47471 Norman Tunna G.C. comes to the aid of disgraced GWR Castle Class 4-6-0 5029 Nunney Castle on 12 March 1994. I had waited for over two hours at Aisgill in the rain and later the driving sleet for Nunney Castle on the southbound 'Cumbrian Mountain Express' railtour, but had given up by the time it eventually passed by, hauled by 47471. I was so cold that I couldn't initially drive the car, but did manage to recover enough to get this picture of the train being watered at Garsdale. Poor coal was the problem, with Nunney Castle so short of steam at one point that it was down to walking pace, with the brakes starting to drag. Of course in those days there was no way of knowing what was happening further up the line, hence having to stand out in the arctic weather! |