Northwest Mainline Steam 2015 is the latest in our successful series of films, and this year expanded into a bigger than ever release - culminating in a Double DVD, or single High Definition Blu-Ray. The film includes on-screen details of railtours, locations, dates, onboard speeds and gradients. As ever, a minimal commentary is timed to avoid conflict with the sounds of the locomotives. Also included are interesting changes and developments, including bridge demolition, signal replacement, and the construction of a new siding on the S&C. The film includes over 80 minutes of footage from the Settle-Carlisle Railway.

 

PART ONE: WINTER-SPRING-SUMMER

45407 The Lancashire Fusilier (ca. 3 mins)

Cumbrian Mountain Express, 24 January

Brock, Scout Green, Shap, Ais Gill, Garsdale (2).

46233 Duchess of Sutherland

Cumbrian Mountain Express, 31 January (ca. 5.35 mins)

Lune Gorge (from an elevated position on Jeffrey's Mount), Shap Summit, Mallerstang (4).

Cumbrian Mountain Express, 7 February (ca. 25.55 mins)

Extensive on-board footage from Appleby to Blackburn, including stunning sunset scenes.

 

44871 & 45407

The Tin Bath, 15 February (ca. 2.57 mins)

Kitson Wood Tunnel, Lydgate Viaduct, Darwen, Sough Tunnel.

45407 & 45690 Leander

The Hadrian, 7 March (ca. 2.51 mins)

Shap Wells, Shap Summit, Cowran Cutting (2), Gelt Viaduct

46115 Scots Guardsman

Cumbrian Coast Express, 14 March (ca. 10.09 mins)

Scout Green, Shap Summit Cutting & Summit, Lowca, Parton, Duddon Estuary, Ulverston.

Cumbrian Mountain Express, 21 March (ca. 3.08 mins)

Greenholme, Shap Summit - includes scenes of the small lineside fires/diesel pilot at Ais Gill on return.

 

45699 Galatea 

The Pendle Dalesman, 1 April (ca. 1.29 mins)

Pleasington, Helwith Bridge, Lowgill.

The Hadrian, 16 May (ca. 1.36 mins)

Kirkby Stephen, Birkett Tunnel.

45699 Galatea and 70000 Britannia

Unprecented back-to-back tours on Shap (5 mins. apart). (ca. 10.46 mins)

Scout Green (2 different angles), Shap Summit (both loco's, comparative angles)

Cumbrian Coast Express (45699)(ca. 4.52 mins)
St. Bees (2), Foxfield, Lindal Tunnel.

 

46115 Scots Guardsman

Fellsman and Cumbrian Mountain Express (various dates) (ca. 12.41 mins)

Mallerstang - Ais Gill

Hay Fell, Docker, Shap Wells, Low House, Armathwaite, Birkett Common, Mallerstang (2), Ais Gill Summit.

 

60163 Tornado

The Border Reivers, 27 June (ca. 6.41 mins)

Greskine, Harthope, leaving Beattock Summit (2), Abington (2), Craigenhill Summit, Cartland, Enterkinfoot, Drumlanrig Tunnel.

 

45690 Leander

The Dalesman (ca. 7.17 - including Dalesman and Fellsman)

Lodge Hall, Ais Gill Summit, Waitby Common, Birkett Common, Mallerstang-Ais Gill.

The Fellsman

App. Ramsgreave and Wilpshire, Barton & Broughton Loop.

45231 The Sherwood Forester

The Fellsman (ca. 7.16 mins)

Ribblehead, Blea Moor Tunnel, Nr. Clitheroe, Whalley Arches, Langho, Wilpshire Tunnel, Wilpshire Summit, Barton & Broughton, Brock (2), Claughton (2).

 

PART TWO: SUMMER-AUTUMN-WINTER

46233 Duchess of Sutherland

Cumbrian Mountain Express (18 July, 1, 15 August) (ca. 16.22 mins)

Gregson Lane (2), Whalley, Hellifield, Horton Station, Selside, Selside Shaw (2), Lodge Hall, Dent Head, Arten Gill, Thrimby, App. Shap, Shap, Shap Summit, Lune Gorge, Carlisle Bridge (Lancaster), Lancaster Station, Ripley Bank, Forton, Scorton.

45699 Galatea 

The Dalesman, The Waverley (various dates including 18, 20, 27 August, 6 September) (ca. 20.04 mins)

Settle Station, long-running sequence (Selside - Rise Hill) including multiple camera angles, close-in and fellside view points - hear the train in Blea Moor Tunnel from the ventilation shafts!

 

46115 Scots Guardsman

The Fellsman (19 and 26 August) (ca. 14.17 mins)

Catterall, Barton, Brownhill, Wilpshire Summit, Gisburn, Newsholme, Helwith Bridge (including on-going footage of work on the new quarry connection), Lodge Hall, Eden Brows Wood, Armathwaite, Birkett Common, Birkett Tunnel, Ais Gill, Dentdale, Billington, Langho, Brock.

 

5043 Earl of Mount Edgcumbe

The Coastal Explorer, 19 September (ca. 2.48 mins)

Scout Green, Shap Summit (5043 was failed at Carlisle)

46233 Duchess of Sutherland & 45699 Galatea

The Lakes Express (14 and 16 September) (ca. 9.47 mins)

46233: Shap Summit at Dusk

45699: Ulverston, Park South, Nethertown, Aspatria Climb, Howe & Co's Siding, Birkett Common.

 

45690 Leander

Cumbrian Mountain Express, 12 September (ca. 10.37 mins for all the below)

Selside, Lodge Hall (slipping), Great Strickland, Shap Summit.

The Hadrian, 10 October

Blea Moor (2) - the last northbound steam-hauled train to be signalled by semaphore at Blea Moor.

Wetheral, and the summit nr. Brampton

Light Engine move with 45699 Galatea

Copy Pit, Hoghton Tower, Stubbins

45699 & 45231 The Sherwood Forester Two tours on a highly atmospheric autumnal day, 3 October

The Lune Rivers Trust (45699) (ca. 12.21 mins)

Clapham (3) - bursting from the mist into the early morning sun, Gargrave (2)/ returning - Skipton, Giggleswick Bank (2).

The Settle-Carlisle Excursion (45231)

Gargrave (2), Ribblehead (2)

45699 Galatea

Cumbrian Mountain Express 17 October (ca. 4.48 mins)

Hayfell, Mosedale Hall (Grayrigg), Ribblehead - includes footage of the demolition of Bridge 64 on the S&C, at Gauber.

The Brief Encounter, 24 October (ca. 7.39 mins)

Starrick's Farm, Keer Holme, Leaving Bentham, Nr. Bentham, Hellifield/return - Hellifield, Giggleswick Bank in the moonlight.

On 5th December, 45699 was scheduled to haul the Cathedrals Explorer to Appleby, but in the event, Storm Desmond conspired to close all of the lines north of Carnforth, including Shap and the S&C. We close with scenes showing the extreme weather at Shap and Tebay.