Thanks lads.
The EVR gala was probably the best such event I've attended this year, it was most enjoyable.
Anyway, on with the show.
Less than two weeks after my previous Cumbrian Coast soiree I was once again drawn to that part of the world.
The gen that another required 68 had appeared was the driving factor.
I’m nothing if not predicable, so my Thursday commute home saw me popping into the ticket office at Halifax to purchase yet another Cumbria Day Ranger for Friday.
I no longer needed any S & C stations within reasonable driving distance, with only two on that line still required (Lazonby & Kirkoswald being the most southerly one – no prizes for naming my other requirement).
This made things a bit easier as I only had to drive to Shipley.
I was there well before the Carlisle train so decided to break the journey up a bit with some EMU action.
I’ve ridden in every coach of Neville Hill’s fleet, so wasn’t too bothered by the sticky digits.
All of them are also well over ten miles.
333004 was first, to Keighley; thence 333009 to Skipton.
158791 was to provide my ride through to Carlisle and we made it without reducing the sheep population.
In a repeat of my move from a fortnight before, I headed to Wigton; but not before getting a couple of shots of 88007 on the Tesco service.
Somewhat annoyingly, for reasons I’m unaware of, in the interim someone had decided to erect barriers prohibiting the general public from going to the end of the platforms.
They are quite a distance from the end as well, so there was no chance of a repeat of either the 88008 shot or the one of 66789.
Hopefully this is a temporary thing whilst some work is carried out, although there was no sign of either work or materials for such that I could see.
156483, unrequired for everything, was the traction today and once again it was 68005 that took me back to Carlisle a short while later.
68005_2018.08.17_2_Wigton by
Phil Wood, on Flickr
The loco that I had come for had replaced 68017 on the Barrow end of the rake.
This was
68033, one of the two that is due to become a TPE back-up loco at some stage.
I did think about not bothering due to this but decided it (along with the other reserve, 68034) might not work for TPE that often.
I might as well get it out of the way.
Here it is at Carlisle; the picture was taken from the new barrier - the equivalent on platform 1 is level with this and that platform goes much further South:
68033_2018.08.17_1_Carlisle by
Phil Wood, on Flickr
68033 left Carlisle clagging like no 68 I’ve ever seen – not up there with a cold English Electric loco, but noticeable all the same.
I stayed on this all the way to the end of its journey; pondering my next move on the way.
68005 had joined the hundred mile club on the morning run from Wigton so I decided to flag its journey back North and plumped for something different.
Arrival at Barrow had been in plenty of time for me to get a few photos and then view the Manchester Airport service.
Pottering around West Yorkshire in recent weeks had seen me clear all the 185s for ten miles but I still require a few coaches for riding in.
Thus, I found myself in 54142 of 185142 for a run to Lancaster.
My plan now was to head down the WCML to Carlisle, do a unit to required shack Dalston and pick up 68005.
Yes, it’s possible to do Barrow to Dalston via Lancaster and Carlisle quicker than going direct.
This all depends on making a plus four at Carlisle and
221105 & 221112 arrived two minutes late.
I had a bit of a think and looked at RTT.
If the Voyagers lost more time I would miss the unit at Carlisle and end up hanging around for nearly ninety minutes before the 18.24 Leeds service.
However, there was an alternative that would see me getting a different winning station in the book.
My mind made up, I bailed from the Voyagers at
Penrith North Lakes.
This move wasn’t without its risks; if it went well I would be home a good hour before the unit from Carlisle.
If it went wrong I would miss the Morecambe to Leeds train at Lancaster and have a lengthy fester for the next one.
Winner Pendolino
390040 was a few minutes late into Penrith.
Pendolino 390040_2018.08.17_1_Penrith by
Phil Wood, on Flickr
Had I cocked up?
Some time was made up and I eagerly kept watch as we reached Morecambe South Junction.
390040 got there at 17.36, just one minute late.
The Leeds was due to pass through at 17.37 – I could breath a sigh of relief.
Once at Lancaster I made my way leisurely over to platform 2 and watched 150225 arriving from the seaside.
After that it was simply the 150 all the way to Shipley and an earlier than promised arrival home – never a bad thing when it comes to Brownie point accumulation