Loose_Grip/Pete's favorite photos

In pouring rain a long train of permanent way maintenance stock approaches the big curve before Rhyd Ddu on the Welsh Highland Railway.

SY1583 with the morning empties to the Kuangsan Copper Mine on the Baiyin Mining Railway. The yellow areas encroaching onto the hills are the spoil tipping from the now closed adjacent opencast mine.

The lead loco number is forgotten. Looking through the steam in this photo the lead loco could be 5920, now confirmed. The second loco is 5917, and the pair are on their final run to Enfield in August 1972. 5917 was later chosen for preservation. People associated with a museum at Cowra own it and keep it in operating condition. 5917 is now 'The Picnic Train' main steam loco and so survives in preservation. This photo is while waiting for a path at Hornsby.

The early morning line-up for servicing was always worth a visit at the Xibolizhan end of the pit at Sandaoling opencast mine. The sun is just about to rise as a JS class locomotive crosses the many tracks leading to the spoil tips.