Just published –  the illustrated account of Saturday’s fun at Apedale. Visit “Edward Sholto” on Geoff’s Rail Diaries

Translation – today, the Industrial Railway Society held its Annual General Meeting at Apedale, Staffs, home of the Moseley Railway Trust’s new narrow gauge railway. Such events provide an ideal excuse (should one be needed) to get out everything that works and give it a run. In the case of the MRT, the range encompassed by “everything” is truly eclectic – from recently-restored (last steamed in the 1950s) Hunslet “Edward Sholto”, to a Motor-Rail that looks, for all the world, like a garden shed on rails.

A “Rail Diaries” page will inevitably appear in due course, in the meantime, here’s a sample of sublime and ridiculous!

Just posted to Geoff’s Rail Diaries, an illustrated account of Thursday’s visit to the Lickey Bank and Cranberry, in Staffordshire, to see the “Great Britain III” railtour, hauled by 44871 and 70013 “Oliver Cromwell”. Visit “Old friends on the Lickey”

It was originally planned to run via the “North and West”, but the possibility of strike action meant the Bristol – Preston leg was re-routed – twice! It would now ascend the Lickey bank before traversing the West Midlands and gaining the west coast main line at Stafford. It would be hauled by 44871 and 70013 – the last time I had seen 70013 in action was 11 August 1968 (when we thought it would be, barring a few trips by 4472, the last main line steam-hauled train on the BR network)… Better go and see it! (and escape from the dreaded painting and decorating)

Here’s a preview – I’ll probably put up a page on the “Rail Diaries” in a day or two – paintbrush permitting… Note the Voyager just disappearing out of the picture, extreme left – no, I didn’t get all the pictures I’d hoped for.