The 'Great Britain' railtours
The Great Britain XII (2019)
LMS Class 8P 'Duchess' 4-6-2 6233 Duchess of Sutherland slips, stalls and finally slogs up Hemerdon Bank taking around 10 minutes to finally clear the summit as she worked the 1Z25 0945 Plymouth-Minehead 'Great Britain XII' railtour on 29th April 2019. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CGuW9ff17o8
The Great Britain X (2017)
In what is undoubtably the first Bulleid Pacific and Royal Scot pairing on a passenger train through the Royal Duchy, SR 'Battle of Britain' 7P5F 4-6-2 34052 Lord Dowding (34046 Braunton) and LMS Class 6P 'Royal Scot' 4-6-0 46100 Royal Scot cross Largin Viaduct working the 1Z46 0853 Penzance - Paddington via Bristol Temple Meads 'Great Britain X' on 7th May 2017.
In one of the fastest ascents of Hemerdon Bank I have witnessed with steam, SR Battle of Britain 7P5F 4-6-2 34052 Lord Dowding (34046 Braunton) and LMS Class 6P 'Royal Scot' 4-6-0 46100 Royal Scot absolutely flatten the
1 in 42 gradient of Hemerdon Incline as they reach Hemerdon Summit working the 1Z46 0853 Penzance - Paddington via Bristol Temple Meads 'Great Britain X' on 7th May 2017.
1 in 42 gradient of Hemerdon Incline as they reach Hemerdon Summit working the 1Z46 0853 Penzance - Paddington via Bristol Temple Meads 'Great Britain X' on 7th May 2017.
In what is most probably the first Bulleid Pacific & Royal Scot pairing over the South Devon Banks, we see SR 'West Country' 7P5F 4-6-2 34052 Lord Dowding (aka 34046 Braunton) + LMS Class 6P 'Royal Scot' 4-6-0 46100 Royal Scot as they climb Rattery Bank and near Rattery Summit with the 1Z46 0808 Bristol Temple Meads - Penzance 'Great Britain X' on 6th May 2017.
The Great Britain IX (2016)
Day 1 of THE GREAT BRITAIN IX - 26th April 2016, and we see LMS 6P 'Royal Scot' 4-6-0 46100 Royal Scot as it heads the 'Great Britain IX' tour from Victoria to Plymouth, where WCRC 57316 took over for the run to Penzance. We see the tour bursting out of Parsons Tunnel, before crossing the Royal Albert Bridge at Saltash as it heads to Penzance with its support coach.
On 26th April 2016, WCRC Class 57/3 57316 passes Shillingham with the Plymouth - Penzance diesel section of the 'Great Britain IX,' the 1Z82 0844 Victoria - Penzance, having taken over from 46100 Royal Scot at Plymouth. Nice to see a real diesel and coaches on a train in the Royal Duchy once again!
Day 2 of the 'Great Britain IX' with LMS 6P 4-6-0 46100 Royal Scot TnT with 57316 on the rear heads the 1Z86 1006 Penzance - Bristol TM. Captured at Largin Viaduct, Plymouth, Hemerdon, Exminster and Burlescombe. At Exminster, a FGW 6 car DMU, formed of 143618+143612 with GWR 150247 on the rear passed by heading to Paignton. Talk about split loyalties!
The Great Britain III (2010)
LMS Black Five 44871 + BR Standard 7MT Britannia Pacific 70013 Oliver Cromwell climb Hemerdon Bank with the 1Z84 1530 Plymouth - Bristol TM 'Great Britain III' on 7th April 2010.
The Great Britain II (2009)
Evoking memories of double-heading on the Southern Region, we see Bulleid & 'Brit' super-power as SR 'Battle of Britain' 7P5F 4-6-2 Bulleid Pacific 34067 Tangmere + BR Standard 7MT 'Britannia' Pacific 70013 Oliver Cromwell climb Hemerdon Bank with the 1Z22 1302 Penzance - Bristol TM 'Great Britain II' on 7th April 2009.