WITH FULL REGULATOR
“ ‘Black Five’ No. 45212 was being worked very hard indeed throughout the whole climb and as Table One shows, it looked as though it was taking the full 395 ton load until hitting the 1-in-90/80 from milepost 171. From here to the tunnel the Class 47 clearly cut in, but that didn’t detract from a wonderful steam experience.”
THE theme this time is heavy loads at home and in Europe, though I start with a series of climbs from Taunton to Whiteball. I have been following the exploits of LMS‘Black Five’4-6-0 No. 45212 which has been producing some fine running with 10 coaches unassisted on a number of charters. I wanted to sample one of these and thought that The Railway Touring Company’s‘Dartmouth Express’would be a good choice and so made my way by means of First Great Western to Bristol Temple Meads on Saturday, June 9, where the‘Black Five’was booked to take over from a Class 47 diesel, No. 47746 and take the train on to Kingswear.
Having watched the Class 47 detach from the train, and as booked, leave light engine forTaunton in order to take over the train on its return there, I walked down the train to get the load, which was 10 coaches for 369½ tons tare. However, I noted with dismay that No.
