Ha! Difficult to answer that question in the sense that "a lot of" does not really tally with the steam-hauled passenger trains - there were so FEW of them
Well, that's at least as I remember, but I could only get up to Lancashire on the penultimate Tuesday of steam - I guess that was - quick google - 23 of July. I spent the days in Lancashire/Cumbria and the nights in Mk 1 compartments in overnight trains between Carlisle/Barrow and Euston. I can't remember asking, but I'm pretty sure there was nothing regular steam hauled earlier in July, except
perhaps the 20.50 Preston - Blackpool on Saturdays, which came off a London-Carlisle working (I think) - would it have been something like 17.05 ex-Euston?
Anyway, on the penultimate Saturday, that was a Black 5. I think it was 4 or 5 coaches, swamped with enthusiasts. The atmosphere was tremendous, and at that point I decided I simply had to be up for the final show a week later. It was history, and impossible to miss.
Except I had a problem, or two. First, my LMR rover was to run out at 23.59 on the next Monday. I didn't have the cash for another one, not even asking with a squeaky high voice, IYSWIM
Second, I'd agreed to go on a cycling holiday with schoolfriends, starting on Mon, August 05 - which meant things were going to be very tight if I was still in Lancashire late on August 03.
The solution was an immediate overnight back south, home for a bath and some clean clothes (don't ask) and back up to buy a seven-day NW Runabout. This meant the best - or better put, least-worst - kip on the cushions was Carlise to Skipton (a bit less than 2 hours) on the Glasgow - St Pancras sleeper - a miserable wait of about an hour from about 02.30 to 03.30 - and then back to Carlisle again on the down sleeper. I did this at least twice without oversleeping and going beyond the legitimate limits of the ticket.
I think I found another weary friend one night, and at Carlisle we left on the first up departure behind a Cl 50 - c 06.00 hrs. That morning we passed a Black 5 hauling a failed 2-car DMU. I think it was south of Oxehnolme and the train was bound for Windermere - surely the last steam-hauled failed DMU on BR! I'm not sure, but I think this was Tuesday morning, July 30.
That week, the rumour mill was strong as to what would be the last steam-hauled train. AFAIK there was no other steam turn until Friday, August 02, when the 21.25 Preston - Liverpool was a Black 5. I didn't see that. Despite the kindness of another enthusiast's mother in Skipton putting me up for a night or two, I was so knacked on the Friday night I paid for a B*B in Preston, just down the road from the overbridge north of Preston station. I think it was 28 shillings, or £1.40p in new money (that hurt, but I could hardly think I was so tired).
Then, on Saturday 3rd, all the intelligence reports were that Lostock Hall would put Black 5s on both the 20.50 Preston-Blackpool and 21.25 Preston-Liverpool. And so it transpired.
I have wondered it this was just the shed foreman working with what he had, or if someone higher up had wisely issued instructions to have the two trains steam worked in an attempt to manage the crowds. Because both trains were swarming with enthusiasts - and had there been just one working, it would have been potentially dangerous overcrowding.
I got on the footplate at Liverpool Exchange with the rafters echoing to the strains of "Steam goes marching on" from the crowd. What passing 'normals' thought I don't know. It was madness.
Along with about seven others, plus driver and fireman, we left light engine to return to 10D, but as the Jethro Tull song goes, they mostly dropped off one by one (well, four at Aintree, I think it was) and there was me and another chap, plus driver Ernie Hayes (spelling?) and fireman left when we got on shed. I presume we shook hands, said thank you, and then off we walked, starting around 23.30, to Preston station.
Such were the overnight services back then that it was simply turn up and go at Preston. My footplate companion and I parted our ways, I found a Mk 1 SK in some overnight Glasgow - Euston consist and woke up at Euston, thankfully undisturbed by any gripper eager to issue an excess Wigan to Euston - because I don't think I would have had the dosh.
At Euston, in the early light I passed scores of RCTS (or maybe LCGB) folks heading north on the first leg of one or more of the six specials. I remember watching them and thinking, smugly - "You've missed the real thing, lads."
But perhaps I wasn't smug - because as far as I was concerned, it was true - they had.
