Bittern Blowing Off
by pgweber
Ex LNER 4-6-2 No.4464 'Bittern' races past Cromwell on the East Coast Main Line with a day trip from Kings Cross to York.
This is the first of 3 runs where the engine has special permission to run at 90mph to commemorate the 75th anniversary of sister engine 'Mallard' setting the world record for steam of 126mph. Steam is normally limited to 75mph on the main line network.
I reverted to my K10D for this as I shot a video with my K5 at the same time. I must take the old girl out with me again!
Postscript: I have looked at the video and estimate that she was doing 89mph as she passed. The safety valve was blowing and the regulator was closed so she was being eased at this point.
This is the first of 3 runs where the engine has special permission to run at 90mph to commemorate the 75th anniversary of sister engine 'Mallard' setting the world record for steam of 126mph. Steam is normally limited to 75mph on the main line network.
I reverted to my K10D for this as I shot a video with my K5 at the same time. I must take the old girl out with me again!
Postscript: I have looked at the video and estimate that she was doing 89mph as she passed. The safety valve was blowing and the regulator was closed so she was being eased at this point.
Uploaded29/06/2013 - 16:02
CategoryTransport
Unique Views / Likes2/0
Posted 29/06/2013 - 19:26
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Fantastic shot Peter.
Posted 29/06/2013 - 22:41
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Thank you for your appreciative comments, Mac and Russ.
I saw 'Mallard' and her sister engine, 'Dominion of Canada' at our National Railway Museum in York a few weeks ago Mac.
'Your' engine has had a nice repaint done which you will see when she comes back to Montreal!
The vivid blue livery reminds me of the Blur album cover, 'Modern Life is Rubbish' which features an engine of this type.
I saw 'Mallard' and her sister engine, 'Dominion of Canada' at our National Railway Museum in York a few weeks ago Mac.
'Your' engine has had a nice repaint done which you will see when she comes back to Montreal!
The vivid blue livery reminds me of the Blur album cover, 'Modern Life is Rubbish' which features an engine of this type.
Peter
Pentax K5
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Posted 01/07/2013 - 11:23
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Apologies to Mac & other steam watchers!
It was 'Dwight D. Eisenhower' that I saw at York, but 'Dominion of Canada' has had a paint job completed at Shildon and looks very similar to 'Bittern' as shown here.
'Mallard' and her five sister engines will all be on display at the NRM in York in a few days, to celebrate the 75th anniversary of her record breaking feat.
It was 'Dwight D. Eisenhower' that I saw at York, but 'Dominion of Canada' has had a paint job completed at Shildon and looks very similar to 'Bittern' as shown here.
'Mallard' and her five sister engines will all be on display at the NRM in York in a few days, to celebrate the 75th anniversary of her record breaking feat.
Peter
Pentax K5
Pentax DA 18-55 Mk1, 50-200 (Samsung), 16-45, 55-300 Mk1, 35 f/2.4
Pentax MZ6 + FA28-90, FA50 f/1.4, M 50 f/1.7
Tamron 80-210mm & 28mm
Pentax K5
Pentax DA 18-55 Mk1, 50-200 (Samsung), 16-45, 55-300 Mk1, 35 f/2.4
Pentax MZ6 + FA28-90, FA50 f/1.4, M 50 f/1.7
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Posted 03/07/2013 - 10:44
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Excellent shot of an iconic locomotive class - well taken.
How did you manage to hold two cameras?
How did you manage to hold two cameras?
Not everything in life is Black & White, If only it were!
Kind Regards,
Rees
Kind Regards,
Rees
Posted 07/07/2013 - 00:26
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Thank you Rees & Paul for your kind comments.
I took the rising column of an old 'Revue' tripod (with tilt/swivel mechanisn still attached) and a roll of masking tape with me.
There are usually fence posts of some description at these locations, so I taped the tripod column to a fence post and then set up the K5, starting the video recording when the engine was audible but not visible.
I took the rising column of an old 'Revue' tripod (with tilt/swivel mechanisn still attached) and a roll of masking tape with me.
