grebeman
Old Codgers Group
- Name
- Barrie
Today there have been two steam hauled express trains running through south Devon with one of them returning after turning round at Plymouth.
The mainline in south Devon was famous in the steam era for testing the locomotives and crew by having the 3rd (1 in 41), 4th (1 in 42) and 7th (1 in 46) steepest inclines on the British mainline in the space of some 34 miles. Enjoy the spectacle of seeing steam doing a proper job of work.
Here Tangmere and Oliver Cromwell near the top of the 9 mile long Rattery incline which has a stretch at 1 in 46 followed by another length at 1 in 51. At this point the incline has eased somewhat. In the background is Brent Hill on the southern flank of Dartmoor.
I'm reminded of two of the lines of W H Auden's poem Night Mail :-
"The gradient's against her but she's on time" (actually 5 minutes early) and "Shov'ling white steam over her shoulder"
Tangmere (Battle of Britain class) leads Oliver Cromwell (Britannia class)
The 2nd train of the day rounds the curve into the site of the former station at Brent, still on Rattery Bank
Earl of Mount Edgecumbe
This is the return journey for the Castle class Earl of Mount Edgecumbe nearing the top of the 2.5 mile, 1 in 42 Hemerdon Bank. The locomotive will be in full gear with the regulator wide open and doing something like 15 mph at this point. With 9 carriages on she's very close to the limit for this class of engine to be working alone.
The gradient is beginning to ease to 1 in 51
The crew are to be congratulated on a job well done, likewise the locomotive must be in fine fettle.
It was a cloudy day with light rain at times, but thankfully it held off at the critical moments.
All shots with a Panasonic G1 and 14-45, f/3.5-5.6 zoom lens.
Barrie
The mainline in south Devon was famous in the steam era for testing the locomotives and crew by having the 3rd (1 in 41), 4th (1 in 42) and 7th (1 in 46) steepest inclines on the British mainline in the space of some 34 miles. Enjoy the spectacle of seeing steam doing a proper job of work.
Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)
Here Tangmere and Oliver Cromwell near the top of the 9 mile long Rattery incline which has a stretch at 1 in 46 followed by another length at 1 in 51. At this point the incline has eased somewhat. In the background is Brent Hill on the southern flank of Dartmoor.
I'm reminded of two of the lines of W H Auden's poem Night Mail :-
"The gradient's against her but she's on time" (actually 5 minutes early) and "Shov'ling white steam over her shoulder"
Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)
Tangmere (Battle of Britain class) leads Oliver Cromwell (Britannia class)
Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)
The 2nd train of the day rounds the curve into the site of the former station at Brent, still on Rattery Bank
Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)
Earl of Mount Edgecumbe
Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)
This is the return journey for the Castle class Earl of Mount Edgecumbe nearing the top of the 2.5 mile, 1 in 42 Hemerdon Bank. The locomotive will be in full gear with the regulator wide open and doing something like 15 mph at this point. With 9 carriages on she's very close to the limit for this class of engine to be working alone.
Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)
The gradient is beginning to ease to 1 in 51
Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)
The crew are to be congratulated on a job well done, likewise the locomotive must be in fine fettle.
It was a cloudy day with light rain at times, but thankfully it held off at the critical moments.
All shots with a Panasonic G1 and 14-45, f/3.5-5.6 zoom lens.
Barrie