4464 Bittern - The Capital Streak - 07/12/13

Having missed both her test run and first two public runs at 90mph, I was determined to catch 4464 'Bittern' on her final 90mph run, 'The Capital Streak'. Running up to York from Kings Cross behind a Class 90, Bittern would take over for the run back to the Cross. Along certain sections she would be hitting speeds of up to 90mph, 15mph faster than the usual permitted maximum for mainline steam in the UK. Unfortunately the day didn't quite go to plan, having only seen her at or above 75mph once, but it's still a record of the day nonetheless.
We first see Bittern streaking through Doncaster running in the mid to high 70s, with a long blast from that glorious sounding chime whistle! Moving on we see her passing through Peterborough, unfortunately running a tad slower. I think I was told the reason for the slow run, but I can't remember it. More bad luck in the next shot, as she trundles through St Neots on the slow line, a quick reposition was needed for this! She was originally booked on the fast, but she had been stopped outside Huntingdon to let two late running service trains pass, she was then stuck on the slow line after the driver lost an argument with the signalman!
Despite all this, the next few shots were quite special. As Bittern is seen arriving into Platform 1 at Kings Cross, the first time I've filmed at any of the London termini. After various shots of Bittern, the crowds, and the crew, we see Bittern being taken out of Kings Cross back to Southall, with much whistling from the crew.
And just like that, it was all over.
Filmed on a Panasonic HDC-HS900 with a Panasonic VW-VM2SE microphone,
Enjoy.

[@EMuksteam]

Superb shots of Bittern at speed.She performed brilliantly.Great to see

[@SpeedToTheWest]

Ta very much mate :)

[@larx4074]

Absolutely wonderful!! The Kings Cross sequence was especially evocative, well filmed and edited and oh, that echoing chime whistle!! Many thanks for sharing Cheers Alan

[@SpeedToTheWest]

Thank you very much Alan :) Indeed, a real treat to film an A4 at Kings Cross.

[@grantham8]

Excellent vid through Donny with the whistle changing pitch as the train passed ---and the shots at KX were just pure nostalgia---brought back memories of trips up to London and a row of A4s /A3s at the bufferstops . . I got a shot at Gamston with Bittern working hard up the bank and then a few days later at Grantham . Thankyou for your effort .

[@InterCityExpress125]

Brilliant shots there mate! My favourites have to be Doncaster and then her departing King Cross, the whistle echoing around the station was magic! Andy

[@SpeedToTheWest]

Cheers Andy :D After the performances (or lack of!) through Peterborough and St Neots I was just about ready to give up, the Kings Cross shots made up for all of that though :)

[@unionofsouthafricasuperfan6333]

I cannot belive she's coming back to the mainline

[@HomeMoviePerson]

Superbly filmed at executed Kris. Lovely scenes at Kings Cross. I drove to St Neots to see Bittern pass through. I was set up for her passing on the fast, was disappointing to see her trundle through on the slow - Hayden.

[@SpeedToTheWest]

Ta very much Hayden :) Indeed was a disappointment when she came through on the slow. Did see your video, noticed a couple'a reprobates on the opposite platform ;)

[@MarshSteamVideosTM]

Kristian, the shots at Donny & Kings cross were great. Looked about 75 passing the station, though it would of been good if someone captured the few moment's the A4 hit the 95 mark, which has been reported. A great ending at Kings Cross under that sublime architecture. Thanks for sharing your trip. Regards, Liam

[@SpeedToTheWest]

Thanks very much Liam :) I believe you're right about the speed through Doncaster, it's a pity I couldn't see her at 90. But the Kings Cross shots made up for that, brilliant way to end the day!

[@w4rrn]

Brilliant, very well filmed and put together!

[@SpeedToTheWest]

Thanks very much :)

[@KenBrownekb71000duke]

Fantastic video and great footage through Donny! There's just nothing to compare with an A4 in full flow with the chime whistle blasting away, especially with her side skirting and in immaculate condition like Bittern - spine tingling stuff! Your cam handled the low light conditions very well although with that Panasonic model, I'm not surprised - great work and thanks for a very enjoyable view. Ken

[@paullloyd6821]

This is a very nice video, thank you for posting it 👍

[@SpeedToTheWest]

Thanks!

[@EssexLocomotiveEnthusiast]

excellent video and a good record of a real preservation landmark.Really liked her specially commissioned chime whistle,Also good to see Colin kerswell still driving.i always thought he was only on the southern region.

[@SpeedToTheWest]

Thank you very much :) Indeed, that whistle does sound superb, would be nice if she could keep it on a bit longer.

