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Vintage Trains ran two steam charters today Saturday 20 November 2021. Titled the 'Lickey Banker' these ran up the Lickey incline unassisted with six coaches. The morning run was behind Castle Class 7029 'Clun Castle'. Bo-Bo diesel locomotive Class 20 20189 was used to turn the train on the Worcester triangle and then ran to Bromsgrove to act as an emergency banker should there be a problem on the Lickey. In the event the Castle handled the gradient with no problems. The Afternoon train has LMS 6233 'Duchess of Sutherland' in charge.

Here is the afternoon train with 6233 'Duchess of Sutherland' at Shrub Hill;

Today, Thursday 02 December 2021, saw the Railway Touring Company 'Worcester Victorian Fayre' charter from Norwich at Shrub Hill hauled by 6233 'Duchess of Sutherland' with 57316 on the rear for the reversing manoeuvres and assistance on the return journey when ascending the Lickey incline. Just after the charter arrived, a Bristol to Derby (and many other locations!) test train with top and tail 37116 and 37254 passed through the station.

Beautiful. And you can't beat 37s for noise!

Class 37s do make a distinctive racket, they shook the station when opened up to depart, but 7029 'Clun Castle' with six coaches and 6233 'Duchess of Sutherland' with 12 coaches and a Class 57 on the rear also made fantastic exhaust beats powering through Fernhill Heath on their respective return journeys to take on the Lickey incline.

I tried a night shot of 6233 'Duchess of Sutherland' taken at Fernhill Heath which is shown below; the light levels were well below my camera's capabilities for a moving object but the steam exhaust plume makes an interesting picture!

The Duchess sounded great as she hammered through Bromsgrove and onto "The Lickey" , I told myself that the noise from the 57 was just the requirement for the train heating . . . .