Grosmont shed, North Yorkshire Moors Railway and John Cameron's K4 61994 The Great Marquess raises steam before a day on the line between Whitby and Pickering. 20/10/07
Also on shed but not in steam is an example of Maunsell's 1930 design class V 4-4-0 all named after famous public schools. This is 30926 Repton.
61994 stands at the head of 2P03, the 1050 from Grosmont to Pickering. The loco carries a bell on the front just as it did in 1967 when it ran with K1 62005 on a railtour over these very metals . This bell has been borrowed from the Crossing Club.
The loco crew pose on the front of the engine, husband and wife John and Beth Furness will take the train to Pickering and back.
Back at the loco shed and the view to the station is made looking through the 146 yard long tunnel beneath Lease Rigg. The gates are open and Beth has the K4 blowing off ready for the hard climb to Goathland. BR Standard 4MT 80135 waits to run down to the station.
The front of 61994 breaks into the sunshine and the exhaust curls round the tunnel roof.
61994 clears the tunnel and takes the sharp curve past the loco shed. It carries The Fair Maid headboard.
On shed and former Lambton Colliery 0-6-2T No 29 stands below the coaling tower.
A move to Darnholm on the 1 in 49 climb to Goathland and K1 62005 comes round the curve with 1Z41 1100 from Whitby to Goathland.
This is an early morning shot to get the sun on the right side to light up the whole train but as the time is around midday in October it isn't too bad as the sun is still on the front.
BR Standard 4MT 4-6-0 75029 is the next train up the bank to Goathland with 2P05 1150 off Grosmont for Pickering. It is working hard tender first on the 1 in 49 climb with six mkI bogies on the drawbar.
This section of the line is on the 1865 deviation built to avoid the Beckhole Incline.
A short walk to the tall over bridge seen in the previous shots and B1 4-6-0 61264 drops down the 1 in 49 grade with 2G04 1120 from Pickering to Grosmont.
61994 is seen again returning from Pickering bound for Whitby and is working 1Z42 1220 off Pickering, the southern terminus of the line. In the distance is the pyramid at RAF Fylingdales Early Warning Radar station. The location here is Moorgates with the actual summit of the line about half a mile to the south of this spot.
A close up shot of K4 61994 as it passes by in perfect sunlight.
At Goathland, 61994 crossed the next southbound working. NELPeG's former NER Q6 0-8-0 63395 climbs purposely up the 1 in 178 grade with the heavy Pullman dining train to Pickering working as 2P07 1250 off Grosmont.
The conditions are absolutely perfect on this day and this location. 63395's train is a real mixed bag including a Gresley teak observation coach, a mkI and mkII Pullman coach, a couple of mkI coaches and on the rear two more Gresley teak coaches, making a heavy eight coach load.
A quick drive to Whitby and the tall A171 road bridge over the River Esk provides a superb location to photograph the railway. 61994 runs in towards Whitby station.
61994 passes the semi derelict but listed 2 road former loco shed at Whitby with 1Z42 1220 from Pickering. On the back is K1 62005 which was attached at Grosmont having worked back from Goathland earlier.
The tall road bridge over the river provides a wonderful viewpoint for Whitby and the famous Abbey. It is in this condition as the Germans bombed it during WW1 using Zeplins and hand held bombs.
On arrival at Whitby the passengers have left the train so it can go into the loop to allow 61994 to run round.
K1 62005 brings the train into the loop at Boghall Sidings. Guard Marg watches the proceedings. K4 61994 is still on the rear.
A general view of the train and railway from the tall bridge over the river. The area of land between the railway and the river was the goods yard and carriage sidings. Still the day is perfect with not a cloud in the sky.
61994 has been uncoupled and runs alongside the train to couple onto the front of 62005.
The train is complete and a chance for photos to be taken is grabbed.
Fraser Birrell and John Cameron stand in front of 61994. The loco carries a replica headboard of the Whitby Moors railtour which ran 40 years ago this weekend using the same two locos over part of the same route. This is why 61994 has a bell on the front.
The ecs reverses slowly back into Whitby station and the locos pass over the foot crossing at Boghall. There is a photo taken on the crossing of the original railtour and an attempt to retake the shot is being made by one photographer.
Running some 40 minutes late, 61994 and 62005 recreate the Whitby Moors Railtour as they blast away from the town with 1Z43 1415 Whitby to Pickering.
The pair of 2-6-0 locos are putting out a fine white exhaust into the cold air of this beautiful autumn afternoon as they get their train away from Whitby.
A quick drive back to Moorgates to wait for the pair and catch the passing traffic on the line. Q6 63395 returns with the dining set as 2G12 1420 from Pickering to Grosmont.
The mid afternoon sun lights the black loco and the two Gresley teak coaches perfectly as the train passes by.
The main event appraoches on the 1 in 178 climb away from Goathland station. 61994 and 62005 pass the gallery out to record the recreated railtour.
61994 passes over the road to Goathland village.
On the footplate, beside the crew, is caretaker Fraser Birrell and owner John Cameron.
The pair forge on in an attempt to arrive at Pickering right time. By now the train is just ten minutes late having made up 30 minutes from leaving Whitby.
Former Lambton Colliery tank loco No29 has arrived at Goatland with 1A11, the 1525 from Grosmont. It has run into the down platform and now, with the passengers off the train, it will move into the loop to clear the station.
BR Standard class 4MT 75029 comes to a stand with 2P13, 1550 Grosmont to Pickering. Goathland is a very busy station with trains crossing and is a picturesque station.
Ex LNER 4-6-0 B1 61264 passes the very impressive former NER lower quadrant slotted signal gantry with a Grosmont bound working, 2G14 1520 off Pickering. It will run into the up platform to cross 75029.
On the back of the train is K4 61994 which was removed from the front of its train with K1 62005 at Levisham and put on the back of B1 61294's train. Here it will be removed from this train.
The shunting dummy is off and the driver opens the regulator to move the loco into the loop to clear the station. Sadly the whole station is in shadow.
Another move and this time I am at Esk Valley. At Goathland 61994 coupled onto the train brought in by Lambton Colliery No 29 and now heads for Whitby with 1Z44, 1630 off Goathland. The train is dropping down the 1 in 49 gradient towards Esk Valley and Grosmont.
61994 and its train passes the row of cottages at Esk Valley built for ironstone miners that worked the surrounding hills. Almost half are now owned by people who work on the railway.
The track at the top of the shadow is the route of the original Stephenson built Whitby and Pickering Railway which was worked by horses and went via the 1 in 15 rope hauled incline at Beck Hole.
The autumnal colours on the leaves paint the trees a beautiful patchwork of greens and browns and all shades in between. There can not be a breath of air in the valley judging how high the smoke is rising above 61994's chimney as it drifts towards Grosmont.
The last up train of the day left Grosmont about 8 minutes down. Q6 63395 fronts 2P15 1650 off Grosmont to Pickering. The timing is perfect as the falling sun just catches the top of the track bed and the train.
The train is a rake of seven mkI coaches all in BR carmine and cream livery and look just superb.
The 0-8-0 tender loco gets to grips with the 2 1/2 mile long climb at 1 in 49 to Goathland with its seven mkI coaches on the drawbar. The train passes the former miners cottages at Esk Valley. What a lovely view!
A cold and wet early morning on shed at Grosmont and the shed staff have hastily arranged the three steamable A4 pacifics together for a photographic pose. Resident 60007 "Sir Nigel Gresley", and visiting 60009 "Union of South Africa" with 60019 "Bittern" make up part of the line up for the Spring 2008 LNER gala. 28/3/08
