Alternative Photographs (23)

We passed the 25,000 hits mark on 22nd May 2011, and as you can see, to the right, we have just passed the 30,000 hits mark. This is a fantastic achievement considering that our blog is only around eighteen months old. Congratulations to everyone concerned, contributors and viewers.

Today's post, 31st July 2011, is the final one in our latest deviation; the next post will see us return to our patch 'in and around Winwick'. Six pics are included, once again reflecting the popularity of the alternative photographs theme.


The first pic is from John Smith. Taken at the Chasewater Railway Gala of 19th March 2011 the loco pictured is ex NCB 0-4-0 saddle tank, Linda, working hard on a short passenger train.

The next two pics are from Alan Rigby. First up is Pendolino 390054, normally the 11-car unit ('Extendolino') but reduced to a standard 9-car unit on a Euston - Manchester working on 13th July 2011.

Alan's second shot is of double heading DRS class 37s on a spent nuclear fuel flask working at Chorlton on 13th July 2011. The diagram was Berkeley - Crewe Basford Hall and the locos were 37604 and 37194.

Pic numbers four and five are both from David Quayle. First is ex GWR (ROD) 2-6-0 'Mogul', No.5322, taken at Didcot Railway Centre, where she is resident. The pic is dated 12th June 2011. This loco was one of twenty GWR 'Moguls' sent to France in 1917 to haul supply trains between Calais and railheads for front line duty in the First World War.  A total of 342 were built at Swindon and they served throughout the GWR area.


David's second pic was taken on the East Lancs Railway at Heywood on 26th February 2011. Pictured are double heading BR 'Standard' class 4 locos, 80080 and 80072 on a passenger working.

The sixth and final pic is another of Jeff Nicholl's Polish shots. Locomotive OL49-7 is shown at Ruchocice on a Poznan - Wolsztyn working.

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Once again I am forced to use six pics due to the huge numbers sent in to me under the current extended theme. Today's post, 29th July 2011, takes us from Ellesmere Port to Alaska; the photographs are from five contributors.

The first pic is from John Smith. I have always been fascinated by the chimney pots at Ellesmere Port Station and John has sent in a pic that shows them off in their elegant, ornate style. The loco is Freightliner 'PowerHaul' class 70, 70010, on a coal working to Fiddlers Ferry Power Station. The pic is dated 3rd February 2011.




Next up is a shot from Paul Holland of 'BR' Standard class 7, No.70013 Oliver Cromwell. It was taken at the WCRC 'Open Day' at Carnforth. The digital info on the pic dates it as 26th July 2008 although Paul's info sent in with the pic, dates it simply as 2009.



Geoff Monks has sent in pic number three. Freightliner class 90, 90049 in new livery, is shown heading a northbound, container train at Cranberry, south of Crewe, on 14th July 2011.





The fouth pic is from Jeff Nicholls. Featured is one of Bickershaw colliery's workhorses, the 0-4-0 saddle tank, Warrior, hauling a loaded train out of the colliery in 1978.





Our shots from abroad are both from David Quayle. The first shows a scene from Seville Station in Spain. Three trains are depicted at the station (a good place to park, notes David, if you visit the city) and the pic is dated 2006.





The final shot takes us over to Alaska. The location is Skagway in 2008 and the train is setting off from beside the cruise ship pier to take passengers on a trip on the White Pass & Yukon Route Railway.

Alternative Photographs (21)

I am inundated at the present time with pics with respect to our present 'open' theme; please don'e send in any more. Those that I don't use will be 'banked' for next time. Today's post 27th July 2011 comprises six more pics from five contributors.

First up is a pic of the 'Cumbrian Mountain Express' from David Wood. The railtour is depicted at Eccleston Park Station on 23rd July 2011.



An Oliver Bulleid small 'Pacific' of the Southern Railway is featured next. 'Battle of Britain' 4-6-2, No.34081 92 Squadron, is shown at Llangollen on 24th April 2007. The contibutor is Paul Holland.

The third pic is from John Smith. Class 37, 37152, is shown leaving Matlock at the Peak Rail Gala of 14th May 2011. The working is a short freight.




Pics four and five are from David Quayle. First is a super picture from Tyseley of a GWR foursome, dated 26th June 2011. The locos are all 4-6-0s of Charles Collett - 5029, Nunney Castle, 5043 Earl of Mount Edgcumbe, 4965 Rood Ashton Hall and 4936 Kinlet Hall.

David's second pic was taken on the East Lancs Railway at Bury on 26th February 2011. Pictured is the double heading pair of BR 'Standard' class locos (class 2MT) No.46443 and (class 5) 73129. 




Our sixth and final pic is from Alan Rigby. EWS (DBS) class 92, 92001 Victor Hugo and EWS (DBS) class 90, 90029 The Institution of Civil Engineers, are pictured heading a Garston - Dagenham car carrier working at Chorlton on 13th July 2011.

Alternative Photographs (20)

I will run this 'open season' for another week until the end of the month; then we will return to 'our patch', in and around Winwick. Today's post, 24th July 2011, once again recognises the popularity of this theme with pics from another six contributors featured.

