ash39
Established Member
- Joined
- 8 Feb 2012
- Messages
- 1,524
This trip came about at quite short notice... Friday 30th September, and I stumble across a photo of a 91 at Carlisle from the previous weekend. Start thinking to myself, there's not going to be many more opportunities to see this, with the bi-modes coming in over the next couple of years.
A quick search later and some very reasonable advances were purchased for the next day. I had plans in the morning but it worked out so I could catch the later of the two dragged northbound services, have a couple of hours in Carlisle and then come back on the second southbound drag.
Got to York station in plenty of time for the 1253 departure. I was hoping for a winning 91 but that was quashed as soon as I saw appear in the distance, as it was unmistakably 91111. Can't complain, I've only had it between York & Doncaster previously and it'd make a good photo at Carlisle. The train was booked off platform 5 rather than the more usual platform 9, and the position markers for the coach letters are redundant in this direction, meaning many were about 4 coach lengths away from where they needed to be.
Despite the forecast suggesting otherwise, the sun was out. 43185 in 'new' swallow livery and 43002 were basking outside the NRM looking superb. The journey was uneventful, 91111 ticking over 100 miles by the time we reached Newcastle. Favourite skip 67030 was seen in the thunderbird siding, but unfortunately wouldn't be doing the drag.
Winner 67008 was attached swiftly, 16 minutes in fact, and we chugged away slowly, back the way we came, in order to take the Tyne Valley line to Carlisle. Despite losing and making up a bit of time at various points en route, we actually arrived into Carlisle 2 minutes early at 1541.
Ready to unhitch the 67
67008 Carlisle 01/10/2016 by Flash 3939, on Flickr]
91 powered back up and ready to go
91111 Carlisle 01/10/2016 by Flash 3939, on Flickr
I spent a bit of time on the station before nipping into town for a coffee and a bit of food for the return. A few random shots below, sorry this report's a bit pic heavy...
66024 Carlisle 01/10/2016 by Flash 3939, on Flickr
East & West at Carlisle 01/10/2016 by Flash 3939, on Flickr
The weather changed between sun and threatening cloud throughout the day. 67008 was plonked on one of the through roads between bringing in the northbound set and working the southbound;
390114 Carlisle 01/10/2016 by Flash 3939, on Flickr
43310 Carlisle 01/10/2016 by Flash 3939, on Flickr
Dud 91127 arrived at around 1700 from Edinburgh, leaving a leisurely 35 minutes to attach the 67. Allowed time for a couple of photos before taking up my seat in coach B.
91127 Carlisle 01/10/2016 by Flash 3939, on Flickr
Footbridge shots with overhead wires rarely work but I think this one does, probably my favourite of the day. Take a look at the collection of children's drawings of the queen on the far left!
From the footbridge - Carlisle 01/10/2016 by Flash 3939, on Flickr
I made mention of coach B as there was a lady sat adjacent to me who was very distressed, and made this known to the trolley attendant (of all people), because there were people talking in the quiet coach. Don't get me wrong, I'm the first person to get annoyed if people aren't following the rules, but we're talking about a fairly standard civilised conversation between a couple of people sitting at a table. The trolley attendant subtly and politley suggested it was the quiet coach not the silent coach (great line!), and offered her the option of moving to coach D which was supposedly almost empty. She was also complaining about the trolley not taking card payment (due to a fault), not wanting to walk half the length of the train to the buffet, and the fact she spent a lot of money on her ticket, of which I'm not sure what the relevance to the situation was. She was annoying me a this point, ironically being quite vocal in the quiet coach. Thankfully she took up the offer of the seat in coach D!
There was a 10 minute delay at Newcastle, due to a 'train fault'. Wondering if the 67 would be hastily reattached, the driver then rectified the fault and we were away. Didn't manage to make up the time, but was back in York for 2040. A good half day out! I've already done the Durham Coast line on a mk4 (by accident!) a couple of years ago, so now wondering if I can tick off the other diversions before the 91's go. Maybe a couple of trips to plan for next year...
A quick search later and some very reasonable advances were purchased for the next day. I had plans in the morning but it worked out so I could catch the later of the two dragged northbound services, have a couple of hours in Carlisle and then come back on the second southbound drag.
Got to York station in plenty of time for the 1253 departure. I was hoping for a winning 91 but that was quashed as soon as I saw appear in the distance, as it was unmistakably 91111. Can't complain, I've only had it between York & Doncaster previously and it'd make a good photo at Carlisle. The train was booked off platform 5 rather than the more usual platform 9, and the position markers for the coach letters are redundant in this direction, meaning many were about 4 coach lengths away from where they needed to be.
Despite the forecast suggesting otherwise, the sun was out. 43185 in 'new' swallow livery and 43002 were basking outside the NRM looking superb. The journey was uneventful, 91111 ticking over 100 miles by the time we reached Newcastle. Favourite skip 67030 was seen in the thunderbird siding, but unfortunately wouldn't be doing the drag.
Winner 67008 was attached swiftly, 16 minutes in fact, and we chugged away slowly, back the way we came, in order to take the Tyne Valley line to Carlisle. Despite losing and making up a bit of time at various points en route, we actually arrived into Carlisle 2 minutes early at 1541.
Ready to unhitch the 67
67008 Carlisle 01/10/2016 by Flash 3939, on Flickr]
91 powered back up and ready to go
91111 Carlisle 01/10/2016 by Flash 3939, on Flickr
I spent a bit of time on the station before nipping into town for a coffee and a bit of food for the return. A few random shots below, sorry this report's a bit pic heavy...
66024 Carlisle 01/10/2016 by Flash 3939, on Flickr
East & West at Carlisle 01/10/2016 by Flash 3939, on Flickr
The weather changed between sun and threatening cloud throughout the day. 67008 was plonked on one of the through roads between bringing in the northbound set and working the southbound;
390114 Carlisle 01/10/2016 by Flash 3939, on Flickr
43310 Carlisle 01/10/2016 by Flash 3939, on Flickr
Dud 91127 arrived at around 1700 from Edinburgh, leaving a leisurely 35 minutes to attach the 67. Allowed time for a couple of photos before taking up my seat in coach B.
91127 Carlisle 01/10/2016 by Flash 3939, on Flickr
Footbridge shots with overhead wires rarely work but I think this one does, probably my favourite of the day. Take a look at the collection of children's drawings of the queen on the far left!
From the footbridge - Carlisle 01/10/2016 by Flash 3939, on Flickr
I made mention of coach B as there was a lady sat adjacent to me who was very distressed, and made this known to the trolley attendant (of all people), because there were people talking in the quiet coach. Don't get me wrong, I'm the first person to get annoyed if people aren't following the rules, but we're talking about a fairly standard civilised conversation between a couple of people sitting at a table. The trolley attendant subtly and politley suggested it was the quiet coach not the silent coach (great line!), and offered her the option of moving to coach D which was supposedly almost empty. She was also complaining about the trolley not taking card payment (due to a fault), not wanting to walk half the length of the train to the buffet, and the fact she spent a lot of money on her ticket, of which I'm not sure what the relevance to the situation was. She was annoying me a this point, ironically being quite vocal in the quiet coach. Thankfully she took up the offer of the seat in coach D!
There was a 10 minute delay at Newcastle, due to a 'train fault'. Wondering if the 67 would be hastily reattached, the driver then rectified the fault and we were away. Didn't manage to make up the time, but was back in York for 2040. A good half day out! I've already done the Durham Coast line on a mk4 (by accident!) a couple of years ago, so now wondering if I can tick off the other diversions before the 91's go. Maybe a couple of trips to plan for next year...
