60019 Bittern, The Dartmouth Express, 20th March 2010

This is my first HD upload, so if things are not quite right, please bear with me and if you have advice on how to improve uploads, please send me a message. After two weeks of bright sunny weather, the good old Torbay mist and drizzle arrived bang on time to welcome the first mainline steam tour of 2010. Elsewhere the weather was dry but dull, with poor light all day, but I made the best of the conditions at a number of locations. 60019 reaches the summit of Whiteball with apparent ease and the lack of vegetation gives a clear view to the tunnel. After a mad dash to Rewe, I was still setting up rather unsteadily on the new crash barriers at the overbridge when the train appeared slightly early - notice the A4 weaving, despite what looks to be well aligned track. Torbay was immersed in solid drizzle, so I sought cover at Churston station and enjoyed a nice close-up pass after what turned out to be a slippery climb from Goodrington, despite being banked by a class 25. A grab shot as the train emerged from Greenway tunnel precedes the last shot of the day in failing light from Ringmore on the Teign estuary and I have to agree with those who say that the only way to fully appreciate a "streak" is at speed. The crew must have been piling on the coal for a blow-off to occur as soon as the regulator is knocked back and although I was obviously aware of what had happened, the delayed sound of the blast from over 500m away was still a shock, slightly distubing my pan.

Видео 60019 Bittern, The Dartmouth Express, 20th March 2010 канала Steamclips