Transport

At speed on the Great Western Railway main line between Slough and Ealing and the only light is from the white hot coals through the partially open firebox door silhouetting the fireman's profile while the driver keeps an eagle eye on the road ahead. Among the many and varied noises as we rushed through the night was the satisfying ring of the AWS bell indicating a clear road ahead. Southern Railway N15 4-6-0 30453 King Arthur is on the Saint George's Day (Sir Lamiel was Welsh) Cathedrals Express steam special returning to Clapham Junction from Stratford upon Avon.

A labourer walks the plank carrying planks. They are teak which had come from Sulawesi (formerly known as Celebes) on this beautiful wooden sailing freighter. As can be seen the harbour was full of them. A real glimpse into the past.

A black & white version of a similar shot posted earlier. Stanier Jubilee 4-6-0 45699 Galatea, beautifully turned out as 45562 Alberta, climbing the 1 in 125 gradient towards Diggle Junction box and Standedge tunnel with the Cotton Mill Express. HFF to everyone and a have a great weekend in colour!

Stanier Black 5 4-6-0 44971 taking water at the platform end of Preston station early on a Sunday morning near the end of BR steam. Myself & a friend had arrived at Preston station at approx. 05.00 in the morning after trying & failing to sleep on the footplate of a Black 5 at Lostock Hall shed, on a park bench in Leyland & at the cop shop in Leyland. We didn't really sleep in the waiting room at Preston either because this engine was pottering about. Later that morning we took the train to Carnforth to check out the shed before returning to Sheffield in the evening. An everyday scene about to disappear for ever.

I was in the area on non-railway business but it seemed churlish not to make a slight detour and catch a shot of Modified Hall 4-6-0 6990 Witherslack Hall approaching the A6 bridge with the 15.00 to Leicester.

Martyn slowly backs Southern Bulleid West Country pacific 34092 City of Wells out from under Empress Road bridge to take coal in the yard.

Being a resident of Leicester, sadly for me, until the Covid-19 regulations are eased I cannot get back on the footplate. While we are not able to travel very far we can at least visit Leicester North station which lies within the restricted area although the GC will not be able to open the station & trains will just arrive, run round and depart. Last weekend the GCR worked test trains ready for the limited reopening planned for next weekend. With Cliff on the regulator British Railways Standard 5 4-6-0 73156 and a rake of 6 coaches is arriving at the station from Loughborough with the 09.00 Class 3 (Empty coaching stock) train.

Fowler 3F 0-6-0T 47406 runs round prior to taking out the 13.00 dining train. Plenty of steam here but later the Jinty ran out of steam at Leicester North and had to be rescued by us on Black 5 45305.

As well as the Caprotti-valved BR Standard 5 4-6-0s Patricroft also ran the Walschaerts versions of the Standard 5. This example, 73010, captures the sun in the entrance to the 1885 London & North Western Railway Old shed flanked by two Stanier 8Fs, 48374 on the left. My visit was well timed because the shed closed at the end of June 1968 and these engines went for scrap.