Just published to Geoff’s Rail Diaries – an account, with 29 photos, of the atmospheric day at the Statfold Barn Railway on Saturday, 22nd September 2007. Yes, the light was right – in the morning anyway. What a great setup – is this a preview of the railway enthusiast’s heaven? Visit “Statfold Steam” and find out…

Saturday 22nd September – another open day at the Statfold Barn Railway. And what a day! No fewer than eight narrow gauge steam locomotives in action – wonderful! In no particular order, there were the two ex-Java O&Ks – Pakis Baru nos. 1 and 5 (the Mallet), the repatriated Hunslet “Trangkil no. 4”, Alan Civil’s “Pearl 2”, “Isabel” from Amerton, the Harrogate gas works Peckett, new build Hunslet “Jack Lane”, and on the garden railway “Emmet”. We mustn’t forget a bevy of visiting traction engines, and Cockerill “Yvonne” in steam (but not moving very much!) on the standard gauge. More detail – and more photos – to come on “Geoff’s Rail Diaries” (it’ll take a day or two to “develop” the best of the 260 exposures I made…). In the meantime, here’s a sampler:

   

   

   

   

It’s perhaps a sobering thought that 6201 “Princess Elizabeth” has been hauling steam specials up and down the Welsh Marches for more than 30 years (on and off…) – especially as she was only in normal main line service for 29 years. Anyway, here she is again, on Saturday 15th September 2007, in the pleasant Shropshire countryside near Stokesay Castle.

The video clip (below) was filmed at the same time, and later as the southbound “Welsh Marches Express” headed past the former station at Condover.

More photos from the August visit to Bammot available here

Just published, a photographic account (23 photos) of Saturday’s visit to the Forest of Dean. Check out “Paddy and the Garratt” on “Geoff’s Rail Diaries”

It’s 1st September 2007, and it’s the annual open day at Alan Keef Ltd, near Ross-on-Wye, and a “special” day on the 15″ gauge line at nearby Perrygrove.

Starring at Keef’s were old friends Taffy and Peter Pan, and newcomer “Paddy”, a newly-built vertical boilered loco, plus much else of interest (as always) including a fine new diesel “Flynn” for the Longleat line, and the frames of “Lydia”, who is to be a new 2-6-2T for Perrygrove…

…where, after the obligatory pork-and-stuffing rolls, we went to see three locomotives in action – “Spirit of Adventure”, Ursula and the 15″ gauge replica of the 2′ gauge K1 Garratt, making its first public appearence. The day also marked the public launch back into traffic of Heywood’s Ducal saloon for the Eaton Hall Railway, by none other than Sir Arthur’s grandson…

Perrygrove – the Garratt and Ursula

Bank holiday weekend – no plans, and we try to avoid going out on the Monday – but Sunday was fine and clear – a good day for photography? We decided on a new destination (but, again, one I’d been aware of for some time) – the Transport Museum at Wythall, just south of Birmingham, home of BaMMOT – the Birmingham and Midland Motor Omnibus Trust. (By a curious coincidence, the first clue in today’s Guardian crossword was “Large volume one may take to work (7)”. Yes, you’ve got it!)

I’m not sure what I’d expected – something akin to some of the smaller railway preservation schemes perhaps, with lots of rotting old vehicles strewn around? Quite the opposite – this is a fine collection of well-restored, clean and shiny vehicles (apart from a few clearly undergoing restoration in the workshops). As a student in Birmingham in the early 70s, those old Guy half-cabs were a distinctive feature of city life – as were the slightly odd-looking Midland Red vehicles used on the longer routes. And here they all were again – wonderful! And not just to look at – regular bus rides are available throughout the day. We took a great trip in old JOJ 976, dating from 1953, out of the museum to Maypole in the south Birmingham suburbs, almost ten miles round trip – for just £1.50 each! A bit more than the 6p and 8p fares we used to pay, but excellent value for a little bit of nostalgia (and yes, we had the front seats at the top…)

 Just published, an account of a trip to Peterborough, and a visit to the Nene Valley Railway, where services were in the hands of ex-GWR pannier tank no 6412 from the West Somerset Railway. Visit “Peterborough Pannier” on “Geoff’s Rail Diaries”

Uploaded to the “monorail” pages – the last of Tim’s old “Brownie 127” photos from the early 60s (there are one or two more, but they’re just too blurred / scratched / whatever). Once again, I’d be very grateful for assistance with the locations – I’ve guessed a few, but there are several that I can’t place. York / Leeds / Bradford / Doncaster perhaps, or across the Pennines in Manchester and Crewe… Help! Please visit Tim’s steamy snaps – page 3

Just published to the “monorail” pages – another set of fine railway scenes taken by the late Robin Barbour in the days of black and white – “Portrait of Steam“.

Once again, I’d be very grateful for any assistance site visitors can offer with the locations…