6229 "Duchess of Hamilton" then and now...

46229 on The Limited Edition run on 10th May 1980. This special charter was for the people who had either contributed to the Duchess's restoration or had purchased a copy of Cuneo's limited edition print of the loco (my Dad had bought the print and as such we were lucky enough to get tickets to ride that day. Photo above courtesy of G A Cryer ( www.geoffspages.co.uk/grp/copyright.html)


How 46229 looks now in NRM York with authentic 1930's streamlined casing. Not quite the same but still very imposing!!

Prairie Tank Engine 4141 at the Great Central in April 2009

I spent many hours in my younger days inside the water tanks and the boiler/firebox of this loco scraping off rust with a wire brush whilst it was under restoration at Hampton Loade on the Severn Valley Railway. Unfortunately I never got to see her in action and will now have to wait until she returns to traffic in the future?

Tommies on the Woodhead Line

I toured the north west in the late 70's with my Dad when we managed to see most of the 76's before their very quick demise and removal from the railway network. Our visit included both Guide Bridge and Reddish where we saw lots of the class in various states of degredation aswell as some still in operation with pantographs up and ready for work.

The famous stacks of 25's at Vic Berry's scrapyard in the early 80's

No fewer than 34 stacked up in this photo - never to be seen again in railway history. Vic Berry's yard of course no longer in existence, now a housing estate!!!

Spotters taking a rest at Crewe works open day back in the early 80's - you wouldn't be able to do that now...health & safety you see !

37 at Worcester Shrubb Hill - you don't see that anymore...shame

Type 3 at Crewe

I was working in Crewe and heard this one coming in just enough time for me to snap this shot of 37401 passing our construction site travelling back towards Crewe light engine.

Leander storms Lickey Bank

Unassisted up Lickey bank on a damp March afternoon in 2007. The noise could be heard from miles away as she approached, and the run up was nothing short of amazing. Storming through a packed Bromsgrove station at speed following a standing start form Stoke Works due to us having to wait for a service train! Dad and I were in the 3rd coach and by the time we got to the top had half of what came out of the chimney either in our hair or our eyes!!!...it was worth it though. Many stood in the fields at the usual photo spots such as Vigo to capture this truly great moment.

Brush Power at Carlisle