60163 Tornado hammers up the S&C at Kirkby Stephen + 34067 | The Shap Mountaineer & WCME | 28/3/26

Today’s video features 2 steam locomotives in one day! The first is new build celebrity LNER A1 Class 4-6-2 60163 Tornado; she was hauling Vintage Trains’ “The Shap Mountaineer” from Birmingham New Street to Carlisle. The train left Birmingham via Tame Bridge Parkway, travelling then to Wolverhampton and Stafford where 60163 joined the West Coast Mainline for the journey North to Crewe, where the diesel was detached, allowing 60163 an unassisted run up the WCML through Warrington, Preston, Lancaster and then onwards to the fearsome gradient of Shap as she worked her way through Cumbria. On the return she travelled via the S&C through Appleby, to Blackburn, where the diesel was sadly reattached for the remainder of the journey back to New Street. The second tour was RYTC’s regular “Winter Cumbrian Mountain Express” from London Euston to Carlisle. An 86 took the train from London to Carnforth up the WCML via Milton Keynes, Nuneaton, Crewe and Preston before swapping traction at Carnforth for 34067 Tangmere, which took the train up to Carlisle, also over Shap! 34067’s train returned also via the S&C, with 34067 taking the train as far as Preston where she was relieved and the 86 took the train back to the capital. Today offered the fantastic spectacle of 60163 with an unassisted train, and a second steam loco to boot! The weather really mixed, being cold, mostly sunny and with showers. I started out from the West Midlands today with a view to chasing the A1 for the full length of her journey. I took the 7:04 LNWR service from New Street to Liverpool, alighting at Penkridge for 60163’s run past in beautiful lighting. She rushed through the station at some pace, roughly on time and thankfully with a southbound LNWR 350 having cleared not long beforehand. I then took the next service northwards, alighting at Crewe for some closeups whilst she took on water and detached the diesel. She’s then seen departing rather nicely, with both whistles sounding loudly! We were lucky that the sun coincided with her departure as well. Apologies that the sound quality at this shot isn’t ideal, the wind was playing havoc with the mic. Following this, 60163 is seen accelerating through Platform 3 at Preston, chiming away! A Transpennine service then took me to Oxenholme Lake District, where the rare spectacle of two steam locomotives passing in very short order occurred, with 60163 now right on 34067’s heels! 34067 rockets through first, whistling all the way and really making some noise! 60163 then followed, only 4 minutes later, with the regulator wide open and giving 34067 a good run for her money even with 11 on and no diesel! I've heard reports she topped Shap at 43mph, very impressive! Following this, I headed to Carlisle, where 60163 is seen simmering in platform 3 having terminated the outward journey shortly beforehand. 34067 Tangmere is then seen leaving Carlisle on the beginning of her return journey to Preston, making an absolute racket with the taps on. Following this, I headed up to Kirkby Stephen on the Settle & Carlisle railway to catch 60163 Tornado digging in on the climb to Ais Gill, and she did not disappoint, we could hear her coming from some distance away and the sun was not completely in despite all the cloud! At that, I returned to Carlisle and then took an Avanti service southwards to Wigan North Western, where her stop at Blackburn to reattach the diesel and water allowed another overtake. 60163 is seen thrashing through with both whistles on the go and moving at some pace! At that, I took another Avanti southwards to Stafford. At this point 60163 was badly losing time because of a signaller miscalculation North of Wigan, and this put both the planned second shot at Penkridge and the finale at Birmingham New Street at risk. Thankfully the Penkridge stopper was ahead of 60163 at Stafford, meaning I was able to get ahead and film her flying through a rainy Penkridge once again, this time with no whistles but certainly putting down some power. Unfortunately my planned train after this to New Street was running nearly 20 late, so I decided to upload the video as was since I didn’t know if I’d make it in time. I did in the end however make it to New Street ahead of 60163, and a short of her departure is here:    • 60163 Tornado at Birmingham New Street - J...   10 shots in one day has to be a personal best, and I'm very pleased it all worked out as well as it did! Thank you very much to LNWR, Avanti and Northern for getting me about today. Thank you also to 60163, 34067 and all the crews and management behind these tours, the hard work is much appreciated! Thanks in particular to‪@harnettyrailways‬ ‪@THrailwayvideos‬‪@danielstrainsukofficial9133‬ ‪@themodster‬for keeping me company today even if the last two was just over the phone lol. I hope you enjoy this as I did! Shots included: 60163 Penkridge 60163 Crewe 60163 Preston 34067 Oxenholme 60163 Oxenholme 34067 Carlisle 60163 Kirkby Stephen 60163 Wigan NW 60163 Penkridge