Scarborough Spa Express

[chris]

I'm catching the Scarborough Spa express this evening. I'm avoiding the actual trip to Scarborough and just doing the loop from York round West Yorkshire as it drops off its passengers at Normanton, Castleford and the like.

I was rather hoping to be hauled by Scots Guardsman, mainly because I'll be buying it when Hornby release it next month. It was on duty last week, but the morning trip out to pickup at Normanton, Castleford... has just gone by with, horror of horrors, a Class 37 on the front

By amazing coincidence (wrong word), when we caught it last year the same thing happened, Leander failed an overnight inspection and a 47 had to be used. But WCRC pulled out all the stops and got a steam loco over from Carnforth by late morning and it replaced the 47 before it left York for Scarborough. We can only hope that they manage it again.

Oh, and which loco came over from Carnforth last year? Scots Guardsman.

[chris]

It's just gone past again, now en ruote to York then Scarboro. Still got 37706 on the front

[ba14eagle]

Personally, the 37 will sound much better

Seriously though, WCR should be a little more organised - a standby steam loco at York wouldnt be that difficult to organise would it, even if it couldnt be prepared in time to do the first part of the itinerary, surely some steam is better than no steam. I do feel sorry for people who pay good money for a steam trip like this but dont get what they pay for. It can only damage the business ultimately, because people wont always comeback.

[IanR]

I saw it too Chris, went down to the crossing near me to video the steam loco and the 37 turned up!

I understand that Black 5 44932 should be replacing Scots Guardsman this week.

[chris]

It was all a bit tense on Platform 3, but the reassuring chuff of a steam train could be heard out to the east.

They had managed to get the Black 5 ready to go on the front from York at lunchtime. Apparently it wasn't up to pressure so the 37 was still doing the work. By the time we boarded for the evening loop steam was doing most of the work, but we still had diesel banking, which was certainly in use between Wakefield and Leeds.

Great way to spend an evening.

[drmalesis]

Hi Chris,

Glad it all came together in the end - all's well that ends well then.

Personally, I wouldn't have minded a mighty 37, but I suppose if you booked the excursion based on a steam loco doing the business, you had every right to be a little disappointed at the possible prospect of not getting what you paid for.

Personally I'm missing the lack of any heritage loco on the Cambrian line at the moment. With the installation of ERTMS on the line, West Coast Railways have cancelled all of the 2011 tours. They have promised to start them again in 2012, but with the teething troubles ERTMS has suffered, I won't get my hopes up just yet.

Time for a trip to Llangollen for a fix methinks...

Duncan

[chris]

Scots Guardsman was back on SSE duties yesterday. 37706 was rescuing it today!

Went passsed the house 2 hours late at 14:30, still on it's way to the coast.