Flying Scotsman Timings for Friday

Almost certainly too much information but these are the timings for the Flying Scotsman's journeys on the S&C on Friday, to mark the line's re-opening through to Carlisle.   The 560 passengers on board will have each paid £220 for the privilege.   

Interesting to see the detail in which one-off train timings are done though.

1Z72 09:21 KEIGHLEY & WVLR - CARLISLE

KEIGHLEY & WVLR 09.21 
KEIGHLEY STATION JN 09OP25 09OP28 [2]
SKIPTON 3 09.45 09.50
HELLIFIELD 2 10/07
HELLIFIELD GOODS LOOPS DG 10W08 10W45
SETTLE JN 10/53
HORTON-IN-RIBBLESDALE 2 11/11
RIBBLEHEAD 2 11/23
BLEA MOOR 11/27
GARSDALE 1 11/38
KIRKBY STEPHEN 2 11/51
APPLEBY 12W04 12W23
KIRKBY THORE SIGNAL BOX 12/30
CULGAITH SIGNAL BOX LC 12/33
LAZONBY & KIRKOSWALD 12/41
LOW HOUSE CROSSING S.B. 12/50
HOWE & CO SDGS 12/54 [2]
PETTERIL BRIDGE JN 13/01
LONDON RD. JN. 13/02
CARLISLE 1 13.05 

1Z74 15:35 CARLISLE - KIRKSTALL UP LOOP
Al
CARLISLE 1 15.35
LONDON RD. JN. 15/39
PETTERIL BRIDGE JN 15/40
HOWE & CO SDGS 15/48½
LOW HOUSE CROSSING S.B. 15/53
LAZONBY & KIRKOSWALD 16/02½
CULGAITH SIGNAL BOX LC 16/14
KIRKBY THORE SIGNAL BOX 16/17
APPLEBY 16W24 16W43
ORMSIDE 16/51
CROSBY GARRETT 16/58½
KIRKBY STEPHEN 1 17/02½
MALLERSTANG 17/07½
AIS GILL 17/12½
GARSDALE 2 17/14½
RIBBLEHEAD 1 17/28½
HELWITH BRIDGE 17/36
SETTLE JN 17/42
HELLIFIELD GOODS LOOPS UG 17W*48 18W*28
HELLIFIELD 1 18/29 [2]
SKIPTON 2 18.44 19.06
KEIGHLEY 1 19a20½ 19p22½
SHIPLEY 1 19/34
DOCKFIELD JN 19/36
APPERLEY JN 19/40
KIRKSTALL UP LOOP 19

Stunning New Camera at the Ribblehead Viaduct

FoSCL and Railcam have been at it again - repositioning the Ribblehead Viaduct webcam slightly and replacing it with a brand new, hugely updated, camera.   The NightFighter camera gives much better pictures after dark and the daytime ones are even better than before:

click to enlarge

The top picture shows dawn today and the lower one is yesterday daytime.   Remarkable (low resolution!) images which make one wonder where imaging technology will go next.

An Action Shot

The Rt Rev Graham Dow, former Bishop of Carlisle, is a railway enthusiast.   What IS it about the clergy and railways?    He is also a very accomplished photographer.

Last month my voice was tested to its limits and beyond as an on-train-guide / commentator on all twelve of the Tornado-hauled service trains over the S&C.   I tried to get by without amplification on day one but it was too much so I fell back on our usual PA equipment for the remaining two days, during which Graham Dow made a surprise appearance in 'my' carriage.  Before I could compose myself - 'click'.  And this was the result, thank you Graham.

click to enlarge - but only if you must

He has promised to return to hear the whole of my commentary.   I may have to clean up my act.

The First Train over Eden Brows

This afternoon a Network Rail test train crossed the new tracks at Eden Brows:

Notice the 15 months of rust on the up line ahead of the train as it passes Armathwaite station, a mile or so to the south of Eden Brows.   Photographer Ken Harper.

We Can Keep a Secret at Settle

We have known for a while that there was a happening at Settle today.

HRH Prince of Wales dropped by complete with Royal train and more British Transport police officers than there were people at Settle Station:

 click pics to enlarge

The station can park was full for the first time in months - with police vehicles.

People taking their dogs for a walk were searched

But the Police need not have worried about crowds, so well had the secret been kept.   They even had time to smile and pose.

Welcome to Settle your Royal Highness.   Sorry about the rain.

Shake a few hands.

And away.   Pat got a wave.

 And here's the Royal Train passing our web cameras at a snowy Ribblehead (0943.28) and Horton in Ribblesdale (0949.25).   It arrived at Settle bang on 1000.00.

And after the show was over the BTP posed for a picture.   I notice the dog handlers and their charges are wisely spaced well apart from each other.    This picture was taken by Settle's 'Scouse' Steve Roberts who has had more dealings with the boys in blue than I have!

How to Hide a Lift Shaft

When we were planning our adaptations of the tower we put a great deal of thought into the positioning of the lift shaft.   We wanted to put it outside the tower, out of sight at the rear as part of the annex.

The planners were having none of that and insisted that it went inside the tower.   That would necessitate it being smaller than we would have wished as it had to squeeze between the massive iron beams that supported the tank, at 4 foot centres.    Furthermore it would be a prominent feature of our main living space.   It has proved incredibly useful but it could not be denied that it was a bit of an eyesore.

