10th October 1992

S.L.O.A.
The Cumbrian Coast Express

Route :

Notes :
Alex Cunningham adds the following comments : SLOA had come under so much criticism for starting their steam runs from the home counties and charging us northerners and Scots the full day fare just to do one way Wigan to Carlisle including the steam leg from Farrington Jct via Blackburn, Clitheroe, Hellifield & Settle to Carlisle, they kindly offered to start a tour in the north.  Sadly it was poorly supported, running almost empty behind a 47 from Newcastle via the ECML to York and then Leeds where thankfully the train filled up with our good friends from Birmingham and London who make such trips viable.  We went via Mirfield, Brighouse, Sowerby Bridge, Todmorden, Copy Pit, Rose Grove, Lostock Hall, Preston and Carnforth to Workington thus passing the sites of the last three steam sheds on the way.  After a break at Workington we left behind 46229 "Duchess of Hamilton".  A signal stop at the Barrow avoiding line produced no favours with the Duchess struggling to gain adhesion on the ensuing Lindal Bank.  We then took the F&M Carnforth avoiding line, only to slide to a stand on Wennington Bank, with much inching back and forth before we eventually got going and reached Bradford 2 hours late.  Here the same 47 backed on and recovered some time on a fast run back to Newcastle-upon-Tyne.

Sources : Alex Cunningham

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