The Most Unusual Tour of the Year? 46100 Royal Scot hauls The Welshman. 14th Sept. 2021

Saphos Trains: Kingswear - Paignton - Bristol - Severn Tunnel - Cardiff - Gloucester - Bristol - Paignton - Kingswear.

Having the luck of living where this "one-off" tour started and finished gave me the unique opportunity to capture 15 camera views at 6 locations and although filming conditions for the whole day were far from ideal, with thick “anti-cyclonic gloom” firmly fixed over much of the southwest, I think we managed to capture a good flavour of a wonderful tour at a variety of locations.

Starting at Pugham Farm, just after the stop at Tiverton Parkway, 46100 emerges through the haze as she attacks the climb to Burlescombe and Whiteball. Spare a thought for the many photographers on the foot crossing who were totally “bowled” by the “down” service train.

Next to Filton Bank, Bristol, where bridges at Lockleaze and Bonnington Walk give fine views of a good stretch of the climb. Unfortunately the tour becomes the victim of poor (some might even say: discriminatory) decisions at Swindon control as this “through” train is brought to a stand then shuffled around on the bank in favour of a local stopping service. Not the performance climb we were expecting but interesting in other ways as Royal Scot manages the 600 ton load with ease on the 1 in 75 climb without assistance from the rear.

Relying on the accuracy of the Met. Office forecast which predicted conditions to clear mid-afternoon, we took a chance on capturing the tour in Wales but from the English side of the Severn at Purton and so we parked up and waited…….and waited…… but there was no change and we were left with an almost impossible shot through miles of haze resulting in an indistinct grey on grey image. The only consolation was that the wind carried the sounds towards us. However after a mega amount of image processing and editing time, I managed to salvage something which is at least watchable. Seen approaching the river down the bank from Chepstow through the remains of 2 of Purton’s famous “Hulks”, 46100 rushes along the riverside embankment past Lydney and on to a speed restriction through engineering works before accelerating away towards Gloucester.

Taking a short-cut across the route we capture the train as it emerges from Wickwar Tunnel at Westend and Hall End overbridges. The tunnel and rock cutting contribute to some of the weirdest and best sounds I have ever heard from a “Scot”, the passing HST only adding to the drama as she storms past and away towards Yate on the 1 in 181 gradient.

A drive back down the M4/M5 in the rush hour is not to be recommended and our planned location near Weston-Super-Mare had to be abandoned as we ran out of time, so we raced on to Puriton Road on the approach to Bridgewater where we just got the gear up in time to catch 46100 “flat-out” across the Somerset Levels in failing light.

And finally…..

46100 drifts into Paignton Station after a long day but alighting passengers are happy as are the crew who head off for a well earned rest and maybe a glass or 2? Meanwhile a local crew take over for the final leg to Kingswear with a couple of blasts from her distinctive LMS hooter floating out into the clear night sky. Listen for the awesome sound as the train couplings "snatch" when the brakes are released and 46100 takes the strain as she make her exit under a half “Harvest” moon.

Many thanks to tour operator Saphos who “went the extra mile” in ensuring this “sell-out” tour took place despite the cancellation of the original supporting tour.

Notes:
1. as with all Saphos tours, the diesel is attached to the train primarily for the supply of power to the catering and other coaches, also for shunting. It is rarely, if ever, used as traction support.

2. The main footage on Filton Bank was taken with the camera on a rice bag atop the knife edge coping of the 2.5m high bridge wall on Bonnington Walk. Not easy! A couple of "sprites" in the footage are a mystery also.

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