The Cumbrian Coast Express-07.08.79

THE ARCHIVE FILES > Archive-1979 > 16. Summer Tour-07-12.08.79 > The Cumbrian Coast Express-07.08.79
A jaunt around the Cumbrian coast following steam in the form of The Cumbrian Coast express hauled by 4498 'Sir Nigel Gresley' and 5690 'Leander'. Over time, I have lost the details of where we camped but my notes indicate that it may well have been near Bolton Le Sands.
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Images 1-11 of 11 displayed.

4498, outward leg of The Cumbrian Coast Express, 10.23 Blackpool North-Sellafield, Grange-Over-Sands SO422785 Running along the side of the estuary of the River Kent with the village of Arnside in the background, 4498 'Sir Nigel Gresley' leads the outward leg of The Cumbrian Coast Express on the approach to Grange-Over-Sands. The railtour left Blackpool North at 10.23 led by 40143 with 4498 taking the helm at Carnforth running as far as Sellafield. Unfortunately, due to the grey sky and that the train was slowing for its thirty minute stop at Grange-Over-Sands, there is no exhaust. Despite appearances, I am not trespassing but standing on a level crossing where a track crosses the line leading to the delightful Holme Island. Keywords: 4498 The Cumbrian Coast Express 10.23 Blackpool North-Sellafield Grange-Over-Sands SD422785
4498, outward leg of The Cumbrian Coast Express, 10.23 Blackpool North-Sellafield, Lindal SD262764 With the outward leg of The Cumbrian Coast Express having a thirty minute stop at Grange-over-Sands, we had an opportunity to get it further west. We all piled back into the Mini and raced from Grange to Lindal situated between Ulverston and Dalton-in-Furness. This was a fair distance on some roads that take pretty indirect routes due to the estuaries and, also, the A590 was not dual carriageway then, as large sections are today, so we must have done pretty well! We arrived just in time to see 4498 'Sir Nigel Gresley' bringing the train up Lindal Bank with a bit more exhaust than when it was seen earlier. The picture is taken from a minor road with a Ford D series truck crossing the new replacement bridge in the background. Keywords: 4498 The Cumbrian Coast Express 10.23 Blackpool North-Sellafield Lindal SD262764
4498, outward leg of The Cumbrian Coast Express, 10.23 Blackpool North-Sellafield, Lindal SD262764 A pretty ordinary going-away shot of 4498 'Sir Nigel; Gresley' taking The Cumbrian Coast Express up Lindal Bank in the southern Lakes. The A4 is producing more exhaust this time but, unfortunately, this is somewhat camouflaged by the matching grey sky! The train continued its journey avoiding Barrow-in-Furness and terminating at Sellafield ready for 5690 'Leander' to bring the train back. Keywords: 4498,The Cumbrian Coast Express 10.23 Blackpool North-Sellafield Lindal SD262764
5690, Carnforth-Sellafield light engine, Lindal SD262746 Following 4498 'Sir Nigel Gresley' leading The Cumbrian Coast Express, 5690 'Leander' runs tender first past Lindal. The purpose of this light engine movement from Carnforth was so Leander could lead the train back from Sellafield facing the right way. 4498 would then return in a mirror image tender first light engine movement. A solution to me that would have avoided this would be for 4498, on arrival at Sellafield, to run round the stock and return light engine back to Barrow-in-Furness and run all the way around the town to run tender first back to Sellafield again. But, who am I to suggest that and if it meant that we got two different steam locomotives on the out and back workings then, heh! Keywords: 5690 Carnforth-Sellafield Lindal SD262746
M56250 & M50947, 14.40 Barrow-in-Furness-Sellafield, Foxfield station A Derby built Class 108 two-car DMU leaves Foxfield station working the 14.40 Barrow-in-Furness to Sellafield local stopper. Notice the drop lights in the doors have bars across the openings to avoid heads being leaned out. This because these DMUs operated through a number of very narrow bore tunnels on the Cumbrian Coast line, for example, just south of Whitehaven. These class 108s were based at Carlisle and were dedicated for use on this line. At the time of writing, the glorious 1879 Furness signal box is still in use, indeed, I took a very similar picture during a visit in 2013 but there was no first-generation DMU featuring in that particular image, see.... https://www.ontheupfast.com/p/21936chg/30061915079/x35-foxfield-signal-box-furness-1879 Keywords: M56250 M50947 14.40 Barrow-in-Furness-Sellafield Foxfield station
4498, Sellafield-Carnforth light engine, Dalton-in-Furness station Having completed its railtour duties, 4498 'Sir Nigel Gresley' returns to Carnforth light engine from Sellafield. The locomotive is seen passing through Dalton-in-Furness station with the photograph taken from the former station footbridge that has now been removed. The station building still stands and has been tastefully restored from the boarded up state it is seen in here and is in private ownership. Unfortunately, the lovely waiting room on the platform has been replaced by a modern equivalent. Keywords: 4498 Sellafield-Carnforth Dalton-in-Furness station
5690 return leg of The Cumbrian Coast Express, 16.45 Sellafield-Blackpool North, Lindal bank SD240747 Quite why we chose to see the return of The Cumbrian Coast Express railtour here at LindaI am not too sure? As it was in a cutting and into the light it cannot have been for the picture, perhaps, as it was climbing steeply here, it was for the sound as Graham was an avid audio recorder and ciné filmer. 5690 'Leander' is working hard leading the thirteen coach train that left Sellafield at 16.45 ending up at Carnforth with 40143 taking the train on to Blackpool North. Keywords: 5690 The Cumbrian Coast Express 16.45 Sellafield-Blackpool North Lindal bank SD240747
5690, return leg of The Cumbrian Coast Express, 16.45 Sellafield-Blackpool North, Lindal Bank SD240747 The going-away photograph of 5690 'Leander' thrashing up Lindal bank is better than the previous facing one, marginally! 5690 is leading the returning 16.45 Sellafiled to Carnforth and Blackpool North railtour. The white sign indicates that the train is just about to enter the twenty-two chain (a quarter of a mile) Lindal tunnel that is just out of sight around the corner. Keywords: 5690 The Cumbrian Coast Express 16.45 Sellafield-Blackpool North Lindal Bank SD240747
Former Geenodd viaduct (Furness Railway, 1857) from A590 The former railway viaduct at Geenodd is seen in the evening light. The viaduct crosses the estuary of the River Leven at its narrowest point before entering Morcombe Bay. The vaiduct carried the closed Plumpton Junction to Windermere Lakeside branch. The northern end of this lin is the home to the present day Lakeside and Haverthwaite Railway. The railway viaduct was demolished and replaced by a concrete structure that carries a footpath and a section of the National Cycle Route 70. Keywords: Former Geenodd viaduct Furness Railway 1857 from A590
Cark signal box & ground signal In the evening light, Cark signal box, point work, and signaling are seen. Despite the rural scene, this location is in fact between the two conjoined villages of Cark and Flookburgh. As the signal box was switched out, I was able to get trackside to take this image and, the following one.....https://www.ontheupfast.com/v/photos/21936chg/26718015004/x0011-cark-signal-box-br-1952 Keywords: Cark signal box ground signal
Cark signal box (BR, 1952) The former Cark signal box pictured in some welcome evening sun at the end of what had been an ostensibly very dull day. The box was switched out as it spent a fair bit of its short working life. It was built by British Railways in 1952 and I believe that it was removed in April 2006, can anybody confirm this? I have a precious amount of information on this box, can anybody supply any further information? Keywords: Cark signal box (BR, 1952)

Images 1-11 of 11 displayed.