46115 Scots Guardsman on the Cumbrian Coast Express - and a few surprises!

I set out to film the Cumbrian Coast Express - but ended up with more than I had anticipated.

[@brianrobertson2853]

That was beautiful to watch. I am at 7000 + FASL in the Andes and get a bit homesick at times. Born and brought up in London surrounded by Steam driven railways. One of my favourite things before cycling home for lunch was to watch "The Cornish Reveira" power down hill towards Ealing Broadway at around 12:15.Thank you for the video.

[@schoolshorts]

Hello Brian - life in the Andes must be very different from London so I'm delighted if I've been able to bring a little touch of home to you. Best wishes - Tim

[@brianrobertson2853]

@@schoolshorts Hi Tim Keep the videos coming. I pick up all sorts of train stuff on the internet. Many thanks to you all. Stay safe.

[@NorthumberlandSnapper]

Looks a grand day out Tim. You know I don't think LNER's 800s/801s are particularly functional on the inside, but they sure do look smart from the outside. The diversions are on next weekend too, so I hope to get up the Tyne Valley to see a bit of the action. Always nice to see the Dalston tanks and Chirk logs. I knew about the Cumbrian Coast Express, but the Cumbrian Coast Statesman totally passed me by. Kicking myself I didn't make a bit more of an effort to get there now!

[@schoolshorts]

There are some splendid spots on the Tyne Valley line - so I might just try to catch some Azumas toward the western end of the route myself. Incidentally, the Statesman nearly passed me by as well - it was only at Harrington that somebody told me about it and I decided to stay on and catch it. Glad that I did - it looked magnificent, although the Raspberry Ripple 47 clashed horribly with the rest of the set!

[@bobby01g]

Fantastic video , really enjoyed it.

[@schoolshorts]

Glad to hear that - thanks for commenting - best wishes.

[@stephenbrass1808]

Wow Tim, what an epic days filming certainly got more than you bargained for, great to see you waited for the second tour as well, well done a great days work .

[@schoolshorts]

Thanks Stephen - it was an enjoyable day overall, although the weather did eventually deteriorate. Plenty of variety.

[@Shelfandtabletoplayouts00gauge]

Must be the video of the week Tim, some high quality watching once again. Thankyou, something for everyone here.

[@schoolshorts]

Thanks Darren - much appreciated.

[@9C85-g4b]

Beautifully produced video.

[@schoolshorts]

Thanks - glad you enjoyed it - best wishes.

[@tonyelse1315]

superb video Tim love the content variety thanks for posting.

[@schoolshorts]

Thanks Tony - you're very welcome.

[@LeslieGilpinRailways]

If you'd looked across to the south pier at Harrington between the DRS and CME you would have seen me! Great clips and informative presentation!

[@schoolshorts]

If only I'd known! Thanks for your comment.

[@tattoo1084]

What a day's filming there Tim, good to get all those loco's and a nice place at Harrington.👍👍

[@schoolshorts]

A very satisfactory day indeed David!

[@thirdengineer]

Wonderful selection of old and new Tim and well covered operations often taken for granted with railway fans. The Cumberland coast is a neglected if not isolated part of the north by so many trippers and fans alike.I enjoyed so much my day on the Ratty a couple of weeks ago and the journey home via the Hardknott pass was the icing on the cake.Your videos are so interesting apart from a basic lineside shot by a lot of railway buffs which I cant deny I am not guilty of.I spent last weekend on the WHR around Caernarfon and Porthmadog as I love the little railways of Wales frowned on by many of the 4 foot 8 brigade.Having said that the NG 16 Garretts weigh in at 62 tons on 2ft track not beautifil compared to a Scot Jub or a Castle but what a beast to see in action. Keep up your great Quality videos Tim and thanks for the treat. Brian

[@schoolshorts]

Hi Brian - We think alike in so many areas! I've long said that I would rather rather ride the Cumbrian Coast line than the Settle & Carlisle, my favourite narrow-gauge railway is the Ffestiniog - and I'm a member of Ratty! - and I do like to try to add something different to my films whenever possible. It's been a hectic few days - dental appointment made me miss Tuesday's steam train, Appleby for £1 yesterday, steam at Carlisle today, Newcastle for £1 tomorrow and steam again on Saturday. God alone knows when I'll get round to editing and posting them - but watch this space! Thanks for your support and best wishes - Tim

[@paulkowalski7378]

Quality video of your day. Thanks.

