D1015 Smardale 3 September 2005

Possibly the railtour of the year, if not the decade! The first ever Class 52 over the Settle & Carlisle line. D1015 Western Champion crosses Smardale Viaduct with the Pathfinder Tours 1Z29 06:20 Bristol Temple Meads to Carlisle 'Western Heights' railtour on 3 September 2005. The smoke visible over the farm in the background is from the BR steam loco 71000 Duke of Gloucester which passed by less than two minutes earlier with the Kingfisher Railtours 1Z71 13:05 Appleby to Crewe 'Dalesman' railtour. One lucky video cameraman stood near me got the unbelievable shot of a 'Duke' & a 'Western' almost passing on the S&C!