Just published to Geoff’s Rail Diaries, the full account of yesterday’s trip, fully illustrated. Visit “Echills Wood”.
Category: Railways…
…and trams, traction engines, buses, ships, boats, canals and other transport subjects
Echills Wood
Standard gauge models…
The Echills Wood Railway is an extensive 7¼” gauge miniature line at the Kingsbury Water Park, about 4 mile south of Tamworth. This weekend, the line would be running exclusively with models of standard gauge prototypes – with all proceeds going to the G&WR’s appeal for funds following their disastrous embankment failures. More to come – soon – on “Geoff’s Rail Diaries” – in the meantime, here’s a taster – rather a nice model of a GNR O1 2-8-0.
6024 southbound from Shrewsbury
6024 southbound from Shrewsbury, a photo by geoffspages on Flickr.Fun and games at Bridgnorth station, and 6024 “King Edward I” southbound from Shrewsbury. Visit “On a Western Theme” on “Geoff’s Rail Diaries” for more pictures and video
Ffestiniog “Linda” – at Statfold!
A rare event indeed – one of the Welsh railway’s mainstays visiting another line – the Statfold Barn Railway, for its 4th June open day. See Linda, and another eleven narrow gauge locos in action, in “A Statfold Dozen” on Geoff’s Rail Diaries
Rhyl Centenary
Just published to “Geoff’s Rail Diaries”, the full(ish) account and pictures of yesterday’s visit to the celebrations at Rhyl. Visit “Rhyl 100” now…
The Rhyl Six
This weekend the 15” gauge Rhyl Miniature Railway celebrates its centenary. At first it was operated using Bassett-Lowke / Greenly “Little Giant” 4-4-2 locomotives; from 1920 a fleet of six larger and more powerful 4-4-2s was built, in Rhyl, by fairground engineer Albert Barnes. The story of the subsequent 91 years is complex; suffice it to say that, this weekend, the six Barnes Atlantics were on display, together, for the first time.
More photos to follow, in due course, on the “Rail Diaries” pages – in the meantime, here are the six, lined up in numerical order. Front (from right to left): 101 “Joan”, 102 “Railway Queen”, 103 “John”
Rear: 104 “Billie”, 105 “Michael”, 106 “Billy”
An 8F on the North and West
Heavy freight steam on a heavy passenger train – shame about the sunshine… 48151 made a great sight and sound this morning.
For more pictures and video visit “Heavy freight on the North and West” on Geoff’s Rail Diaries
Black 5s at Knucklas
Black 5s 45407 and 44871 at Knucklas, on day 7 of the “Cathedrals Explorer”. More photos and video – visit Knucklas on Geoff’s Rail Diaries
5s at Knucklas, a photo by geoffspages on Flickr.
Nunney at All Stretton
Steam in Shropshire on a glorious spring day – 5029 “Nunney Castle” works steadily up the last couple of miles of the climb from Shrewsbury to Church Stretton, on day 7 of the 9-day “Great Britain IV” tourStatfold
Smoke and steam with Saccharine, a photo by geoffspages on Flickr.The contrast between this outing and the Stableford afternoon couldn’t be greater. Eleven locomotives – all very different* – in steam and in action on the mixed-gauge 2’ / 2’6” gauge railway at Statfold Barn. And the weather – yes – sadly, that was very different too… Nevertheless, an excellent day – we were there for six hours, which seemed to go by in the blinking of an eye. For a full account plus pictures and video, visit Statfold – the March gala on Geoff’s Rail Diaries
*Jack Lane and Statfold are, of course, virtually identical twins – though they bear different liveries, and Jack Lane has no cab. The other locos are all really different – 0-4-0, 0-4-2, 0-6-0, 4-4-0, 0-4-4-0 Mallets, some with tenders, others without, of British and German manufacture.
