Severn Valley Autumn Steam Gala – Britannia

Despite being there for most of the event, I didn’t see an awful lot of Britannia during the Severn Valley’s gala. Having seen it twice this year already at the Mid-Hants and West Somerset it wasn’t too high on my hit list though. After several attempts to get Britannia back to the Valley it is…

Oliver Cromwell on the Dorset Coast Express

Good evening, Today I got to see Oliver Cromwell hauling this weeks Dorset Coast Express. She was due to haul next weeks service but with the FBU strikes the train has been cancelled.  This is the first time I have seen the Britannia class locomotive in person and she did not disappoint.

BR Standard 7MT Britannia Class 70013 Oliver Cromwell

BR Standard 7MT class 70013 Oliver Cromwell is a very popular locomotive in operation on the mainline, so much so that it has managed to find it’s way onto the poll to find the most famous steam locomotive of all time (voting is now closed).  Unfortunately I have yet to see this locomotive myself, so…

70000 Britannia at Didcot Railway Centre – 8th August 2012

It’s always the way; you wait for an article featuring a certain locomotive and then several come at once!  Featured last Saturday (click here) was an article on the Nene Valley Railway and several shots of BR standard 7MT class 70000.  They were taken in 1997, the last time I saw the locomotive in action until this Wednesday. …

The British Connection: My Journey in becoming a Steam Enthusiast, Part 7 (chapter 2)

Following my previous post about the official Thomas the Tank engine on the Nene Valley Railway, I wanted to share a few more pictures taken.  The railway was and still is home to some European locomotives that make the collection very unique in the UK (to be found in the next post in this series,…

The Thomas the Tank Engine Connection; My Journey in becoming a Steam Enthusiast, Part 7 (chapter 1)

A set of posts reflecting on my journey in becoming a steam enthusiast would not be complete without Thomas the Tank engine!  As a child, I adored Thomas the Tank engine and it is without doubt one of the reasons that I love steam engines today.  My Hornby model (above) is the longest-serving member of locoyard, although it is currently…