Where I have been

2022

So far this year, my excursions out have mainly to see mainline runs locally namely “Duchess of Sutherland and Flying Scotsman as they have passed through my home town of Milton Keynes.

March saw me visit the West Somerset Railway for its first operating weekend where the rostered engine was 9351.

April has also been a productive month as I got to visit the Swindon and Cricklade Railway which was a first for me as I have never been to that line before – not a good impression though, as it gives the appearance of a bit of a junk yard with lots of rusting vehicles strewn around the perimeter of the area designated for public parking. Also visited during April was the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Steam Railway, where an enjoyable round trip behind 7820 Dinmore Manor was experienced.

2021

A small matter of the Covid pandemic once again got in the way of visiting too much, as restrictions on personal movement followed by a requirement to wear a mask practically everywhere put me off.  However, I did manage to get to the Kent and East Sussex Railway for the first time in a number of years as well as the Chinnor and Princes Risborough Railway.

2020

The year has been marked by an almost total lack of trips out to view and photograph steam due to the Covid-19 pandemic getting in the way.  I have only been to the Great Central Railway’s winter gala in January and the North Norfolk Railway in July when that line opened up, and I have witnessed my only mainline steam of the year on 3 November. So a pretty poor year by my standards. Hopefully, 2021 will enable much more camera action to take place.

2019

At short notice, I went lineside at Great Train Robbers Bridge on 6 December, to again witness the passage of 60009 Union of South Africa.  I was fairly fortunate as shortly afterwards, the engine was failed in the Kings Langley loop due to a hot box appearing again on the tender which was what had caused the engine to be sidelined at Wolverton Works in the first place.  A picture of this can be seen by looking at the LNER page within my website.

In July, I went down to Devon for a weeks holiday which coincided with 60009 Union of South Africa being the rostered engine for the “Torbay Express” which ran from Bristol to Kingswear and back.  Unfortunately, due to the fire risk caused by the dry weather, 60009 was piloted by a EWS class 47 diesel.

Early June I undertook a visit up to Scotland. Based in Inverness, I took trips out to Thurso, Kyle of Lochalsh, Keith (for the Keith and Dufftown Railway) and Aviemore for the Strathspey Railway.  Of these, I have to say that I was a little disappointed with the Keith and Dufftown Railway as the only motive power were DMUs, and the track had become heavily overgrown with weeds indicating an overdue visit for the weedkiller team.  Aviemore produced an Ivatt as the motive power – number 46512 which appears to be working harder now than in its BR days when the load would have been around 2-3 carriages. Now, 7-8 carriages are the norm.

The Spring Bank Holiday saw me visiting the “Northern Soul” themed gala at the Gloucestershire and Warwickshire Railway.  Highlights have to be GWR 6023 “King Edward II” and LNER B1 No 1264. Unfortunately, the other guest engine – Caledonian Railway No 419 failed and was restricted to light duties shuffling up and down the station limits at Winchcombe with the demonstration freight.  The weather over the weekend was not so great with frequent heavy showers, but that did not dampen the enthusiasm.

Easter saw me visiting the East Lancashire Railway – a first proper visit, as the only previous time I have got there, they were running a “Thomas” event and I do not do “Thomas”. A little gem which runs along the Irwell Valley. Do visit if in the area and if possible, travel the line.

Into February, I have only managed two excursions out. The first was on New Year’s Day when I went to the Chinnor and Princes Risborough Railway for the first time in nearly 20 years.  Much has changed in that time, not least they now run into Princes Risborough Main line station whereas before, it was just to the run-round loop at what the railway christened “Thame Junction”.

The second was on 1 February to see the passage of 60009 “Union of South Africa” as it passed through my ‘home’ station of Bletchley en-route to Stewarts Lane in South London.