The RCTS: then and now
LOOKING back almost 50 years at the railtours organised by the RCTS, the reports that featured in the Railway Observer are well recorded. Some trips produced the extremes of both excitement and disappointment that featured ailing locomotives, brilliant performances by some crews, and what others can only charitably call lackadaisical. The ‘Three Summits’ special of June 30, 1963 touched all these bases. Organised by the West Riding Branch, the itinerary took in the climbs to Ais Gill, Beattock and Shap and would feature two ‘A4s’, a ‘Princess Coronation’, a McIntosh Caledonian ‘3F’ 0-6-0 and the preserved ‘Jones Goods’ 4-6-0. Gateshead ‘A4’ No. 60023 Golden Eagle was booked to work from Leeds to Carlisle, but suffered injector trouble and required emergency repairs at Skipton. Further problems were encountered at Bell Busk, and it was not until descending from Mallerstang Common that the ‘A4’ showed its mettle. On handing over to Kingmoor’s No. 46255 City of Hereford at Carlisle, the Stanier Pacific departed 50 minutes late and the crew set about regaining some of the lost time – but permanent way and bridge work badly impeded progress and, despite Beattock summit being passed at 35mph, less than a minute had been regained by Carstairs. There the ‘Jones Goods’ and No. 57581 took over for what the RO report called a pleasant amble across country to Auchinleck, where ‘A4’ No. 60004 William Whitelaw was waiting to take over for the return to Carlisle. The RO was scathing, saying it was the most uninspired run behind an ‘A4’ and that the train was still 33 minutes down on arrival at Carlisle. Here No. 60023 was waiting to take over again as its injector problems had been solved while on shed. Unfortunately Control had issued instructions for a diesel multiple unit to run ahead of the RCTS special, and it was only after Penrith that No. 60023 achieved linespeed, passing Shap Summit at 60mph. Further hard work followed over the Ingleton line to Clapham and the time of 89 minutes to Hellifield was still faster than the usual time for the non-stop run over the Settle & Carlisle. Arriving at Skipton, the special was still 24 minutes late meaning many missed connections. Despite the vicissitudes of the day, the RO admitted that the tour was very well thought out and the reporter stated that he would like to repeat the itinerary behind diesels with a ‘Peak’ running over Ais Gill, Beattock and Shap. He also conceded that the Pacifics used were not specially prepared, but were locomotives on top link duties. For information on the Society visit www.rcts.org.uk