Hi all! Was it hot today?! "YES"...too hot in fact! Saying that, I'm sure we'd have all moaned if it had rained instead...we can't win! Anyhow, after hearing a few months back that new-build A1 Pacific No60163 "Tornado" was rostered to haul a railtour 'both ways' on the West Coast Main Line, I couldn't resist finding out more. Throughout the weeks, the times had been hard to come by yet, only two days before; there they were! Looking through the rostered times I saw that the train; the "Cathedrals Express", running from Euston to Chester & return; would call at my local WCML station of Nuneaton for a 20-minute or so Water Stop. I did originally consider going to Nuneaton to see the A1, recording the arrival, watering and departure. However, after spotting an article advertising the passing of the A1 through Nuneaton in the local paper, as well as the weather forecast, I figured that the station would be far too busy with both enthusiasts and families for me to get a "good shot". Therefore, I adopted a new plan: we could, hopefully, capture the arrival into Nuneaton of the Pacific then, during her 20-minute booked stop, we could "get ahead of the train" and film her at a 2nd location. After using the very useful "Google Street View" to check out possible locations in the Nuneaton area, I found two; Eastboro Way and Leathermill Lane. On Greenflag.com, the journey, by road, between the two locations was apparently 8 minutes or so, allowing us more than enough time to move between then...traffic allowing...
After setting off from home in the burning sunlight, we made it to Eastboro Way in good time and, after parking the car in the local industrial estate, we made our way up the hill to the footbridge across the line. Not a bad view it had to be said but, the worry was being caught out by a passing Pendalino or two on the Fast Line's! Anyhow, we waited and, sure enough, yet 7-8 minutes early, the A1 slowly came around the bend with her 13-coach load; she looked beautiful. Shot achieved, we made our way quickly back down the bank to the car...the chase was on! Through the St Nicholas estate we went and then out onto the A5 dual carraigeway. We saw the WCML again in the distance, yet no sign of "Tornado"...meaning she hadn't left Nuneaton yet (I was worried she might leave early due to her early arrival). Soon, we found Leathermill Lane yet, at this end, it was a dirt-track and, in terrible condition throughout it has to be said! The car moaned, scraped and groaned as we descended the steep track into a small cluster of houses. At last, we reached tarmac again (thank goodness) but with only minutes to spare. The bridge was just around the corner and, after parking up, we jogged up to the bridge where an anticipating gallery awaited the train...good job for us that she hadn't appeared yet! After setting up the camera's we waited and, within minutes, the wonderful 3-cylinder beat was heard in the distance and the A1 appeared through the haze. Within seconds, she was gone...and off to Chester!...It had been a pleasant (yet nervy!) 45 minutes or so chasing the "Tornado" but we got what we wanted and, I'm sure we'll catch her again when she returns to the Nuneaton area in July. The A1, completed in 2008, looked beautiful and it was very nice to see her doing what she was built to do. Thank you for reading folks, back home now, and then off to CMES for the "Fish 'n' Chip Steam Up Special"!...
No comments:
Post a Comment