A3s meet

[jwealleans]

In the current Gresley Observer there is a shot (may be by Geoff Goslin, but I don't have it to hand) of Mallard and another A4 (Kingfisher?) about to pass at speed. When the copy passes to me to read (I'm not a member myself) I'll post more details

[Hatfield Shed]

From the steam from safety valves my guess would be the "top" A3 is stationary and the nearest camera still traveling , maybe a pw slack? ...

Concur that is way the most likely explanation, with the nearer A3 coasting, thus no exhaust. The alternatives are in the range from this to the further loco coasting toward us with a matching speed tailwind causing the vapour to stay vertically above the loco, and the vapour from the nearer loco to stream out behind.

I knew I had seen a similarly impressive shot of A3's passing; it was in a past anthology of Gresley Observer articles. 2595 Trigo on the down FS at the North end of Grantham station, with 2746 Fairway perhaps a carriage length away from 2595's front bufferbeam on an up service from Leeds. Credited to John F Clay, and a good composition with 2595 filling the left third of frame, and 2746 sweeping in from the right on the curve.

[nigeln]

So the Pullman nearest the camera is "Car no.80" - what set was it in, during 1957-60?

It is a remarkable picture, and I personally have never seen a photograph of two A3s passing each other. It may be unique.

I knew I had seen the picture before,or something like it.
I found this one of 2 A1`s There is a deffinate case of deja vu

[StevieG]

So the Pullman nearest the camera is "Car no.80" - what set was it in, during 1957-60?

It is a remarkable picture, and I personally have never seen a photograph of two A3s passing each other. It may be unique.

I knew I had seen the picture before,or something like it.
I found this one of 2 A1`s There is a deffinate case of deja vu

In case of slight assistance with any musings to follow on this photo (of the A1s), by my reckoning, looks like 4471 is on the Down, just out of Potters Bar Tunnel.

[Bryan]

I still think the first photo could be near Crimple curve between Harrogate and Pannal.

[69999]

I agree with Bryan and harvester. In my view these trains are the up and down Queen of Scots passing between Leeds and Harrogate. The northbound train left Leeds about 1530hrs and the southbound had a booked stop at Harrogate about 1530. Both trains were worked between Leeds and Newcastle by A3's from Leeds Neville Hill. The topography is typical of the area north of Leeds on this route - through Horsforth, Bramhope Tunnel with its cuttings and as Bryan says near the viaduct at Crimple, south of Harrogate.
The train on the left appears stationary whilst the one on the right appears to be running with the regulator closed judging by the smoke effect at the chimney. I think both A3's are fitted with double chimneys.
Motive power is also a factor to consider and whilst it cannot be precise - due to last minute replacements etc - from my observations, the East Coast Pullmans were worked as follows -
Queen of Scots:- Kings Cross - Leeds both ways - Copley Hill A1; Leeds - Newcastle both ways - Neville Hill A3; Newcastle - Edinburgh both ways - Haymarket pacific; Edinburgh - Glasgow - Eastfield loco on southbound train, Haymarket northbound train.
Tees - Tyne Pullman:- Kings Cross A4 - both ways (?) certainly northbound;
Yorkshire Pullman:- West Riding portion and full train south of Doncaster to Kings Cross - Copley Hill A1; the Hull portion used to arrive at Doncaster behind all manner of locomotives. Northbound - to Doncaster and West Riding - Kings Cross pacific.
Harrogate Sunday Pullman:- the Sunday version of the Yorkshire Pullman with no Hull portion? Copley Hill A1 both ways? - certainly southbound.
DG
69999