, I hope despite the bad weather of continual rain all day, plus with lack of photo oppurtunites, hasn't affected the overall quality of what can be seen of yesterdays tour.
For many years, the SRPS has operated it's Railtour programme without any steam services included at all...mainly due to the lack of steam locos North of the Border. However, with A4 No. 60009 "Union Of South Africa" and K4 No. 61994 "The Great Marquess" now based in Fife....new oppurtunites have arised. In the pouring rain, the K4 made it's second railtour appearence on the mainline with a SRPS excursion from Polmont to the Strathspey Steam Railway and return.
The tour was handled by a WCRC Class 47 on the Polmont - Perth and Return Sections, While The K4 Handled from Perth over The Highland Mainline. Unfortunetly, An Unplanned Stop Was Made At Drumauchter Loop for 10 minutes as the K4 needed time to raise steam due to poor grade of polish coal being used at the time. However, this was rectified at Aviemore, where she arrived 5 minutes early and was serviced and given better coal by Strathspey members. This resulted, from reports, with better running throughout the day.
However, my day didn't go as to plan as there's did. A late start from my grandparents hour meant we never caught up with the train until 10 miles before the Drumauchter Stop....and a requirement to be home for 6 meant that I never saw any of the run from Boat of Garten southwards to Perth......that and my Batteries running out about 6 miles Noeth of Drumauchter which orevented me getting a perfect photo in a very short time of a few seconds....meant that not much was acheived.
The rest of the photos can be viewed here: http://jonathonag.fotopic.net/c1351127.html
Anyway, I hope despite the bad weather of continual rain all day, plus with lack of photo oppurtunites, hasn't affected the overall quality of what can be seen of yesterdays tour.