Speed & Power: 7029 'Clun Castle' On The 'SLS Special'

Saturday 25th September 2021 brought about the long awaited return of Great Western steam to the South of England for the first time since late 2019, as Tyseley's flagship, 7029 'Clun Castle', hauled the 'SLS Special' from Tyseley to Swindon and back. Running outwards via Gloucester and Kemble, then returning via Oxford and Banbury, this run marked the 70th anniversary of the Stephenson Locomotive Society's special trains from Birmingham to the GWR Mecca of Swindon and its famous railway works. Organised by Arthur ‘Cam’ Camwell, the Midland Branch Secretary of the SLS, these trips became somewhat of an annual event and were usually worked by a GWR locomotive, either being a famous one, or the last member of its class.
In this video, we hear Clun raising the echoes on the outward run, as she forges her way up the steep and twisting climb of Sapperton Bank with the equivalent of around 12 coaches on the hook, as 47773 provides no assistance from the rear. The return run sees us at Grove Wick Crossing on the Great Western Main Line, a location I have wanted to try out for a while. With the camera's zoom extended to its fullest, we see the GWR thoroughbred hammering up the main line towards us before cutting to a wider angle for the main pass at her maximum permitted speed of 75mph. What a sight!
Timestamps:
00:00 Sapperton Bank
03:33 Grove Wick Crossing
Filmed on a Panasonic HC-X1500 with an Audio-Technica BP4025 microphone.
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[@robertbate5790]

I love the 'lets have a look round while we wait' touch, brilliant!! A Castle doing what it was built for, what could be better?? 😀😀

[@SpeedToTheWest]

Thank you very much 😄

[@callumthornelow2936]

Brilliant shots Kristian. Even in double chimney form, the castles make an earth shattering noise.

[@SpeedToTheWest]

Many thanks, Callum! Over the years, I have heard talk of them being even louder than their single chimney counterparts 👀

[@MrForforfor]

Brought back memories of a trip behind 7018 in November 1962 going up Sapperton. Great stuff

[@SpeedToTheWest]

Thanks for watching, I'm glad you enjoyed it 😄

[@robmasterman]

Wow, and another Wow Kris...absolutely stunning work as always...a real pleasure to watch such high quality camerawork...Bob

[@SpeedToTheWest]

Many thanks as always, Bob 😄

[@allmyothersubscriptions]

The electrification masts, really have changed things, especially at 4:31 Thank you for taking the time, to film the footage.

[@SpeedToTheWest]

They've certainly made filming in my local area significantly more difficult. But what can you do, eh? Thanks for watching!

[@howarth004]

Very good footage , well captured

[@SpeedToTheWest]

Cheers, David 👍

[@compagejohn]

Superb. Thank you.

[@SpeedToTheWest]

Cheers, John 😄

[@colinsimpkins686]

One of Swindons finest on her "Way Home "

[@christophernewman5027]

Outstanding, as always.
Many thanks. 😊

[@SpeedToTheWest]

Thank you, Christopher 😄

[@RailwayVideos.]

lovely scenery!

[@SpeedToTheWest]

Thanks for watching 😄

[@user-hd8yx3jf7o]

Very beautiful video💛from Japan.

[@SpeedToTheWest]

Thank you! 😄

[@philipizzard2584]

Brilliant shots and a wonderful sounds of a castle

[@SpeedToTheWest]

Thanks very much, Philip!

[@kipsome45]

What a storming run up Sapperton, with the equivalent of load 12 and a half!

[@SpeedToTheWest]

Thanks for watching, Trevor 👍

[@AndreiTupolev]

What a mess Network Rail's built-to-withstand-earthquakes catenary is.

[@robertbate5790]

I wonder what Mr Brunel would have thought?

[@matchit100]

On my travels have seen 3kv ladder masts in SA still standing after seventy years the one reason 25kv is used is for lighter construction this looks like a con job.

[@kipsome45]

I’d also add that she was doing a tad more than 75 on that second clip!

[@ApplebyInSteam]

Oh my days, lovely shots of the Castle, but it is impossible to ignore the "catenary forest" because it is so overwhelming and seems so massively over-engineered. Rationally, it seems to me that a derailed train should be able to knock down catenary pylons as easily as a car knocks down lamp posts and sign posts. The primary design criterion has to be to save lives, not to preserve infrastructure, but these monstrous girders used as pylons on the mainlines out of Paddington appear robust enough to slice through a derailed train and its passengers like a knife through butter. I really hope I'm wrong and that they are at least designed to be toppled in an impact.