WITH FULL REGULATOR LOCOMOTIVE PERFORMANCE THEN AND NOW
THIS time I am again including diverse performances to widen the scope of my column in these dark times, starting with the continuation of the run from Inverness to Kyle of Lochalsh as part of Steam Dreams’ ‘The Highlands and Islands Explorer’in May 2019, and Table One shows the final section from Achnasheen to Inverness. The first part was included in the last issue.
The load was six coaches for 235 tons and the engine crew were Bobby Duncan and Lewis McDonald, the latter having probably his first firing turn on a B14-6-0. Once again I am indebted to my valued correspondent Sandy Smeaton for the very full details in this table. From Achnasheen the line climbs at 1-in-60 to milepost 28¼ where speed reached 16½mph and then rose to 22½mph at the top of the initial climb where gradients ease to 1-in-100/200.
The dip beyond produced 38mph and then the 1-in-55 to milepost 30¾ brought speed back to 19mph before easier gradients gave 23½mph at Luib summit, 646ft above sea level. Apart from a short sharp climb before Achnashellach the line then drops all the way to Kyle, reached one minute late after a very competent overall performance.
Schedule
Moving on to the‘Cumbrian Mountain Express’(CME) of October 10, 2020, TableTwo shows the continuation from
