WITH FULL REGULATOR LOCOMOTIVE PERFORMANCE THEN AND NOW

LAST time, I included details of part of Steam Dreams’ trip to Worcester on May 23, when LMS‘Black Five’ No. 44871 produced a stunning climb of Sapperton bank during which Ray Poole and Chris Birmingham worked the engine hard enough to result in one of the highest power outputs ever known from a Class 5 locomotive. On a beautiful sunny morning we had joined the train at Reading where Ray Poole and Mathew Earnshaw took over from Pete Roberts. The load was nine coaches for 340 tons full and no diesel on the back for once.

I had a seat in the last coach on the milepost side, so was eagerly anticipating a good day out with pure steam. The initial schedule to the water stop at Challow was a very tight 29 minutes for the 27.87 miles, which would have been achievable with a 75mph rated locomotive, but impossible with one restricted to 65mph and with a slow start up the 1-in-82 over the new flyover, even with Ray Poole driving.

At least we were on the down main line and speed soon rose to 65mph just after Pangbourne – and then was held in