Just published to Geoff’s Rail Diaries – photos and an account of our travels on the Isle of Man Steam Railway. Visit IoM: the Steam Railway – now!
Riding the 3ft gauge
Category: Railways…
…and trams, traction engines, buses, ships, boats, canals and other transport subjects
The Evesham gala
For more photos, and a brief account of yesterday’s trip to the Evesham Vale Railway’s gala, visit “Owl and Katie” on Geoff’s Rail Diaries
Owl and Katie
…are two fine 15″ gauge locomotives which have been visiting the Evesham Vale Light Railway this weekend. We were there for some of the fun and games, but the “Rail Diaries” page will have to wait until tomorrow. In the meantime, the accompanying photo will have to do.
1919 at Apedale
Just published to Geoff’s Rail Diaries, an account – and lots of pictures – of Sunday’s visit to Newcastle-under-Lyme, to the Apedale “Swords into Ploughshares” event. Visit “Apedale 1919” – in 2019…
Northern Rail to North Lancashire
Once again, we’re travelling on a Northern Rail £10 day ranger ticket, which covers the whole Northern Rail network. On this occasion, we’re heading for the north Lancashire coast – visiting Arnside, Morecambe and Heysham. At Arnside, once we’ve dodged the rain, there are views to Grange-over-Sands and the Kent viaduct. At Morecambe, there’s the former railway station to visit. Travellers coming to this terminus, in days gone by, might have felt they’d arrived somewhere – especially when, opposite the entrance they would see the magnificent “art deco” Midland Hotel (we’ll call in later for coffee and cake). There’s little sense of arrival at today’s station. Heysham? We’ll be there for three or four minutes only, on the daily train from Lancaster and Morecambe – yes, just the one, to connect with the ferry.
For more on the rail journey – and many more photos – visit “Roaming Northern Rail” on Geoff’s Rail Diaries.
Apedale
An enjoyable day at Apedale’s “Swords to Ploughshares” event. More photos will follow on “Geoff’s Rail Diaries“, perhaps later in the week – meanwhile, here’s a taster.
A Castle in Coalbrookdale
No. 7029 “Clun Castle” was in action today, on a couple of shuttles between Wellington and Coalbrookdale. It was advertised as the last steam to (or was it “from”?) Ironbridge – but that was over 50 years ago. We’re not complaining – it’s good to see a train of any kind on the line which used to serve the now-defunct power station. It was very dull for the first run, but the sun did its best for the second. Here’s a sample – more to come on “Geoff’s Rail Diaries“…
SRS 50
Just published to “Geoff’s Rail Diaries”, an illustrated account of yesterday’s trip to Wales, celebrating 50 years of the Shropshire Railway Society. Visit “SRS 50 on the W&L“
50 years of the SRS
2019 is the 50th anniversary year of the Shropshire Railway Society, and to celebrate, we chartered a train on the Welshpool and Llanfair Railway. A truly splendid train it was too – one of the two original locomotives, “Countess”, hauling the three replica coaches (the originals having been scrapped many years ago). Running from Llanfair to Welshpool and back, with ample time for a most enjoyable lunch, it was a great day out, an excellent way to mark our half-century.
Steam in the evening
Saturday 4 May continued… Tricky! The sun was shining brightly, almost straight behind 7029 “Clun Castle” (returning from Llandudno), but there wasn’t really time to find a better spot. One of those occasions where some thin high cloud would have made things easier. Nearly an hour later, 34052 was homeward-bound near Battlefield. It was on time, so I can’t complain, but the sun was on the horizon. If it had been five minutes early…
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