First up is a John Smith shot showing another of his industrial saddle tank pictures. This one was taken at a Gala at th Ribble Steam Railway at Preston and features two 0-4-0 examples, double heading. The pic is dated 12th February 2011.




Next is a pic from Jeff Nicholls.  'Black Five' No.45305 is shown heading the Liverpool-Scarborough 'Coast to Coast' express at Kenyon heading towards Chat Moss on 2nd July 2011.



Pic number three has been sent in by Alan Rigby. Bulleid 'Battle of Britain' class 4-6-2, No. 34067 Tangmere, is pictured heading towards Crewe Heritage Centre complete with support coach. The loco was due to work the 'Scarborough Flyer' from Crewe on 22nd July 2011. The pic was taken on the previous day, 21st July 2011.


We pop over to Ireland next for pic number four, from Bevan Price. Featured is Coras Iompair Eireann (CIE) No.231 on a Dublin suburban service at Killiney on 17th June 1977. C231, which entered service on January 1st 1958, was one of 34, Bo-Bo locos built as class C for the Irish State owned transport company. The loco is currently owned by the Irish Traction Group.


The fifth pic is one of my own and is slightly different - the emphasis being on the driver and fireman. The 'Cotton Mill Express' railtour of 15th March 2008 is shown at Preston Station, ready and waiting for the off. Double heading pair,  BR 'Standard' class 4, 2-6-0, No.76079 (known as 'Pocket Rocket') and Stanier 4-6-2, No.6201 Princess Elizabeth are at the head. If anyone knows the names of the two footplate men  in the pic, let me know, and I will add them to the text.


The final pic is from David Wood and for this we visit Warsaw in Poland. Pictured is one of a static display of Polish locomotives in Warsaw in 2008 - no ther details are supplied.

Alternative Photographs (19)

Continuing our present 'open season' theme, today's post 22nd July 2011, comprises six more pics from six different contributors.


The first pic is from John Smith, another taken at the Peak Rail Gala on 14th May 2011. 'Peak' class 44 (Sulzer type 4) D8, Penyghent, is shown at Rowsley. The class was built at BR Derby Works between 1959-60; all were named after British Mountains.
Next up is a shot of Haydock Foundry built 0-6-0 well tank Bellerophan, taken by Bevan Price. The loco was one of six built between 1868 and 1887 for Haydock Collieries. She is currently based at the Foxfield Railway, where Bevan took the pic (Caverswall Road) on 17th July 2011. Bagnall No.2 is shown behind.

Geoff Monks has sent in pic number three taken at Cranberry, south of Crewe on 14th July 2011. Two Freightliner class 86s are shown sporting new and old liveries on a northbound, intermodal container working. The two locos are 86622 (new livery) and 86614 (old livery).

Returning to steam again, pic number four has been sent in by Alan Rigby. The location is the Gloucester Warwickshire Railway and the date, 8th June 2008.  2-6-2T Prairie tank, No.5542, is pictured heading BR blood and custard carriages on a scenic part of the line.




Shot number five is from Jeff Nicholls, dated 21st August 1986.  Class 37, 37420 Scottish Hosteller, is depicted at Lairg on an early morning train from Wick/Thurso to Inverness. The young boy in the pic is Jeff's son. now 31 years old.


The sixth and final pic is from Paul Holland.  Ivatt class 2, 2-6-0 No.43106, is shown light engine at the Severn Valley Railway, Kidderminster, on 10th June 2001,

Alternative Photographs (18)

Another five pics from five contributors comprise today's post 19th July 2011.  As I am receiving many pics at the moment please be patient if your pic hasn't appeared yet, it is in the 'bank'.


Pic number one is of a SR 'Lord Nelson' class 4-6-0 locomotive designed by Richard Maunsell in 1926. It is the prototype, No.850 Lord Nelson, and Alan's shot was taken on the Gloucester Warwickshire Railway on 8th June 2008.





The second shot is from Jeff Nicholls. It is rather special as Jeff is actually driving the locomotive in Poland. He took the picture from the cab of OL49-7 at Lubon on 10th June 2009 whilst waiting for the distant unit to clear.




The Peak Rail Gala of 14th June 2011 was the location for the third shot, by John Smith. 0-6-0 saddle tank No.68013 is pictured arriving at Darley Dale with a short freight train.




The fourth pic is from Bevan Price. It is a photograph of a Metropolitan Line service at Barbican taken on 2nd July 2011.






The final shot is another example of the well photographed steam locomotive, GWR 'Castle' class 4-6-0, No. 5043, Earl of Mount Edgcumbe. In Barry Rigby's shot the creation of Charles Collett is seen passing under what was known locally as 'the four bridges'. The location is where Patricroft MPD used to be. The bridge in the shot is to be replaced by a new one following the future electrification of the line. The pic is dated 16th April 2011.

Alternative Photographs (17)

I have had a great response to my request for more pics and in today's post, 17th July 2011, I am using six pics from four contributors.

