Fifty years since steam locomotives were ousted from the national network, this evocative form of traction still remains popular. Daniel Puddicombe revisits the Fifteen Guinea Special.
A SHRILL whistle sounds and we’re powering towards the Cumbrian hills. Black clouds of smoke and steam drift past the windows and the beat from the locomotive’s three cylinders is clearly audible as we build up speed in order to take on the fearsome shap summit on the West Coast Main line.
The date of August 11, 1968—the day of the last steam passenger train in Britain— is to rail enthusiasts what October 24, 2003 —when Concorde touched down for the final time—is to aviation fans. These events have similarities: thousands flocked to heathrow to see Concorde come in from the USA, thousands lined the route of the final steam run and tickets to travel on both occasions were vastly inflated compared with a normal trip.
The final run was called the Fifteen Guinea special and was named after the price of tickets. At the time, there was uproar; adjusting for inflation, tickets cost about £230 in today’s currency. ‘There was a lot of indignation—what a nerve British rail had for charging such a steep price and taking our steam locomotives away from us,’ remembers richard Newman, who was onboard. 1T57—the reporting code given to the train —ran from liverpool lime street via Manchester to Carlisle and back, via the picturesque settle & Carlisle railway. Four locomotives were used in turn throughout the day, three of which survive in operational order to this day.
Esta historia es de la edición September 05, 2018 de Country Life UK.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor ? Conectar
Esta historia es de la edición September 05, 2018 de Country Life UK.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor? Conectar
Kitchen garden cook - Apples
'Sweet and crisp, apples are the epitome of autumn flavour'
The original Mr Rochester
Three classic houses in North Yorkshire have come to the market; the owner of one inspired Charlotte Brontë to write Jane Eyre
Get it write
Desks, once akin to instruments of torture for scribes, have become cherished repositories of memories and secrets. Matthew Dennison charts their evolution
'Sloes hath ben my food'
A possible paint for the Picts and a definite culprit in tea fraud, the cheek-suckingly sour sloe's spiritual home is indisputably in gin, says John Wright
Souvenirs of greatness
FOR many years, some large boxes have been stored and forgotten in the dark recesses of the garage. Unpacked last week, the contents turned out to be pots: some, perhaps, nearing a century old—dense terracotta, of interesting provenance.
Plants for plants' sake
The garden at Hergest Croft, Herefordshire The home of Edward Banks The Banks family is synonymous with an extraordinary collection of trees and shrubs, many of which are presents from distinguished friends, garnered over two centuries. Be prepared to be amazed, says Charles Quest-Ritson
Capturing the castle
Seventy years after Christian Dior’s last fashion show in Scotland, the brand returned under creative director Maria Grazia Chiuri for a celebratory event honouring local craftsmanship, the beauty of the land and the Auld Alliance, explains Kim Parker
Nature's own cathedral
Our tallest native tree 'most lovely of all', the stately beech creates a shaded environment that few plants can survive. John Lewis-Stempel ventures into the enchanted woods
All that money could buy
A new book explores the lost riches of London's grand houses. Its author, Steven Brindle, looks at the residences of plutocrats built by the nouveaux riches of the late-Victorian and Edwardian ages
In with the old
Diamonds are meant to sparkle in candlelight, but many now gather dust in jewellery boxes. To wear them today, we may need to reimagine them, as Hetty Lintell discovers with her grandmother's jewellery