A K4 at Oban
This was a day (and what turned out to be night as well!!) that I will remember for the rest of my life.
This is Oban on the evening of 5th September 2010,45407 is at the east end of the station,where it had sat for 6 hours after failing to haul the somewhat "optimistic" load of 7 coaches up to Glencruitten summit shortly after 2PM!
After 4 hours of wondering what to do it was finally decided that LNER K4 No.61994 'The Great Marquess' could be given special permission to run (with a number of speed restrictions) light engine to Oban to help 45407 make the journey back to Crianlarich.
The noise as 61994 shoved the train up the 1 in 50 out of Oban was incredible,standing in the back window I didn't really take in at the time that it would be the only time I would ever experience a K4 on the Oban line,never expecting that 61994 would be completely withdrawn in future years.
So here is a moment in time,for 2 short minutes in history a K4 sat at the buffers at Oban,the only time this has and likely will ever happen,as 61994 'The Great Marquess' prepares to assist 45407 up Glencruitten bank on the evening of 5th September 2010.
A K4 at Oban
This was a day (and what turned out to be night as well!!) that I will remember for the rest of my life.
This is Oban on the evening of 5th September 2010,45407 is at the east end of the station,where it had sat for 6 hours after failing to haul the somewhat "optimistic" load of 7 coaches up to Glencruitten summit shortly after 2PM!
After 4 hours of wondering what to do it was finally decided that LNER K4 No.61994 'The Great Marquess' could be given special permission to run (with a number of speed restrictions) light engine to Oban to help 45407 make the journey back to Crianlarich.
The noise as 61994 shoved the train up the 1 in 50 out of Oban was incredible,standing in the back window I didn't really take in at the time that it would be the only time I would ever experience a K4 on the Oban line,never expecting that 61994 would be completely withdrawn in future years.
So here is a moment in time,for 2 short minutes in history a K4 sat at the buffers at Oban,the only time this has and likely will ever happen,as 61994 'The Great Marquess' prepares to assist 45407 up Glencruitten bank on the evening of 5th September 2010.