Description

On the weekend of St. Andrew’s Day 1996, the National Railway Museum’s Flagship locomotive Number 46229 Duchess of Hamilton undertook a marathon London – Glasgow – York weekend railtour, using the last two day’s validity of her current mainline certificate. Railfilms’s cameras were both on board and trackside to bring you a comprehensive record of this unique event, as well as a brief look at the history of Coronation Class Pacifics and Number 46229 in particular. This programme gives you the chance to meet those people whose hard work made this journey possible, both on and off the train. Join us on the train, on the footplate, in the diner and of course at the lineside, where our numerous camera teams bring you the best of the action, including the north bound assault on the climb to Shap Summit.

The trip took an enormous amount of effort to organise, and was not without its problems, but overall, the trip was a huge success As Mel Chamberlain of Days Out observes, it was basically a case of organising what many commentators said couldn’t be done!

‘If you were lucky enough to be on this train, the tape will make a great souvenir. If you were not, it really is the next best thing. If you have a liking for fast mainline running and Stanier Pacifics in particular, then this video is a must.’ (Railway Magazine, August 1997) ‘The climb of Shap was magnificent on the day. On video I can assure you that the atmosphere is recreated, including the way that the smoke hung in a trail over the Lune Valley for many minutes after the passage of the train. This video is not just a memento for tour participants. It is a positive statement for the locomotive’s future return to the mainline. It demonstrates that 46229 is ‘simply the best.’ (Friends of the National Railway Museum Newsletter, August 1997)