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Missions Accomplished Again
It has been another busy week for 5305LA locomotives and their support crews. 70013 Oliver Cromwell was in action on the Great Western Main Line once again, but this time further east than its recent Bristol-Par workings, whilst 45305 continued its Carnforth-based programme
On Saturday 18th August the 'Brit' hauled the West Somerset Steam Express from Paddington to the West Somerset Railway, out and back via the Berks and Hants Line, performing well by all accounts.
'Black Five' 45035 had two outings in the north west of England. The first was on Monday 20th August when it worked the final Mersey Moorlander from Preston to Carlisle via the Settle-Carlisle Line and back to Carnforth over Shap. On the following Wednesday the loco made its first and only appearance on the Fellsman, starting at Lancaster and making an out and back excursion to Carlisle, both ways via Settle. On each of these occasions 45305 was overloaded with 12 coaches, far in excess of what it was designed for and would have been allowed to take on those routes in 'steam days'. However, the engine acquitted itself well.
Next week the 'Five' works on the Scarborough Spa Express itinerary for four days, Monday to Thursday, before finishing off its current programme with a Waverley from York to Carlisle and return. 70013 has a trip from Kensington Olympia to Faversham via Redhill and Ashford, fitting in a vsit to Sheerness before returning to London via the same route. This charter is sponsored by Shepherd Neame brewery and entitled, not surprisingly, The Spitfire.
It has been another busy week for 5305LA locomotives and their support crews. 70013 Oliver Cromwell was in action on the Great Western Main Line once again, but this time further east than its recent Bristol-Par workings, whilst 45305 continued its Carnforth-based programme
On Saturday 18th August the 'Brit' hauled the West Somerset Steam Express from Paddington to the West Somerset Railway, out and back via the Berks and Hants Line, performing well by all accounts.
'Black Five' 45035 had two outings in the north west of England. The first was on Monday 20th August when it worked the final Mersey Moorlander from Preston to Carlisle via the Settle-Carlisle Line and back to Carnforth over Shap. On the following Wednesday the loco made its first and only appearance on the Fellsman, starting at Lancaster and making an out and back excursion to Carlisle, both ways via Settle. On each of these occasions 45305 was overloaded with 12 coaches, far in excess of what it was designed for and would have been allowed to take on those routes in 'steam days'. However, the engine acquitted itself well.
Next week the 'Five' works on the Scarborough Spa Express itinerary for four days, Monday to Thursday, before finishing off its current programme with a Waverley from York to Carlisle and return. 70013 has a trip from Kensington Olympia to Faversham via Redhill and Ashford, fitting in a vsit to Sheerness before returning to London via the same route. This charter is sponsored by Shepherd Neame brewery and entitled, not surprisingly, The Spitfire.