We got it right this time – the train was running 25 minutes late when it hurried past, making a wonderful sight and a tremendous sound. If it had been on time, there would have been heavy cloud overhead – no sunshine! For more pictures, visit “Olly – better late…” on Geoff’s Rail Diaries
Category: Railways…
…and trams, traction engines, buses, ships, boats, canals and other transport subjects
On Cheshire Lines
Just published to Geoff’s Rail Diaries, an illustrated account of a great day out, using a “Cheshire Day Ranger” ticket. Visit “Cheshire Lines Revisited” – now!
Highley enjoyable
Just published to Geoff’s Rail Diaries, lots of photos from yesterday’s visit to Highley station, on the Severn Valley Railway. Visit “An afternoon at Highley” – now!
Welcome visitors
They’re always welcome when they’re visitors to the Severn Valley Railway. The railway held its autumn gala this weekend, and during four most enjoyable hours (it certainly didn’t seem that long) at Highley, I met them all. More photos and (fairly) full details in due course, on Geoff’s Rail Diaries – in the meantime, here are the celebrities…
Single track…
…takes on a different meaning at Nantmawr, close to Shropshire’s border with Wales. When we visited last September, the collection of monorail equipment was newly-arrived. They’ve had a chance to sort things out since then – today we were greeted by a sizeable circuit of track, complete with (the only) working locomotive and couple of “passenger vehicles”. We’d better take a ride…
More photos and video will appear on “Geoff’s Rail Diaries” in a day or two; meanwhile, here’s locomotive 20091 “Partington” about to perform a test run round the single track…
Beside the Severn to Hampton Loade
An easy stroll this afternoon – Hampton Loade and back – out by the riverside path, back past Chelmarsh reservoir. It’s a fine, sunny and warm afternoon, with puffy little cumulus clouds putting some detail in the sky. We can sit at Hampton Loade station, where we can watch the trains go by and perhaps have an ice cream. Perhaps not – the shop’s shut, but the trains are running and there’s (a very small amount of) chocolate in the camera bag. That’s what they’re for, isn’t it?
View OS map on Streetmap http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?X=373755&Y=287526&A=Y&Z=120
Little locos at Little Hay
Bank Holiday Monday – here’s somewhere we haven’t been before, and with luck we’ll be driving in the opposite direction to everyone else… A most enjoyable little outing to a most enjoyable little railway. Visit “Little Hay” on Geoff’s Rail Diaries for more photos, and a video trip around the lines.
Steam at Blists Hill
Just published to Geoff’s Rail Diaries – photos and a brief account of our visit this afternoon to Blists Hill, to see lots of fascinating steam-powered machinery in action. Go to “Blists Hill in steam” – now!
The Duchess in Shropshire
46233 “Duchess of Sutherland”, that is, hauling the return “Cathedrals Express” from Crewe, via Shrewsbury and Wolverhampton, back to London. There haven’t been many Duchess pacifics in Shropshire recently. Sister locomotive 46229 “Duchess of Hamilton” was active in the area perhaps 30 or more years ago, and 46233 has been to the Severn Valley, but I don’t think there can have many occasions – ever – when one of these Stanier locomotives has pulled a train along this line. Shame about the weather… and the exhaust. The train was heavy enough – eleven and a diesel at the back – but the Duchess had shut off steam when it passed us, already running a minute or two early.
Kinver’s little trains
A trip to the Kinver Model Engineers miniature railway, on their 55th anniversary weekend – for a ride around the loopy line, and some first-class cakes… Visit “Kinver 55” on Geoff’s Rail Diaries, for photos and video.
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