The Royal Duchy 5th April 2009

In what was supposed to be the most enterperising double header on the GWML, GWR Castle Class loco 5029 Nunney Castle and BR Standard 7MT 70013 Oliver Cromwell doublehead with Railway Touring Company's 'Royal Duchy' from Paddinton to Par and return with D1015 doing the return working.

Starting off at Whiteball south the pair can be seen heading down the decend to be watered at Tiverton Junction. But at Newton Abbot disaster struck as 5029 suffered a overheated axelbox in the tender. Meaning she had to be detached from the train and limp back to the nearby Hackney sidings. Because all the stock was air braked and 70013 being a vacuum braked locomotive, there was no way she was able haul the charter, as well as having 13 coaches the 'Brit' wouldn't of coped tackling the steep Devon Banks with such heavy loads.

Western hydraulic D1015 Western Champion was rostered back to tow the loco and its train which can be seen here. A pretty authentic combination of what it would of looked like when diesel hydraulics used to pilot steam over the Devon banks from Newton Abbot back in the early 1960s.

The last scene concludes with D1015 storming past Stoke Canon en route to Paddington. A real shame another locomotive has failed as it woulda been a sight to see the pair conquer Dainton and Rattery. Hopefully in the future we should.
I would like to thank fellow cameraman David Oldham for taking me to Whiteball and Rattery.

Now heres a big question, is mainline steam in the West Country being cursed or jinxed??

Category:

Travel & Events

Tags:

• GWR
• Castle
• Class
• 5029
• Nunney
• BR
• Standard
• 7MT
• 70013
• Oliver
• Cromwell
• D1015
• Western
• Champion
• The
• Royal
• Duchy
• Whiteball
• summit
• Newton
• Abbot
• Stoke
• Canon

[rubberlad71]

Really really nice video , mate . Do you think some people have too much faith in their old machinery. I'm not involved with Heritage Steam or Heritage Diesel, but i am involved with 1940's trucks and Vehicles and i've seen many people treating said vehicles as modern and coming off worse for it , ie blown engines broken drive shafts etc. I think a small amount of common sense with these old girls would go a long way !

[GreatWestern175]

Well thing is although its not often steam engines fail, what you see is two different types of steam locomotive design, the Castle (one in front) is a 1923 design making it older and more prone to fail at times, the rear loco 70013 Oliver Cromwell is a 1950s design, but was built for modern standards during the post-war era. So you have two different locos with different designs and parts each old and modern.

[englischlokfuehrer]

Very well described. Liked the bits with D1015. I didn't recognise Newton Abbott at all, A real shadow of its former glory with tracks and crossovers galore.

[GreatWestern175]

Indeed its changed alot from its former heyday.

[all6inthelast]

Lovely departure with the Maybach piloting. The blend of dielsel and steam in the air you can almost smell. This one was running very late wasn't it? Your patience was duly rewarded. Big crowd too.

[GreatWestern175]

About an hour late I think, I was originally at Rattery when finding out that 5029 failed so I was taken back to Newtown Abbot to see D1015 rescue 70013.

[AndreiTupolev]

Doomed? Getting a helping of Western haulage as well? I'd call that a bonus.

[traintelevision]

fantastic bit of unique footage , plenty of steam & smoke .....

[dwkcamman611]

Incredible!!!

[MG06ZT]

Great shots, love the station departure. Strange how things go full circle, Nunney Castle now in service and the other two (sadly) failed!

[all6inthelast]

Any more 'Cathedrals' routed down the West of England main this year? Had some nice pictures this year but lost them moving data over to new p.c. Sickened by it. Cheers