We have puzzled for a long time how it might be somehow concealed or visually subdued but without success.   Recently, inspiration struck.   Why not make it into a clock tower?

click to enlarge

Effective, useful and something which gives function to what used to have all the appeal of a large upright freezer.

A visitor today was mightily impressed and said that all it lacked was a pendulum swinging behind the glass door.   That would indeed be fun. . . . . .


Never thought I would gain inspiration from Shipley Market Place:

Roll Down a Hill and Giggle

This has nothing to do with water towers, Eden Brows, steam trains or tractors:

do please click to enlarge

It just popped up on Twitter this morning and amused me.   You too I hope.

A Rainy Sunday Morning

It is Sunday and it is raining.   Heavily.    When these things coincide I like nothing better than to settle down in the roof room landing area - at the top on the topmost stairs, inside what was the water tank.

When the weather outside is evil it must be the cosiest place in Settle.

click to enlarge

It is not at all evident in the picture but a few millimetres of glass stand between this cosy space and a howling gale with squally rain thrown in.   Warm too with the heat of the floor below percolating up the stair well.

And the Sunday Telegraph too.   There is something very satisfying about embarking on an unread Sunday newspaper brimming with fresh crosswords, news, features and all the rest whilst turmoil reigns so close by outside.

The river Ribble through Settle has been angry today.   I do hope that no cavers have been taken unawares..

https://www.facebook.com/VisitSettle/videos/1416283608392084/

https://www.facebook.com/mick.watson.3496/videos/10155117268653185/

Eden Brows has Rails Again

Sorry to harp on about Eden Brows but what has been achieved there is little short of miraculous and absolutely vital to the future of the Leeds-Settle-Carlisle-Scotland railway to which the town of Settle owes so much.

This week the media were present in force at Eden Brows to record the re-paying of the actual railway lines across the mighty structure that now spans the site of the landslip fifteen months ago:

 Click pics to enlarge

Any Questions? at Giggleswick School

Last evening we went to join the audience for the live broadcast of BBC Radio 4's Any Questions? from the Richard Whiteley Theatre at Giggleswick school

click to enlarge

We had been to one of these before - at Beckfoot School in Bingley, by comparison with which the Giggleswick audience get 100% for politeness and good conduct.    That is not to say it was partisan. The applause was well distributed between the token Tory, Labour and Lib-dem.

Even more telling of course is when a speaker finishes and there is not a ripple.

Footnote:   Bumped into one of the panelists next morning admiring the water tower before catching a train to Leeds where there was a football match to be watched, apparently.    Had never been to the Yorkshire Dales before but vowed to return.   Had no plans to listen to the Saturday lunchtime repeat!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p04wj9zf

Eden Wows

More amazing progress at Eden Brows in the last week:

 click to enlarge

The track bed is being built up to take the railway lines over the actual landslip section.   Meanwhile the tracks are being made ready on with side of the gaps (see earlier posting)

The picture below was from August last year:

RESTORATION MAN - RETTER DER RUINEN

Had a delightful surprise this afternoon whilst working in and around the garage.   A voice from the station drive called over "I know you".    I shielded my eyes against the sun (yes really) but recognition did not dawn so I replied "Remind me".    Turned out he was German and our TV programme had been shown on German TV a week or so ago.   And here he was - specially to see the place for himself!


http://www.kabeleinsdoku.de/tv/restoration-man-retter-der-ruinen/bilder/restoration-man-retter-der-ruinen

If you click on the link then chain along to number 5, there we are.

He duly became our fist Visitors Book entry of 2017.   He was fascinated by the place and had clearly been watching the programme in detail.   He pointed out to me the so-called George Stairs.

We had a long chat about shoes and ships and sealing wax and cabbages and kings.   He was 34 and his sister lives here in Settle.   He was born in East Germany.   He and his mother had left for the west just two years before the Berlin Wall came down.   I said that I did not think that could be done but no.   If you had the right papers you could leave East Germany on condition that you never returned.   After the reunification of Germany the family did return and that is where he now lives - in former East Germany, Restoration Man and all!

We agreed that it was a crazy old world.

Eden Brows Latest

Things are really progressing at Eden Brows:

click to enlarge

The finished track level will be very nearly up to the top of that massive retaining wall.

Amazing stuff.

I posted the above picture on 3rd of March and just six days later this is how it looks just to the south of the landslip site:

and just to the north:

Re-flipping-markable.

It's Not That Cold

FoSCL's Settle weather station (there's one at Ribblehead too) is located on top of our tower.

http://www.mylocalweather.org.uk/settle/

I know that some of you refer to it and have been concerned for our well being these past few days with temperatures of minus 32 C and a windchill of minus 44 C appearing online.   I promise you it was not that cold!

The problem was with the temperature and humidity sensor which is located in the white finned thingy at the base of the weather station.

  It was dead and had to be replaced - at great expense to FoSCL too.   Prices are anything up to £115.   Anyway, thanks to John Livesley of MyLocalWeather we sourced one for (a mere?) £49.99.   It is fitted and the weather station now tells the truth.  

Have a look-see on the link above for what's  happening here right now, weatherwise.