In this short video, RailView captures the sights and sounds of a Class 40 at full power and climbing steep Peak District gradients on former Whistler territory – the Hope Valley Line.

The film sees D213 (40013) Andania working hard on The Norfolk Coast Express from Manchester Piccadilly to Great Yarmouth via Sheffield & Lincoln Central with a return via Norwich & the East Coast Main Line from Peterborough to Retford on the 16th to April 2022.

The video begins at Chinley with its challenging 1 in 89 gradient at 7:25am where the Whistler powers through the misty morning sounding fantastic as she charges up the incline. For the second shot of the morning, D213 is seen at Chinley North Junction, still working hard and providing a wonderful soundtrack with her load of 8 carriages plus Class 47 47593 Galloway Princess at the rear which makes for an equivalent load of around 11 and with a nice 6 tone horn which certainly made the 6am start worth it!

RailView later return back to the Peak District in the evening for the return leg of the charter, this time to the beautiful and peaceful Edale station where the Class 40 shatters the nighttime silence with a remarkable approaching sound and the Whistler’s unique roar which could initially be heard for about 5 to 6 minutes before becoming visible and making for an epic pass through as she roared up the 1 in 100 gradient towards Cowburn Tunnel making for one of the best sights I have seen from a Class 40 to date, shaking the empty platforms with her 2000hp engine! 

In overview, filming this stunning locomotive was certainly worth the early start and late evening visits to the Peak District to record one of the best diesel locomotive classes there is, performing at her very best on former home territory!

You can view the video below: