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The ambitious Great Britain was run for the first time by the Railway Touring Company in 2007 and its undoubted success has led to the staging of subsequent epic railtours on the British rail network. This triple DVD set brings together our first three Great Britain programmes in a single package.
THE GREAT BRITAIN
No less than seven different locomotives hauled the inaugural Great Britain, which set out from Paddington to Bristol, before the tour proper started from Penzance and carried on through Wales, across the fells of northwest England and into Scotland. From Inverness a one-day trip visited the Kyle of Lochalsh before the main tour carried on to Thurso .
All nine days of the tour are covered and include steam working at its hardest on gradients such as Hemerdon Bank, Shap, Beattock and the climbs to Drumochter summit and Slochd summit.
The locomotives used were No. 6233 Duchess of Sutherland, No. 71000 Duke of Gloucester, No. 6024 King Edward I, No. 5051 Earl Bathurst, No. 60009 Union of South Africa, No. 61994 The Great Marquees and 8F No. 48151.
THE GREAT BRITAIN II
The Great Britain II ran in 2009 and featured No. 34067 Tangmere, which led the first leg from London Victoria to Bristol. On day two Tangmere was joined by No. 70013 Oliver Cromwell as the pair worked the train from Penzance to Bristol. Tangmere was back in sole charge the following day as the Severn Tunnel was used to venture on into Wales, The Great Britain II finishing the day in Preston. The fourth day was to present two of the most notorious climbs on the UK rail network, Shap and Beattock, as No. 46115 Scots Guardsman took over for the Preston to Glasgow leg. A pair of ex LMS Stanier class 5s Nos. 45231 & 45407 were at the helm on day five, the Highland main line, with all its scenic splendor, being used for the journey on to Inverness. As with the previous tour a day excursion was organised to the Kyle of Lochalsh with No. 61994 The Great Marquess in charge.
The journey back south commenced on day six, a route via Aberdeen and Dundee being taken from Inverness to Edinburgh, with the two class fives featuring once again. The final day witnessed No. 60009 Union of South Africa on the East Coast main line between Edinburgh and York, the end of the steam hauled section of the trip back to London.
THE GREAT BRITAINIII
In 2010, No. 70013 Oliver Cromwell, No. 6201 Princess Elizabeth, No. 60019 Bittern, No. 61994 The Great Marquess, No. 5029 Nunney Castle and a pair of Black Fives Nos. 44871 & 45407, were used. The itinerary included the notorious gradients of Hemerdon, The Lickey, Shap, Beatock and Drumochter. In addition to the now regular Inverness to the Kyle of Lochalsh day trip a run was made between Glasgow, Ayr and Stranraer for the first time, returning to Glasgow in the evening.
Routes covered included the Great Western Main Line to Bristol and on to Plymouth, the West Coast Main Line, the Aberdeen to Inverness line, the Highland Main Line and the East Coast Main Line |