The first two shots are from Geoff Monks. Number one shows a superb, low light level shot taken on the Guayaquil and  Quito Railway (about 7,700 feet above sea level) in Ecuador. The locos are two Baldwin 2-8-0s and the location, Alausi. Number 45 on the left was on a charter while 44, on the right, was on a daily service working. Both are parked, in steam, in the High Street overnight ...... remarkable. Date - 18th August 1988.


Geoff's second shot is an early morning, sunrise example taken at the NCB Waterside system in Ayrshire. Andrew Barclay No.1338 (built in 1913) is getting ready for work on 28th December 1976. Now No.17, this 0-6-0T engine is under storage at the Tanfield Railway, Gateshead.




Pic number three is from Alan Rigby. Featured is Freightliner 'PowerHaul' class 70, 70010,  heading empty ballast wagons on a Basford Hall - Mountsorrel working. The location was Chorlton, just south of Basford Hall and the date, 13th July 2011.



Jeff Nicholls has supplied pic number four, a direct contrast to his pic of 70013, Oliver Cromwell, pictured in the previous post. This winter postcard pic of the same working, on the East Lancs Railway, was taken on the day after the sunny shot in the previous post - the anomalies of the British weather eh! Date - 21st February 2010.



The final two shots are from John Smith. BR class 44, 'Peak' locomotive D8, is shown at Darley Dale at the Peak Rail Gala on 14th May 2011. Passing is BR (grey with red stripe livery) class 37, 37152.





John's second pic was taken on the East Coast Main Line at Burn. Pictured are class 43s, 43484 and 43467, in Grand Central livery, on a Sunderland - Kings Cross working. The pic is dated 17th June 2011

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Alan Rigby, Jeff Nicholls and myself have provided the three pics comprising today's post 14th Jul 2011. I need pics so please send in more - the response has not been quite as good as last time we ran our 'Open Season' in December 2010.


Alan's pic shows DBS liveried class 60, 60011 about to leave Peak Forest on 2nd February 2011. The working was a Peak Forest - Hope St Salford stone train.






Jeffs shot shows BR Standard class 7, 70013 Oliver Cromwell, nearing Ramsbottom at the East Lancs Railway Gala on 20th February 2010.  Great sky for February, Jeff.




My pic, number three, depicts the observation/inspection saloon No.975025 Caroline traversing Carr Mill Viaduct on 2nd September 2010. Pushing the saloon is DRS class 47, 47501 Craftsman.

Alternative Photographs (15)

Today's post, 12th July 2011, features four pics from four contributors. Three pics were taken in the UK and the other in Switzerland.


Pic number one is from John Smith.  Another of the little 0-4-0 tanks from the Chasewater Railway Gala of 19th March 2011 is shown; NCB saddle tank Linda is 'clagging' well for John.




Next up is Bevan Price's shot taken at the Marple Wharf Viaduct on 20th January 2007. EWS class 60, 60029 Clitheroe Castle, is pictured heading a limestone working across the impressive structure.




The third pic is from Geoff Monks. DBS liveried class 60, 60011 is pictured on its way from Liverpool Bulk Terminal with a coal working for Fiddlers Ferry Power Station. The working is exiting the docks at Bootle - the scrap metal 'mountain' forms a less than appealing backdrop to an otherwise fine picture. The pic is dated 18th March 2011.



The fourth and final pic in this post is from David Wood. David has sent in our foreign shot for this post - taken in Switzerland on 8th August 2006.  The two locomotives are from Switzerland and Italy.

From UK, to Austria and Poland

Today's post, 10th July 2011, continues our theme of photographs taken outside out normal patch (number 14) and, as the heading implies, we visit three different countries.

Picture number one is from Jeff Nicholls. Featured is GWR 'Castle' class 4-6-0, No.5043 Earl of Mount Edgcumbe heading north on the picturesque Settle & Carlisle line at Selside. The pic is dated 16th October 2010. I hope to travel on this line on August 1st on a 'Special', picking up at St Helens Central.

The second pic is from John Smith and is another of his excellent shots from the Great Central Railway taken on 29th January 2011. Double heading pair of GWR 'Hall' class 4-6-0 No.4953 Pitchford Hall and LMS, Stanier 'Black Five' 4-6-0 No.45305 are shown heading BR maroon coaches on an open section of track. The 'Black Five' is an ex Dallam locomotive, according to John

Pic number three has been sent in by Alan Rigby and shows the Deltic class 55, 55022 Royal Scots Grey once again. This locomotive has featured well in our series as it was hired by GBRf for freight duties for a short period of revenue-earning time. In Alan's shot the loco is approaching Freemans Crossing heading for Lynemouth to pick up more empty hoppers. This pic is dated 4th May 2011.

And now for our foreign locomotives. Pic number four was taken by Geoff Monks on October 5th 1969 in Wien Nord shed, Austria. What a superb ambience is produced in a shed setting with those shafts of sunlight taking supremacy among electric and residual, available lighting. OBB (Austrian Railways) 4-6-2T No.77.69 is on the left.


Finally Jeff Nicholls has sent in another of his excellent Polish shots. This pic features loco OL49-7 at Rakoniewice on a Poznan- Wolsztyn working. The date was 11th June 2009.