‘FIFTEEN GUINEA’ FOREIGNERS

‘A4’, ‘Jubilees’ and diesels assemble on the Settle-Carlisle line for 50th anniversary of 1968.

Fifty years to the day after the end of BR steam, three steamhauled railtours traversed the ‘Settle & Carlisle’ line on August 11 – but all with diesel assistance. Owing to fire risk conditions, a DB Cargo Class 66 diesel was marshalled behind ‘A4’ No. 60009 Union of South Africa on Pathfinder Tours’ ‘Settle & Carlisle Golden Express I’ from Preston to Appleby via Shap and back to Crewe over the ‘S&C’. The ‘Streak’ was itself a substitute for the originally planned motive power, Peppercorn ‘A1’ No. 60163 Tornado, still undergoing repairs following its 90mph motion failure in April. Stanier ‘Jubilee’ 4-6-0s

Nos. 45690 Leander and 45699 Galatea were assisted by West Coast Railways Class 47 diesels on their respective tours – the Railway Touring Company’s ‘Waverley’ from Hellifield to Carlisle and return, and ‘Cumbrian Mountain Express’ from Carnforth to Carlisle and Farington Junction. It was the first ‘S&C’ commemoration of the ‘Fifteen Guinea Special’ not to feature any appropriate locomotives (‘Black Five’ No. 44871 took part in the 25th anniversary in 1993, while ‘Britannia’ No. 70013 Oliver Cromwell ran for the 40th and 45th anniversaries) although one piece of 1968 history did appear in the form of an original ‘1T57’ headboard carried by No. 45690. Another veteran of 1968, ‘Black Five’ No. 45212, was on duty for the afternoon ‘Jacobite’ on August 11, while Peppercorn ‘K1’ No. 62005 worked the morning train. The Great Central Railway commemorated the date with its ‘50 years since the end of BR steam’ weekend on August 11/12, with an original ‘1T57’ locomotive in the form of ‘Britannia’ No. 70013 Oliver Cromwell. For more, see pages 42-47.

JOHN CAMERON IAN SHARMAN ‘Fifteen Guinea’ engine No. 44871 was in steam on August 11, but in Scotland – on an ‘engine and coach’ move from Fort William to Bo’ness in preparation for a Scottish Railway Preservation Society railtour over the Forth Bridge and the Waverley Route the following day. With its main line certificate having expired, original ‘Fifteen Guinea Special’ star No. 70013 Oliver Cromwell was confined to the Great Central Railway, but paid homage to the anniversary by recreating its 1968 light engine run from Carlisle to Lostock Hall and from there to Norwich. Here, the Riddles ‘Pacific’ canters through Quorn & Woodhouse on August 12.

BEN COLLIER A digitally created montage photograph showing ‘A4’ No. 60009 Union of South Africa and ‘Jubilee’ No. 45690 Leander ‘passing’ near Appleby on August 11 – the two railtours actually met half a mile away. Note the original ‘1T57’ reporting number board adorning No. 45690’s smokebox.

TOBY JENNINGS/SR ‘Guinea Pig’… another class of engine carrying the famous ‘1T57’ reporting number to commemorate the end of BR steam, but which did not take part in the original ‘Fifteen Guinea Special’, was Ivatt ‘Flying Pig’ 2-6-0 No. 43106 with the Severn Valley Railway’s evening special on August 4. The ‘4MT’ was standing in for absent ‘Black Five’ No. 45231 (SR483).