Entry tags:
Day on the Railway
As someone of you have seen elsewhere, this weekend is my local heritage railway's Steam Gala. It's been too long since I paid them a visit, and I couldn't resist the temptation to see some new engines, and take another ride in a brake van.
As they've done in previous years, they had three visiting engines from other railways, as well as four of the home fleet in steam. (This involves complicated logistics with the timetable, with six of them actively involved in pulling four trains, plus one on standby, just in case one of them breaks. The gala runs for three days, and they have a different permutation every day...)
( The visitors were Wadebridge: )
( and City of Wells )
both West Country Class "spamcans" - a very strange shape for people like me used to the classic GWR style but variety is the spice of life, they say. :-)
( And also Raveningham Hall )
which is what I expect a steam engine to look like. :-)
Another attraction was a further Southern engine - P&O Line - which has taken the best part of 30 years to be reconstructed, and which was displayed away from Toddington for the first time. (She might actually be in traffic later this year, but then they said that last year and the year before. ;-D)
( 3 years in the life of a Merchant Navy Class )
The next project was on display in the car park at Toddington this year...
( In case you were wondering just what takes that long )
Other highlights that don't photograph so well included the brake van ride, as always. I'm usually so much an indoor person, who'd happily not step foot outside as long as I have my books and my computers, but when it comes to riding exposed to the wind and the rain, with a great view of the surroundings, I don't mind at all. This year we were right behind the engine going through the tunnel on the return journey, and it was fascinating to watch the roof in the light of the fire from the firebox. (On the way down we were at the back of the train, and it's pitch black, no light at all to be seen.)
And finally, a train actually moving:
( Wadebridge coming into Winchcombe station )
As they've done in previous years, they had three visiting engines from other railways, as well as four of the home fleet in steam. (This involves complicated logistics with the timetable, with six of them actively involved in pulling four trains, plus one on standby, just in case one of them breaks. The gala runs for three days, and they have a different permutation every day...)
( The visitors were Wadebridge: )
( and City of Wells )
both West Country Class "spamcans" - a very strange shape for people like me used to the classic GWR style but variety is the spice of life, they say. :-)
( And also Raveningham Hall )
which is what I expect a steam engine to look like. :-)
Another attraction was a further Southern engine - P&O Line - which has taken the best part of 30 years to be reconstructed, and which was displayed away from Toddington for the first time. (She might actually be in traffic later this year, but then they said that last year and the year before. ;-D)
( 3 years in the life of a Merchant Navy Class )
The next project was on display in the car park at Toddington this year...
( In case you were wondering just what takes that long )
Other highlights that don't photograph so well included the brake van ride, as always. I'm usually so much an indoor person, who'd happily not step foot outside as long as I have my books and my computers, but when it comes to riding exposed to the wind and the rain, with a great view of the surroundings, I don't mind at all. This year we were right behind the engine going through the tunnel on the return journey, and it was fascinating to watch the roof in the light of the fire from the firebox. (On the way down we were at the back of the train, and it's pitch black, no light at all to be seen.)
And finally, a train actually moving:
( Wadebridge coming into Winchcombe station )