[@EssexLocomotiveEnthusiast]

i agree,the whistle was raffled off and the winner was announced by Mr Hosking himself as bittern went down stoke bank. Another interesting point about the whistle was ,it was a pre war pattern chime whistle.

[@SpeedToTheWest]

essex locomotive enthusiast Ah yes, thought something like that had happened but I couldn't remember. Indeed, it was a pre-war whistle, originally replaced because they sounded too much like air raid sirens I believe.

[@EssexLocomotiveEnthusiast]

it's easy to see why the whistles were removed during the war because the pre war whistles seem to be lower in tone than the post war ones,but both types definitely announce the a4s with a loud presence.

[@1Goldsteam]

Great scenes, thanks for sharing. only weeks ago I took stills of UoSA from behind those buffers at Kings Cross

[@SpeedToTheWest]

Thank you very much :)

[@jasper2185]

Bittern is like the closest running thing we have to mallard yes i know that mallard is in national railway museum york but it has no boiler ticket now

[@TranspennineExp185]

So nice to hear an A4 whistle in King Cross!

[@SpeedToTheWest]

Isn't it just! Thanks for watching :)

[@theinterestsofalexcimelli9323]

This is why i wished i lived a long time ago, to see these beautiful engines thundering up and down the mainlines.

[@xjxnebxg]

in Big Four era would be nice

[@447CDH]

Fantastic video you certainly put the miles Thanks for posting

[@SpeedToTheWest]

Ta very much, all in the name of steam ;)

[@rexluminus9867]

Great videos. Nice looking 🚂engine and sounds really 😎🆒. Thank you for uploading it.

[@tractorsmachinesro1405]

Fantastic Video

[@TribeBeats360]

Did all the people on the opposite platform in that first shot miss the it? As I noticed another train was parked on the opposing platform when she came past.

[@marsvltor2]

The closing scenes - just wish 4464 was backing en route to Top Shed...

[@howarth004]

You sure captured her well there at Donny , just a pity it was getting dark , good shot at Kings Cross

[@KenWilsonwillowfs4472]

Great video I enjoyed watching thanks for sharing ..

[@SpeedToTheWest]

Thanks very much Dave :)

[@SpeedToTheWest]

***** Thanks for watching Ken :)

[@atomiswave1971]

Great footage there buddy. Makes me glad I subscribed.

[@SpeedToTheWest]

Ta very much, glad to seeing you're enjoying my videos :)

[@Retaud21]

Fantastic. Oh how I loved my youth!

[@SpeedToTheWest]

Cheers John :)

[@colinsrailways]

Great shots!

[@SpeedToTheWest]

Thank you Colin :)

[@allan5919]

Super video clip....I was at the south end of this platform to see it.

[@SpeedToTheWest]

Cheers Allan, lovely performance through Dancaster, wasn't it? :)

[@MrSteamMad]

You certainly did well on that trip, how did you keep up all the time. Bittern chimney looked A bit for worse at Kings Cross looked like they have been hitting it with a hammer to knock the shoot off inside, Brilliant coverage Barry

[@SpeedToTheWest]

Thank you very much Barry :)

[@mandydeb5871]

wonderful film - but how did you get from Doncaster to Peterborough to St Neots to Kings Cross faster than Bittern?

[@SpeedToTheWest]

Would you believe me if I said I could teleport? ;) Bittern's schedule allowed me to leapfrog it on the train to various locations. I hadn't planned on doing St Neots originally, but with the slow performance through Peterborough I decided to skip seeing her arrival into Kings Cross (A shot I really wanted) and head to St Neots, where she should have been on the fast doing 90. However, for whatever reason she was put on the slow and just crawled through. As luck would have it though she was stopped outside of Huntingdon (I think that's the one) to allow my train (which was running late) to overtake. So I managed to catch her arrival at Kings Cross after all.........and breathe!

[@tonyrov1]

Great video, well done...

[@SpeedToTheWest]

Thank you Tony :)

[@lasalleman]

Nice. Pedal to the metal . Flat out. Don't think we have anything like it capable of hitting those speeds on existing track, in actual operation.

[@m4rtinjones]

Great video! :)

[@SpeedToTheWest]

Cheers Martin :)

[@drs66412]

Good video subbed

[@暴れ熊疾風の]

日本も時代を越えて蒸気機関車威風堂々元気に走ってます

[@暴れ熊疾風の]

beautiful steemtrain british

[@hulltv]

much better then my poor effort

[@aytunceses1832]

ESKİŞEHİRSPOR.

[@spankflaps1365]

Fourteen Class 43’s disliked this video 👎

[@xjxnebxg]

nah make that all of the diesels who hate steamies 😂😂😂😂