Hello & welcome to the 1st video of my 2023 campaign here at Harnetty Railways.
In this video we say farewell for now to 2 stalwart locos on The East Lancashire Railway before the 2 head in for their overhauls.
The 1st loco we see is The Furness Railway Trust's GWR 56XX 0-6-2 tank 5643 on a very wet day the day after Boxing Day on her last day in service before her 10 year boiler ticket expired at midnight later that evening.
We start of Brookbottom tunnel just north of Summerseat station as we see 5643 accelerating away from a standing start with 7 coaches in tow. As railwaymen would say.
Steam is often at their most spectacular when the weather is at it's worst & this was certainly the case on the day of my visit.
We head to Heywood were we would join her train on what was her last northbound run from Heywood to Rawtenstall.
Despite the rain I did the best I could for you guys. 5643 performed magnificently & as the sky got darkened look out for the sparks coming out of the chimney as she & her crew was really going for it giving her a fantastic send off.
We end seeing 5643 at Rawtenstall station in the rain.
A few days later the day after New Years Day we see The East Lancashire Railway's own loco the largest engine owned by the railway as built West Country bulleid pacific 34092 City of Wells as she to was also bowing out from service before her 10 year boiler ticket expired.
Unlike 5643's farewell day which was in the rain the weather was more kind with sunshine for much of the day for 34092.
34092 with her nickname the volcano her volcano certainly erupted 1 last time as on the day of my visit with 7 coaches on she put on a great show not only for the passengers on board but also for those at the lineside.
We start just north of Ramsbottom as she accelerated away heading towards Rawtenstall as she comes round the corner.
Our last lineside shot of her was a rerun of the ill fated shot back in October 2022 during the Autumn Steam Gala when the camcorder lost focus & a hi-vis jacket was in the way.
This time everything was magnificent & with the sun it wrapped up a perfect end to my filming of 34092 City of Wells from the lineside.
We end just like with 5643 with onboard footage of the volcano's last northbound run to Rawtenstall from Heywood this time in more better conditions.
During the journey we see the winter sun go down as we head out of Heywood & just before Bury Bolton Street.
I had enough day light to complete the run all the way to the finish.
We end this video back at Bury Bolton Street as 34092 City of Wells headed off back to Bury Baron Street shed for the final before the beginning of her overhaul.
On the same day as 34092 City of Wells's farewell run the heritage rail industry was saying goodbye to 3 more western region locos before their boiler tickets expired.
Locomotive Service Group's 42XX heavy gds tank 4270 on The Gloucestershire & Warwickshire Railway before she heads off to Margate for store while awaiting her next overhaul.
While on The Severn Valley Railway the line bid farewell to The 15XX Locomotive Association's 15XX Pannier tank 1501 & The 2857 Society's 28XX heavy gds tender engine 2857 before the pair were withdrawn from service before the pairs future at the time this video was made unknown.
Thanks for the company during the 2 days of @RailView_YT, @atlanticstu & @philclarke3203.
Thanks for watching everybody & i'll see you next time so till then goodbye.
#farewellruns #eastlancashirerailway