There are usually fence posts of some description at these locations, so I taped the tripod column to a fence post and then set up the K5, starting the video recording when the engine was audible but not visible.
Peter
Pentax K5
Pentax DA 18-55 Mk1, 50-200 (Samsung), 16-45, 55-300 Mk1, 35 f/2.4
Pentax MZ6 + FA28-90, FA50 f/1.4, M 50 f/1.7
Tamron 80-210mm & 28mm
Pentax K5
Pentax DA 18-55 Mk1, 50-200 (Samsung), 16-45, 55-300 Mk1, 35 f/2.4
Pentax MZ6 + FA28-90, FA50 f/1.4, M 50 f/1.7
Tamron 80-210mm & 28mm
Posted 09/07/2013 - 20:26
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That's a great shot of Bittern Peter. Isn't Cromwell near Newark? That's where it clocked 92mph on its run to York where it arrived at least 15 minutes early.
It must have been fairly shifting along when you got your photo. In my shot of it (on the K30 not the K5) it was rolling to a halt at York.
Your reference to Dominion of Canada is interesting. I took photos of it during the various stages of its refurbishment at Shildon. It looks fabulous in its LNER blue complete with original valances.
David
PPG:http://www.pentaxphotogallery.com/artists/davidtrout
It must have been fairly shifting along when you got your photo. In my shot of it (on the K30 not the K5) it was rolling to a halt at York.
Your reference to Dominion of Canada is interesting. I took photos of it during the various stages of its refurbishment at Shildon. It looks fabulous in its LNER blue complete with original valances.
David
PPG:http://www.pentaxphotogallery.com/artists/davidtrout
Posted 10/07/2013 - 18:34
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Hello David - yes, Cromwell is about 4.5 miles north of Newark. I read the new 'Railway Magazine' this morning and Bittern's top speeds were achieved on my 'local' patch on the ECML (Balderton LC as in my avatar with southbound Tornado and near where this was taken).
It is some measure of the engine to have peaked at 92mph and then be coasting past me with regulator shut and safety valve blowing at 89mph (subject to experimental error!).
90+ mph with a steamer, this picture with a K10D - many a good tune played on an old fiddle!
It is some measure of the engine to have peaked at 92mph and then be coasting past me with regulator shut and safety valve blowing at 89mph (subject to experimental error!).
90+ mph with a steamer, this picture with a K10D - many a good tune played on an old fiddle!
Peter
Pentax K5
Pentax DA 18-55 Mk1, 50-200 (Samsung), 16-45, 55-300 Mk1, 35 f/2.4
Pentax MZ6 + FA28-90, FA50 f/1.4, M 50 f/1.7
Tamron 80-210mm & 28mm
Pentax K5
Pentax DA 18-55 Mk1, 50-200 (Samsung), 16-45, 55-300 Mk1, 35 f/2.4
Pentax MZ6 + FA28-90, FA50 f/1.4, M 50 f/1.7
Tamron 80-210mm & 28mm
Posted 11/07/2013 - 23:17
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There's a lot of quality in both an A4 and a K10 Peter.
David
PPG: http://www.pentaxphotogallery.com/artists/davidtrout
David
PPG: http://www.pentaxphotogallery.com/artists/davidtrout
Posted 09/08/2013 - 12:56
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I have had this one published in the latest edition of 'Todays Railways UK' - in the newsagents on Monday!
Peter
Pentax K5
Pentax DA 18-55 Mk1, 50-200 (Samsung), 16-45, 55-300 Mk1, 35 f/2.4
Pentax MZ6 + FA28-90, FA50 f/1.4, M 50 f/1.7
Tamron 80-210mm & 28mm
Pentax K5
Pentax DA 18-55 Mk1, 50-200 (Samsung), 16-45, 55-300 Mk1, 35 f/2.4
Pentax MZ6 + FA28-90, FA50 f/1.4, M 50 f/1.7
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19 years
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And I love how you refer to a K10D as the old girl.
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