The ‘very popular’ Great Britain tour returns for the 12th consecutive year. Days 1, 2 and 3 was to be hauled down to the West Country and along the Welsh Marches by LMS Coronation lass no. 6233 Duchess of Sutherland which was repainted to original LMS Crimson Lake from her Brunswick Green livery last year. Days 1 and 2 features the Duchess in full cry over the South Devon Banks at Whiteball, Rattery and Hemerdon Banks respectively. With a load of 10 behind her which is the maximum amount needed to go solo up the Devon Hills, I was really looking forward to seeing her in action. My first shot features the Duchess roaring up Whiteball Bank in the lovely spring sunshine even though it was quite windy it was still very impressive. The shot was obscured a bit by overgrown hedges and bushes, but with a bit of gardening work, the shot was much better even though the area is still in need of vegetation work.
Afterwards, was a hop to Tigley to see The Duchess storming up Rattery Bank, but I only just made it. Just after leaving Whiteball and a narrow road, I was stuck behind a tractor for 10-15 minutes and was worried, but luckily I got to my spot just in time and was worth it. At this point the Duchess was running around 5 mins early and she was in no mood to relax. The engine sounded majestic as ever as her Stanier exhaust beating through the countryside, taken Rattery bank to the cleaners.
Day 2 was the big one and that was the monster climb of Hemerdon. I got to my spot in good time and well prepared for some Duchess thrash. But it turned into a dramatic and very slippery climb which almost saw the locomotive grinding and slipping to a standstill, but massive credit goes to the crew on board for never giving up and getting the best out of the engine under very difficult circumstances. A mixture of the engine being cold and slippery rails caused the climb to be even more difficult than anticipated. But it was still a good sight nevertheless.
My final shot was at Burlescombe on the Exeter side of Whiteball Tunnel to seeing the engine tackling Whiteball Bank for the second time in two consecutive days. I arrived at the road bridge in good time and managed to get a good spot and just as well as it become incredibly rammed. The engine was slightly late but sounding very nice on her approach to the tunnel. She was to take the tour around the Somerset Circular to Taunton via Bristol and Westbury before the WSR Locomotives in charge of the Bishops Lydeard to Minehead leg.
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