[@schoolshorts]

Thank you Paul and best wishes to you.

[@patcoen1113]

Lovely footage. Especially of Harrington. A very enchanting looking location.

[@schoolshorts]

An attractive little place - hard to believe how industrialised it was a couple of generations ago.

[@mickboakes7023]

Thanks Tim. Another great video, beautiful part of the country. Looking forward to the next one. All the best. Mick.

[@schoolshorts]

Thanks Mick - hopefully, not too long to wait!

[@m1klgordon]

You certainly got your money's worth. Thanks Tim.

[@schoolshorts]

Thanks Mike - a grand day and more productive than I had expected.

[@CrossfellRailwayVideos]

Very interesting, Tim. I learned a lot (didn't know that LNER Azumas were dual-powered, for a start)

[@schoolshorts]

Very clever trains, the Azumas - go anywhere, more or less.

[@MarkFromEastleigh]

My mum said we used to watch the steam trains from the footbridge of our local station, she said when we went home we had black faces 😁. Lovely to watch all the different classes. I am curious what the yellow 'clip' like things are on the sleepers like you see at 01:04. Anyone know? I see them on the line just outside of Eastleigh on the line toward Romsey

[@schoolshorts]

I well remember, as a child, travelling behind steam engines (well - they were all steam back in the 1940/50s) and my mother telling me not to touch anything in the carriage - because everything was dirty in the steam era. We often have a rather over-romanticised idea of life in the steam age. As to your query (01.04) - I'm afraid I can't help you there - but I'm sure it won't be long before someone comes up with the answer. Best wishes.

[@chrishartley1210]

I've wondered a few times why some steam engines had an attached short coach. I thought it was possibly for staff transport but changing the coupler at 3:53 revealed the true reason. I assume the engine only has hook type coupling and could not connect to the knuckle type couplers.

[@schoolshorts]

You raise an interesting point there Chris - that coach is of course a crew support vehicle providing facilities for the many volunteers who serve on these trains but I have to confess that I had never considered the problem of coupling up a vintage steam loco to more modern buckeye equipped stock.

[@ApplebyInSteam]

A great day for you Tim, and thank you for sharing your shots. Its a mystery to me why Scots Guardsman made a light engine move to Carlisle when it could instead have taken over the train at Carnforth. Interesting diversionary operations at Carlisle. Only the LNER Class 800 Azumas are bi-modal, presumably intended to serve the northerly outposts where electrification won't happen, precisely as the GWR versions serve Devon and Cornwall, and presently the Bedwyn and Oxford routes where electrification remains incomplete. I wonder whether the Class 57/3 "Thunderbirds" intended to rescue stricken Pendolinos could theoretically have hauled Class 801s over the Tyne Valley leg. Whereas the Class 390 depended on the Class 57 for auxiliary power, the Class 801 does actually have a single generator for this purpose and low speed self-propulsion. WCRC removed the Dellner couplings from the 57/3s they acquired, perhaps missing a business opportunity!

[@schoolshorts]

I suspect that there were operating difficulties because of the East Coast closure - certainly the "Caledonian" tour, to be hauled by Tornado, was cancelled for lack of a path. I had a chat with Les Ross at Carlisle and he told me that his train had been looped unusually often on its way north so presumably the operating authorities were anxious to keep the special running at 100 mph on the main line rather than at a steam train's 75. Thanks for the technical info - mostly new to me.

[@railfreightdrivergallagherGBRf]

Those pans drop a bit urgent on the Astmazumas!!! 😲

[@schoolshorts]

Bit dramatic, wasn't it?