The Ribble Steam Railway is a particularly charismatic standard gauge steam railway. It runs for one and a half miles through Preston Docks and fittingly given this location has a very large collection of industrial locomotives. Indeed, many of you will be shocked to see how massive the fleet is (go to http://www.ribblesteam.org.uk/exhibits/locomotive-check-list to see for yourself!)…
I’m a big fan of 0-6-0 six-coupled type steam locomotives. They were simple, rugged and historically significant (especially in the UK) as they were one of the most important and numerous types to be constructed. The South Devon Railway is home to the newest surviving 0-6-0 steam locomotive – the only surviving 2251 Collett Goods class…
One of the delights of the modern heritage railway is it’s ability to surprise you when you find something unusual. So it was just over a week ago when I met Susan for the first time on the South Devon Railway. Susan at first glance might look like a diesel shunter, but she is a steam locomotive! …
After April’s trip to the north east of England and no less than four rides on different railway’s, last week’s trip to Devon was less rail themed with two rides, one on Bickington Steam Railway and another on the South Devon Railway. But with that said, I still managed to sneak a few minutes in Kingswear,…
Without doubt one of the nicest things about our hobby in this day and age is how easy it is to find like-minded people, or (as in this case) for them to find you. Mike, Director/Owner of Mike’s Movies contacted me last week asking permission to use a photograph of SECR class D for one…
2016 will be 175 years since Daniel Gooch recommended to Isambard Kingdom Brunel to locate the Great Western Railway’s main locomotive works in Swindon. Located half way between Bristol and Reading, Swindon was an ideal location. The developments associated with the GWR accelerated development of the town that is now the biggest in Wiltshire. A…
So tonight is the night before the big day – my first day as a Project Supervisor for the Watercress Line! I have the usual combination of being excited and a few nerves to prove that I’m human. The prospect of working for one of my favourite organisations is definitely an incredible feeling, plus there’s prospect of getting my…
Seeing as we are developing a Merchant Navy class theme on this blog at the moment, I thought it a good time add a picture of what is arguably the closest we have at the moment of seeing an original, unrebuilt Merchant Navy class locomotive. This miniature replica of prototype 21C1 Channel Packet can be…
Seven years ago, after a break away from heritage railways of several years I made a trip to Ropley loco yard, on the Mid Hants Railway. Locomotive yards had always been places that I’ve loved, places where you can find a number of steam engines in one place. On this particular day two locomotives really…
Any celebration of uncelebrated locomotive’s had to include at least one Hunslet Austerity Tank engines and the East Lancashire Railway mustered two for their Small Engines Weekend.
Loco Yard 