Double Bulleid Pacifics! 34046 Braunton - The Lakelander & 34067 Tangmere - Northern Belle | 31/8/24

Today’s outing is to the North West, for two locomotives both rather a long way from home! Rather interestingly they’re actually both Bulleid Light Pacifics, but they look very different due to the BR rebuilding programme! SR Rebuilt West Country Class 4-6-2 34046 Braunton and SR Unrebuilt Battle of Britain Class 4-6-2 34067 Tangmere were about, hauling steam specials in Cumbria. 34046 Braunton is seen hauling Saphos Trains’ “The Lakelander” from Hereford to Carlisle. The diesel took the tour from Hereford to Preston, where 34046 took over for the run to Carlisle up the West Coast Mainline via Lancaster and Penrith, and then along the Cumbrian Coast on the return through Workington and Barrow in Furness. At Carnforth the diesel would return the tour to Hereford. 34046 covered the distance between her base in Crewe and where she joined and left the train by travelling light engine. 34067 Tangmere was hauling the Northern Belle from Hull to Carlisle, again with the diesel running the tour for the first part from Hull to Carnforth. Once there 34067 took over for the journey up the WCML to Carlisle. After that it would return the tour as far as Hellifield via Appleby on the Settle & Carlisle railway. The weather for the day was actually really nice as we got full sun for most of it!

I set out from my local at 06:40, heading first to Birmingham, where I caught the 7:07 Avanti service Northwards. I then alighted at Preston to view 34046 come into the station and depart after taking the reins! After a brief wait at Ribble Junction for some service trains to pass, she passed over onto the goods line bathed in beautiful sunshine and just about clearing in enough time not to be bowled by a unit bound for Blackpool North. After that I moved over to Platform 7 for a few closeups of the loco. It would originally have been possible to film it leave Preston however late running meant that my train to Oxenholme left Preston before, so I chose to take that to Oxenholme rather than film the departure. It was always going to be a close one as to whether it would be possible. Having arrived at Oxenholme, 34046 is seen blasting through with a whistle on the climb to Grayrigg. With the stop in the loops, it was possible to capture her again, as well as Tangmere, at Penrith so I did exactly that, being able to wave out the window from my Avanti train at ‪@danielstrainsukofficial9133‬ as I travelled up the 1 in 75 climb to Shap Wells. At Penrith, 34046 and 34067 are seen both following each other at full speed through the station within 10 minutes apart. After that I moved onwards to an afternoon break in Carlisle.

With two steam railtours leaving Carlisle within 30 minutes of each other, for the return I chose to film both departing Carlisle. 34067 is seen with an extremely loud and slippery departure firstly (disclaimer, the driver was not warning me but someone next to me about standing behind the yellow line), followed shortly afterwards by 34046 Braunton’s more sure footed start! Next up I took the 15:47 Avanti service southwards to Lancaster, where a Northern service took me over to Arnside, which is the next location. Once I arrived, I grabbed some supplies from Arnside Chippy and joined ‪@danielstrainsukofficial9133‬ for the wait. Before too long, 34046’s smoke appeared in the distance and she cruised over the bridge in the golden evening sunlight. After that it was a case of taking a Northern service direct to Preston where I managed once again to catch up with Braunton, now having lost her coaches when the diesel took over at Carnforth. She caught me out a bit on the departure so that’s handheld I’m afraid lol. After that it was just a case of taking the 21:05 back to Birmingham and heading home.

Thanks as always to everyone who made this huge trip possible, to the trains that took me around and to LSL & WCR for the trips. Well done to the locomotives and crews as always and thank you very much to Daniel and Co for his company. Thanks very much also to my secondary planner who helped with all the shots, she’s excellent at deciding them; thanks to her also for her constant support in making these videos! I hope you enjoy this as I did!