A Winter Visit to the Great Central Railway

On a typically cold January morning we decided to head off and spend the afternoon at the Great Central Railway winter steam gala. As we arrived I was very surprised by the numbers of enthusiasts who had decided to visit as well as us. The allotted field for parking was very wet and some areas were too wet for parking on.

As usual I expected there would be plenty of action with the railway making full use of the fact that it has up and down lines so trains come and go all the time. One of the special guest locomotives was 34053 Sir Keith Park. As we wandered towards the railway Sir Keith Park was on its way with a demonstration goods train. We hardly had time to get our cameras set up ready to capture the moment. 

Of course despite a couple of guest locomotives the Great Central Railway’s home fleet was out in full force with 777 Sir Lamiel soon arriving at Quorn and Woodhouse station.

Newly restored home fleet Locomotive 6990 Witherslack Hall was also in steam and captured getting away from Quorn & Woodhouse with a Leicester bound passenger train. We spent the afternoon wandering around the station premises photographing and videoing as many passing locomotives as we could. This was in between visits to the cafe for some warming cups of coffee.

The highlight of the afternoon was 34053 Sir Keith Park working the demonstration mail train at top speed. It’s always a good spectacle to watch the mail train running through Quorn & Woodhouse. The mail train is allowed to run much faster than the other passenger and freight trains and whilst not full out express speed it looks pretty fast compared with all the slow trains which stop at the station.

Here's a video of the express mail drop run.

A link to my HD quality YouTube video is here

By the time we’d had a coffee it was starting to get a little late in the afternoon and as it had become rather dull so, as the light was starting to fade, we decided to head off home. As we were leaving we just managed to catch 34053 Sir Keith Park returning with the mail train to Loughborough.

A video of the whole afternoon is included below.

A link to my HD quality YouTube video is here

60103 Flying Scotsman

Having missed 60103 Flying Scotsman on its return to steam on the East Lancashire Railway last month I see it's due for a test run today.

I'm assuming if all goes well it will be in charge of the Winter Cumbrian Mountain Express on Saturday heading over Shap to Carlisle on the West Coast Main Line and returning over the Settle and Carlisle.

Copyright: Original post from http://steamdaysblog.blogspot.co.uk/author M Garrett

The Elusive Flying Scotsman

It's been quite a while since I last posted on my blog. The start of a new year gives me the opportunity to make a fresh start.

Nowadays through the summer there is almost no steam on the main line in Yorkshire. A few years ago through the summer months there were four trains each week heading to Scarborough but now following troubles with line side fires we're lucky to get a couple all summer.

There's some newly restored locomotives to look out for, including 46100 Royal Scot and of course the world famous 60103 Flying Scotsman.

I contemplated making the trip over the Pennines to see Flying Scotsman undergoing trials on the East Lancashire Railway but never made it unlike hundreds of other enthusiasts. I did have a plan to see Flying Scotsman hauling its inaugural main line tour over the Settle and Carlisle to Carlisle returning via Shap. Unfortunately, due to braking issues with 60103, Ian Riley's two Black Fives 44871 & 45407 stood in.

We'd decided on one of our more favoured photographic locations but with time running short before the first Winter Cumbrian Mountain Express was due we came across a small masonry arch bridge  that was closed due to flood damage. This blocked our way and so we had to very quickly find a alternayove location and make the most of it.

That was it , just a few seconds and the train was in and out of view. Time to check out my video and see if I'd got any usable footage.

I've noticed that the next Winter Cumbrian Mountain Express scheduled to be hauled by Flying Scotsman is now the 06 February, replacing 46233 Duchess of Sutherland, assuming suitable repairs and a main line test run has been completed. However, should Flying Scotsman not be available then the Duchess will be on standby to take charge of the train.

For me that first photo of the newly restored 60103 Flying Scotsman remains elusive.

Copyright: Original post from http://steamdaysblog.blogspot.co.uk/author M Garrett

Steaming to The Lindum Fayre

The Christmas Lindum Fayre is an annual event in Lincoln and usually attracts a couple of steam hauled charter trains to the city. Saturday 06 December 2014 was a day not to be missed for the steam enthusiast with not one but two locomotives heading for the city.

The first charter heading into Lincoln was Vintage Trains Limited Christmas Lindum Fayre from Tyseley Warwick Road in Birmingham hauled by GWR Hall Class no 4965 Rood Ashton Hall. Our plan was to head to Swinderby Road for our first video and photo location spot.

We arrived at Swinderby Road in good time but the ground was still white over with frost. All was going well as 4965 Rood Ashton Hall needed to be on time or at best only a few minutes late if we were to make our second location of Metheringhan station.

It was now a case of heading off to Metheringham station to catch the second charter train of the day this time The Railway Touring Company's charter hauled by LNER A4 Class 4-6-2 no 60009 Union of South Africa. We arrived at the station earlier than anticipated and had a few minutes to wait in the still freezing conditions.

As it turned out we had even more time than we thought as by the time 60009 Union of South Africa arrive it was running a few minutes late.

Our extra time in the cold was rewarded with an excellent chime as she speed through the station.

Copyright: Original post from http://steamdaysblog.blogspot.co.uk/author M Garrett

Out To See Bittern

On a cold damp December morning we set out to the East Coast Main Line to see LNER A4 Pacific 4464 Bittern hauling the Cathedrals Express from London Kings Cross to York. Following the trains progress on Realtime Trains it was making good time and would be on schedule north of Templehirst Junction where we were planning to take some video and photos.

The clouds were low so the position of the sun wasn't going to be a problem. We didn't manage to get our usual parking spot. We had about twenty minutes to wait before the Cathedrals Express was due. A few test videos were made as main line services raced along the main line.

Then a problem as a tractor with an enormous piece of spaying equipment attached seemed as if it wanted to start crop spraying exactly where we were standing although there didn't appear to be a crop. It wasn't clear whether we would have to move position. At the same time I spotted smoke on the horizon. It turned out that we didn't have to move as the tractor did a 360° turn and headed away from us down the grass verge but by this time Bittern was into view. In a panic I pressed the photo shutter button instead of starting the video. Eventually I realised my mistake and I hit the right button and started the video.

This maybe a last video of Bittern for some time as it's due to be retired from service for a major overhaul at the end of the year.

However 4464 Bittern has one more journey planned before overhaul on the 30 December 2014 with The Bittern Farewell Tour once again travelling from London Kings Cross but this time to Lincoln.

LNER Steam Locomotives

I've steadily been updating my Zenfolio portfolio with my photographs of LNER steam locomotives. These locomotives have been broken down into five main groups to make searching for a particular locomotive as simple as possible.

These five groups are as follows:

• A Class 4-6-2 Pacific Locomotives
• B Class 4-6-0 Locomotives
• K Class 2-6-0 Moguls
• D Class 4-4-0 Locomotives
• Goods Classes

These are shown in Zenfolio as indicated below.

More photographs of each locomotive will be added as these are photographed. Photographic opportunities are a little more limited as we move into the winter season.

LMS Steam Locomotives

I've been busy updating my Zenfolio portfolio with my photographs of LMS steam locomotives. These locomotives have been broken down into four main groups to make searching for a particular locomotive as simple as possible.

These four groups are as follows:

• Black Fives
• Jubilee & Royal Scot Classes
• Coronation & Princess Royal Classes
• Good Classes

These are shown in Zenfolio as indicated below.

More photographs of each locomotive will be added as these are photographed. Photographic opportunities are a little more limited as we move into the winter season.

Copyright: Original post from http://steamdaysblog.blogspot.co.uk/author M Garrett