Whitsun 1962 was another memorable occasion in my sixties steam diary. My brother and I had decided to spend the holiday weekend with our uncle and aunt in Sheffield. The main motive was to climb Kinder Scout, but steam was very much a close second in our plans for the trip.
We set out in John's 1935 MG from Southern Hampshire very early in the morning, and despite dodgy brakes (and no motorways) we survived the journey up through the centre of England and over the Pennines. On the way we stopped at a bridge over the WCML near Lichfield and, sure enough, after the passing of a couple of type 40s, way to the west we saw a wisp of steam. I shouted "It's a Brit!" but John wasn't so sure. It was our lucky day as 71000 'Duke of Gloucester' swung past - not as pristine as today, but an oily clean none-the-less.
We set out in John's 1935 MG from Southern Hampshire very early in the morning, and despite dodgy brakes (and no motorways) we survived the journey up through the centre of England and over the Pennines. On the way we stopped at a bridge over the WCML near Lichfield and, sure enough, after the passing of a couple of type 40s, way to the west we saw a wisp of steam. I shouted "It's a Brit!" but John wasn't so sure. It was our lucky day as 71000 'Duke of Gloucester' swung past - not as pristine as today, but an oily clean none-the-less.
The next day, after the morning's climb of Kinder Scout with my uncle and twin cousins, I managed to persuade the former to give me a ride to Darnall shed - a depot I had fantasised over for years! But, as it turned out, I only had distant views of the shed and its bank holiday compliment of steam from a footbridge. Then, to make matters worse, my uncle was unable to find an entrance to the yard and was reluctant to leave me to my own devices in what was, in 1962, a rather rough area of Sheffield. I could hardly contain my disappointment!
A later visit to Sheffield's Midland Station was a slight recompence, with Jubilee 45614 'Leeward Islands' and Riddles Class 5 73046 on up trains.
A later visit to Sheffield's Midland Station was a slight recompence, with Jubilee 45614 'Leeward Islands' and Riddles Class 5 73046 on up trains.
The real action of our Whitsun trip started on our journey home. It had always been an ambition of mine to visit the East Coast Main Line near to the spot where 'Mallard' made her record breaking run, so we decided to drive south via the ECML at Corby Glen, the Midland main line at Kettering, the LMS main line near Blisworth, and then Oxford and back to Hampshire. I have to say, it was rather ambitious within the daylight we had to work with.
Having set out in our cramped little MG, we eventually pulled up at a spot overlooking Corby Glen, south of Stoke. The weather was foul, with a thick ’scotch mist’ swirling around us. Everything was grey.
After about ten minutes a faint orange light appeared over the fields to the north. It looked quite surreal and there wasn’t a sound for a couple of minutes. Then a strange muffled roar came to us, confirming the approach of an express, working hard. The halo of light grew brighter and moved towards us over the fields, then, under a distant road bridge, came a fiery A3 Pacific, its cab ringed with the most incredible disc of orange and white light.
The noise was tremendous as the express accelerated by, its open firebox door silhouetting a toiling fireman. It passed, and the noise gradually faded away. We were left spell-bound, watching the weakening fire-glow disappear into the distance. John and I were soaking wet with water dripping from our noses, but we wouldn’t have missed that Pacific’s triumphant progress for anything!
Our stop at Corby Glen and, later, at Little Bytham, produced two A4s (60017 'Silver Fox' and 60028 'Walter K. Wigham') and three A3s (60046 'Diamond Jubilee', 60051 'Blink Bonny' and 60110 'Robert the Devil'). Also, diesel type 40s D237, D245, and D345 were noted.
Later in our epic cross-country marathon we stopped at Kettering Shed, where Royal Scot 46143 'South Staffordshire Regiment' seemed out of place among a clutch of 9Fs, 8Fs, a Riddles Class 4 4-6-0 and an Ivatt Class 4 Mogul. The numbers were 92160, 92100, 92056, 48442, 48467, 48611, 75055, and 43048.
After Kettering we made our way southwestwards to the West Coast Main Line near Blisworth. Following a short wait and a couple of class 40s, steam was seen to the north. Once again at first I thought it was a Britannia, but as the express swept past on the high embankment we could clearly see the Caprotti valve gear and the number 71000. What another piece of luck, but I wouldn't have minded a Duchess!
By this time it was getting towards dusk so we decided to miss Oxford and shoot for home. We were knackered!
By this time it was getting towards dusk so we decided to miss Oxford and shoot for home. We were knackered!
Lovely story Nigel. I'm a bit surprised you and your brother made it all the way and back in an MG without it breaking. I speak as a once proud E-Type Jaguar owner.
ReplyDeleteI too have a fond memory, from when I was quite small, of traveling by car, after dark, while paralleling a steam railway. I remember witnessing the firebox light in the cab and especially reflecting down from the locomotive's exhaust. I wish I knew the details.