46100 Royal Scot opens up at Leamington! | The Red Dragon Day 1 | 15/9/24

Today’s video is of LMS Royal Scot Class 4-6-0 46100 Royal Scot hauling Day 1 of Steam Dreams’ multi day tour, “ The Red Dragon” from London Paddington to Blaenau Ffestiniog. The tour would travel from Paddington along the Great Western Mainline (GWML) to Didcot, where, by using the avoider, she turned off to Oxford. After that she travelled via Banbury, Leamington, Coventry and Nuneaton to join the West Coast Mainline (WCML) for the rest of the journey to Crewe via Tamworth and Stafford. 46100 was replaced by diesel traction beyond Crewe and a diesel would take the train to Llandudno and then Blaenau Ffestiniog. The tour will return to Paddington over the next week, travelling some unusual routes through Wales to Cardiff and then along the GWML to Paddington.
I started out my day at 10:52 at my local, heading to Leamington Spa firstly. With the lighting the way it was, a shot from Platform 2 was best. I really wasn’t expecting much from the shot but due to the signallers doing a bit of approach control on 46100, the signals flickered to green just as she approached the camera, giving us a little bit of thrash which was lovely. After that I took the 12:16 XC service to Stafford. I made it to Stafford with just enough time to spare, however some services coming in and out of Stafford meant the barnstorming centre road run which I was hoping for was dashed. 46100 came to stop by for 13 minutes in the pouring rain, during which time the bowlage risk from a London bound Avanti service escalated to a point at which I had to switch platforms. 46100 then departs up the WCML once again, heading for Crewe. I had hoped that because 46100 was running early I’d be able to get one of the Avanti services either towards Preston or Manchester as both stopped at Crewe, however with them both having left before 46100 I had to wait a while for the 14:11 to Liverpool. The signallers let 46100 leave the front of her train just before I got into Crewe but I did manage to get a clip of her reversing back to the depot with her support coach. After that I headed home.
Thanks to all who made today possible, as always to the trains that took me around, LSL, Steam Dreams, 46100 and her crew. Thanks also to Barrie for his brief company at Stafford! I hope you enjoy as I did!

[@williamnicholls4059]

What a magnificent engine Royal Scot is. I am so glad that many beautiful locomotives have been saved from the scrapyard and we can still see them working on our mainlines

[@crunchynutsteamfilms5043]

Thank you very much, and indeed what a lovely locomotive! It is indeed very lucky that we still get to see them operating around! Regards, Dan

[@philipwright4063]

Really good video keep them coming 😊

[@crunchynutsteamfilms5043]

Thank you! I certainly will do! Regards, Dan

[@bobnweaver]

Superb video. Royal Scot well captured at all the locations.

[@crunchynutsteamfilms5043]

Cheers, i'm very glad you enjoyed the video! Regards, Dan

[@andrewjohnfox]

Many thanks for braving the rain to get some excellent shots

[@crunchynutsteamfilms5043]

Many thanks, that's always the risk with chasing trains in the UK lol! I'm glad you feel it paid off. Regards, Dan

[@richardswiderski4985]

Great video Dan certainly looks good I got her just south of Crewe in the rain 😂😂

[@crunchynutsteamfilms5043]

Haha that's great Richard, well done for braving the weather, here's hoping you had a brollie lol. Regards, Dan

[@richardswiderski4985]

No had a raincoat on though 😀

[@crunchynutsteamfilms5043]

@@richardswiderski4985 Haha I hope it was good enough to keep the rain at bay, was proper chucking it down at Stafford lol. Regards, Dan

[@richardswiderski4985]

@crunchynutsteamfilms5043 Yes all was well hope you stayed dry.

[@richardswiderski4985]

😀

[@rogerwatt8491]

Great video! I remember "cabbing" 46100 at Camden shed on my 8th birthday back in 1955 . . . still got the photo of my brother and me looking very pleased with ourselves! It was my dad's favourite loco, albeit in unrebuilt form, back in the 1920s and 1930s.

[@crunchynutsteamfilms5043]

Haha what memories, that's fantastic! I'm sure you're glad see it still alive and working! Thank you for sharing. Regards, Dan

[@EveleighSprag]

Love your videos

[@crunchynutsteamfilms5043]

Thank you very much, i'm very glad o hear it! Regards, Dan

[@TheTynesideSpotter]

Amazing work Dan, can’t beat some stanier bark and whistles,Regards Jonathan

[@crunchynutsteamfilms5043]

Cheers Jonathan, I'm glad you like 46100, she can be a real beast! Regards, Dan

[@brucelamberton8819]

Great loco, great video!

[@crunchynutsteamfilms5043]

Thank you very much! I'm really glad you enjoyed it. Regards, Dan

[@GreatBritishRailways1]

Dan, Great captures. Regards, John

[@crunchynutsteamfilms5043]

Cheers John, I'm glad you enjoyed them. Regards, Dan

[@ragarse3]

Such sultry power - understated, seductive but threatening - magnificent and great close ups.

[@crunchynutsteamfilms5043]

Thank you very much, very elegantly put! I'm very glad you enjoyed. Regards, Dan

[@LiamsLocos]

Nicely captured dan! Shame about the signallers

[@crunchynutsteamfilms5043]

Cheers Liam, and yes it happens lol. I got lucky at Leamington and unlucky at Stafford so it balances. Regards, Dan

[@railwaymechanicalengineer4587]

REAL STEAM ON A REAL RAILWAY ??? Another serious problem with "traffic regulation" as demonstrated by the signal stop at Stafford. An all to frequent example, which implies either a fundamental problem with the timetable, or an indication "Netquerk Rail" no longer even understand how to path a steam hauled extra amongst the regular service trains. There is of course the further issue of allowing "swingers" (heavy Diesel locos) to be attached to the rear of passenger trains. Which in BR days was banned as a highly dangerous practice. If two locos are needed to operate a train they have to be coupled at the front, to operate effectively and safely either in Tandem or Multiple. Locos at the rear of trains was only allowed for "banking purposes" up steep gradients at obviously limited speeds. Further I certainly wouldn't buy a ticket for a steam train ride, when in reality a Diesel loco is providing part of the power to accelerate or aid the steam loco on hills. It rather takes all the fun away, of hearing the steam loco having to work hard. Yet further it means you cannot "time" the train or work out the horsepower being exerted by the steam loco !!!! I think I'll stick with the awesome 2-10-2T, 66 tonne tank engines, hauling passenger trains up the 1 in 30 gradients of the famous Brocken (4000ft high) mountain. On the 105 mile metre gauge network in the Harz Mountains in central Germany. Probably the last normal Railway Company using steam in EVERYDAY use in the whole of Europe !!!!

[@SteaminSteve1]

I'd love to know where you got your mechanical engineering qualification from. I've been around since the forties yet have in all my years never heard such nonsense about heavy diesels on the back of the train being dangerous.

[@brucelamberton8819]

I too am concerned at the value for money for these tours, especially when WCRC (which services my area) now seems to schedule having more of the journey hauled by diesel than by steam.

[@crunchynutsteamfilms5043]

Being held at red signals is quite common on the network, I agree that 46100 having enough slack on the timetable to run 14 early isn't the best practice as that could have delayed many more services. However, your point about heavy diesels, as Steve says, is not at all true. Whilst I don't like having to see diesels when I go out filming or travelling behind steam, I can understand why it's done. Regards, Dan