After the recent deluge of GWR related articles; yesterdays visit to the Isle of Wight steam railway allows for a return to Southern articles! Being the former home of Mrs Locoyard; the Isle of Wight is a place we enjoy visiting when we can. It’s always great to catch up with friends and family on…
Today’s post has taken inspiration from fellow Tweeter Nick Littlewood (@NickPLittlewood) who very regularly posts interesting exerts from publications, pictures, posters that are railway related. If you have an interest in railways, Nick is a fantastic person to follow on twitter! He manages to find a large range and quantity of interesting railway material to share. With this…
The London Brighton and South Coast Railway’s A1/A1X terrier is a popular locomotive class for Southern region modellers. Nicknamed terriers because of their small size; relative power and the locomotive’s terrier like bark; they were to be found in use from 1872 into late BR days. Their light weight made them indispensible on light branch lines, including…
A quick catch-up tonight from Locoyard to show that it has, as promised, gone back in time to the 1930 – 1940’s. A bit of an unlikely mix of liveries to be fair, with a combination of Maunsell’s olive-green and Bulleid’s malachite green with sunshine lettering. The malachite green in particular has brightened the layout and indeed the room…
Today marks the final day that Locoyard will be set in BR days and to mark the occasion I’ve taken a few pictures of the yard. I have also included a few pictures taken in previous posts to get a full complement of pictures. Locoyard will now become a Southern Railway depot and pictures will follow in the…
Class: Original (unrebuilt) West Country / Battle of Britain class Use: Express Passenger and Express Goods Region: Southern Era: 1945-1967 Preserved examples: 34007 21C107 Wadebridge – Mid Hants Railway – operational 34023 21C123 Blackmoor Vale/Blackmore Vale – Bluebell Railway (as-built, Coat of Arms added in preservation) – Static Display pending overhaul 34051 21C151 Winston Churchill – National Railway Museum – Static…
Fittingly after yesterdays blog post we move forward in time to the 22nd July and to another character from Thomas the Tank Engine and friends; 5 James! This is in reality the sole surviving Maunsell N class (31874) that was painted as the Thomas the Tank Engine character towards the end of its last stint in…
1997 was a significant year for the Watercress Line, as it marked it’s 20th anniversary as a preserved railway. My father and I visited the line twice that year. The line’s impressive home fleet was supplemented by some very special visitors. Continuing from last week’s post, here are a selection of photographs of the Watercress…
Regular readers of this blog will no doubt be very familiar with the Watercress Line! It is a railway I visit regularly now, but when growing up one that I visited relatively infrequently. However, these early visits nevertheless were regular and enjoyable enough to go a long way in sowing the seeds of becoming a steam enthusiast! Going back…
From left to right BR standard 7MT 70004 William Shakespeare, rebuilt Merchant Navy 350027 Port Line, BR standard 9F 92220 Evening Star and rebuilt Westcountry Pacific 34026 Yes Tor make up a British Railway brunswick green fab-four line-up at Locoyard today. Tomorrow’s post will be continuing my story at another preserved railway from my childhood,…
Loco Yard 