Holiday in Devon!

A quick blog update tonight and a sneak preview of articles to come!  I am currently enjoying a short break in Devon and have managed a wondeful ride on the South Devon railway with my wife yesterday and even squeezed in a quick visit to Staverton today.  A full write-up of these visits will be given; hopefully…

My Journey in becoming a Steam Enthusiast, Part 5 – 60103 Flying Scotsman at the Paignton and Dartmouth Railway

It probably didn’t take long to guess that after my previous blog post on the influence that the South Devon Railway had in my journey in becoming a steam enthusiast that the next would be on the Paignton and Dartmouth steam railway.  Hopefully the presence of a brunswick green A3 class pacific wasn’t quite as predictable! Ever…

South Devon Railway – pictures taken in 2010

As promised in yesterdays post, here are a few pictures taken at a visit to Buckfastleigh in 2010.  That day, pannier tank 57xx 5786 was shunting stock around the yard. Meanwhile the beautiful (in my humble opinion) and only surving Collett Goods class 2251 0-6-0 number 3205 ran services. Meanwhile, a few other locomotives were…

My Journey in becoming a Steam Enthusiast, Part 4 – When the Dart Valley became the South Devon Railway

In previous posts I have often mentioned that although my model locomotive focus is mainly Southern, I have interests in all regions.  This is particularly true when it comes to the Great Western Railway! Having family who live in Devon, visits to what was once called the Dart Valley Railway were fairly regular, as were…

Bachmann 8750/57xx Pannier Tank Review

Class: Collett 5700/8750 class Use: Shunting, Light Passenger/Goods Region:Western Era: 1929-1966 Preserved examples: 3650 – Didcot Railway Centre on loan to Swindon and Cricklade Railway 3738 – Didcot Railway Centre 4612 – Bodmin and Wenford Railway 5764 – Severn Valley Railway (Ex-LT L95) 5775 – Keighley and Worth Valley Railway (Ex-LT L89) 5786 – South Devon Railway (Ex-LT…