Beattock to Druimuachdar - A tale of two summits

An unknown class 221 Super Voyager set climbs the 1 in 174 gradient of Greskine Bank with ease. The service is 1S36 0703 Birmingham New Street to Glasgow Queen Street. Beattock Summit is a few short miles away.

A southbound four vehicle class 221 Super Voyager set tears down Greskine Bank at Greskine while working 1M29 0949 Glasgow Central to Manchester Piccadilly.

The set continues down grade along the twisting route which roughly follows the contours of the land.

In 2007 there was one train in each direction between London Euston and Edinburgh using a class 390 pendolino. Here an unknown set leans into the sweeping left hand bend with 1M14 1010 Edinburgh to Euston.

Another unknown class 221 Super Voyager set speeds south with 1V53 1010 Glasgow Central to Penzance Cross Country service.

A surprise move sees a short loco hauled working heading north climbing the 1 in 74 gradient. 66417 hauls 37029 and 37259 as 0Z47 Carlisle Kingmoor to Glasgow Works.

66417 was one of the new (at the time) locos operated by DRS and is hauling type 3 locos 37029 and 37259 from the DRS depot at Carilse Kingmoor to Glasgow Works for attention.

Another DRS working was not so much of a surprise as I had prior warning on train 5Z89 heading south. 47802 powers two mkII open brake coaches working 5Z89 0837 Carlisle Kingmoor to Holytown and back, crew training run.

The two coaches are nothing as a load for the type 4 locomotive.

The first London Euston departure for Glasgow Central comes round the curves ripping into Beattock Bank as if is was not there. The working is 1S37 0646 off the London station.

Harthope viaduct is less than a mile in front of the driver of this unknown class 390 Pendolino set heading for Glasgow.

And now the main event. David Smith's ex LMS 8F 2-8-0 48151 comes pounding up Beattock Bank with 4 coaches and a class 37 on the rear. The train is 5Z82 0607 off Carnforth to Inverness.

The reason for the working was two fold. Firstly it was chartered by a very rich man with no taste for clothes to take his wedding guests from Inverness to Dunrobin Castle.

The eight coupled class 8F loco is putting out a great exhaust with i ts short train of four coaches and a class 37 which was not providing power.

The second reason was to position the loco in Inverness in time for its part in the Great Britain Railtour in April. The class 37, 37248, will take the train back to Inverness and return three of the four coaches back to Carnforth.

The train was about 15 minutes late here but making good progress. 37248 did not appear to providing any traction, just ticking over and ready to go if needed. Now the chase was on!!

A few miles to the north and 48151 is safely inside the down passenger loop at Beattock Summit to allow other northbound traffic to pass it.

The train has come to a stand and will wait here for a while as northbound traffic behind the 60mph timed train passes by.

Another move slightly north to await the steam working and here is one of the trains booked to pass the steam. West Coast veteran electric locos 86628 and 86604 powers Freightliner's 4S52 MX 0803 Crewe Basford Hall to Coatbridge freightliner working. The change in the track superelevation is quite noticeable along the train.

The sun is darting in and out of the clouds as the wind blows them about. The multi coloured train is about to hit a pocket of shadow. The location is between Crawford and Abington.

With all the booked traffic now gone by, 48151 is signaled out of Beattock Summit down passenger loop and continues north. Here the regulator appears to be shut as the short train drops downgrade at 1 in 240 on the descent from Beattock Summit.

The railway is carried on an embankment some 25 feet or so above the River Clyde flood plain. Here the line skirts round the base of Castle Hill near to Abington.

A short time after the steam working had passed, a northbound coal working comes north with Freightliner Heavy Haul 66564 fronting 4S12 0335 Drax Power Station to Ravenstruther empty HHA bogie coal hoppers.

Green and red teams meet with empty and loaded coal trains. The driver of 66564 will be waving to the driver of 66107 which is rostered to an unknown southbound loaded MGR working.

66107 ploughs on southbound climbing at 1 in 275 with a long rake of four wheeled HAA MGR loaded coal hoppers. The working is unidentified.

Moving up to Carstairs and 48151 sits in the down loop at the station taking water from a road tanker and allowing other northbound traffic to overtake.

One of the passing trains was 6S36 0850 MX Dalston to Grangemouth empty TEA bogie tanks with 66068 in charge.

Another more from Carstairs to nearby Cartland and I needed a pee! Whilst indisposed 48151 got away promptly and I missed it!! But just afterwards 92037 worked south with 6M12 1258 Mossend to Carlisle yard Enterprise made up of engineers vehicles. Now to get ahead again and get clear of Glasgow.

After a spirited drive from south of Glasgow to north of Stirling, ably navigated by Mike, and Blackford is the next location. 48151 has breasted the short 1 in 163 climb and the now the line is level through the former Caledonian Railway station.

The driver waves to the Blackford "bobby" before his 'box gets smothered in exhaust.

This is a new spot here on the side of the A9 road, there is a layby just near the overbridge, perfect. There was about a dozen photographers gathered here.

The down starter BK11 is off giving a clear road to Auchterarder. When the station was open I suspect this would have been the advanced starter.

The train was subject to a signal check at Auchterarder which enabled us to get ahead of the train. This bonus shot was taken at Easter Balgour.

The special must have caught up with a service train on this semaphore signalled section as it passes by quite slowly. It is booked for a water stop at Perth a few miles further on.

The going away shot of the train as it takes it easy on favourable grades along the River Earn flood plain.

48151 takes water from the strong hydrant on platform 4 of Perth's impressive station. James Shuttleworth of West Coast Railways talks to one of the support crew as another pulls coal forward ready for the next part of the trip to Inverness.

On the back of the train is type 3 37248. It will bring the coaching stock back to Carnforth after the wedding special.

Dunkeld and Birnam station now on the Highland Main Line and the driver had crept up to the down home gantry which has now been pulled off for platform 2. The train will cross a southbound service train here.

The regulator is opened to gain some speed to enter the station to cross a southbound service train.

The tall up starter still retains its finial which is a rarity these days. 48151 passes the small Highland Railway built signalbox as it enters the station loop.

A short move just to the north of Inver Tunnel and the southbound service train passes in glorious late afternoon sunshine. 170395 forms 1B34 1441 Inverness to Edinburgh.

After several minutes, more than was expected, 48151 bursts out of Inver Tunnel and the bridge taking the A9 over the road. If it had been a few minutes sooner the light would have been slightly better.

Another move and Struan is the location, a few miles north of Blair Atholl. 48151 digs into the climb from Blair Atholl to Druimuachdar summit, 19 miles of a ruling 1 in 70 gradient.

Despite the class 8 power and only four coaches, 37248 provides some assistance on this 1 in 100 section. Now the plan was to get ahead and catch the train at Dalnaraoch, but due to heavy traffic it was not to be. The train passed there in BRILLIANT sunshine and light, ho hum!!

The final location and the light is fading fast. 48151 runs up the final few yards to Druimuachdar, climbing at 1 in 78, and just at this point the driver closes the regulator!!

Still with several hundred yards of the climb to go, the steam loco is coasting with 37248 pushing at the rear. The train passes onwards to Inverness and I would see the loco there in a few weeks time for the Great Britain railtour. Now to head home.