NELPG North East Explorer Railtour (K1 62005)
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This page last updated 17th May 2008.
A selection of photos from the North Eastern Locomotive Preservation Group's "North Eastern Explorer" railtour on Saturday 10th May 2008.
This tour was steam hauled by LNER Class K1 No 62005 and supported by a West Coast Railways diesel class 47. Passengers were picked up in Newcastle, Durham and Darlington.
I went to Nunthorpe Station early to see the K1 come through from Grosmont with its support coach. I joined the train at Middlesbrough. We were steam hauled by the K1 to Tyne Yard via the Stockton to Tursdale (Ferryhill) freight-only line. The 47 took us to Hartlepool via Darlington, Stockton and Billingham. (We were supposed to be steam hauled down the cost via Sunderland but Network Rail announced three days before the trip that steam is not allowed under the Metro wires). Next we headed steam hauled out of Hartlepool to Billingham, were we reversed onto the freight-only line via Port Clarence to Seal Sands. It was then steam-hauled away from Seal Sands to Eaglescliffe. Here we reversed again, to head to Saltburn via Middlesbrough. At Saltburn we branched off onto the mineral line to Boulby Potash Mine via Carlin How. At the mine we reversed to embark on the best part of the tour, being steam-hauled back from the mine to Middlebsrough. We had a slight stall on the incline out of the mine and needed a push from the 47. The journey round the cliffs in full-steam was wonderful. All in all a great day out.
My GPS logged 170 miles, max speed 53mph (on the ECML), total height gain 7100 feet, total height loss the same, maximum height 490 feet (going round the cliffs), minimum height 3 feet (Seal Sands).
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This page last updated 4th May 2008.
Created by IrfanView