From Winwick to Rome

We travel all over the place in today's post, 31st March 2015, with pics from Winwick, Bank Quay, Red Bank, Preston, Barrow Hill Roundhouse, SVR and Rome, yes Rome. A record 23 pics are included reflecting on the numbers flying in at the present time.  Keep them coming but please slow down a little bit.

WINWICK & ELSEWHERE

Ieuan Wood takes the lead today with the 'Salopian Express' railtour photographed at Bank Quay on 28th March 2015. A the head was Stanier 'Jubilee' class 4-6-0 No.45690 Leander. The train ran Preston - Shrewsbury and return.

Ieuan's second shot features DRS class 68, 68009 Titan hauling new ScotRail stock from Willesden through Bank Quay on the same date.

Six shots now follow from Jeff Nicholls. 'The Salopian' steam express is featured again in his first pic but at Preston, on the same date, 28th March 2015 - 45690 at the head.

Chiltern Railways liveried class 68, 68011 is up next, from Jeff, double heading with WCRC class 47, 47746 at Preston, on 28th March 2015. The train was heading for Carnforth where 'Royal Scot' class 4-6-0, No.46115 Scots Guardsman was waiting to take over 'The Winter Cumbrian Mountain Express'. 

Double heading class 47s are up next - WCRC 47245 and privately owned (Stratford 47 Group) 47580 County of Essex. The location was Red Bank and the date, 25th March 2015. The working was Kidderminster - Carlisle with Stanier 4-6-0 No. 45699 Galatea booked to take part.

Jeff's fourth pic shows Colas Rail Freight class 56, 56113 with a rake of 4-wheeled tank wagons passing through Winwick on 25th March 2015. The working was Grangemouth - Long Marston (for storage).

The fifth and sixth shots from Jeff were both taken at the recent SVR Gala on 21st March 2015. Bewdley was the setting for his first featuring ex GWR 2-6-2 'Prairie' tank,  No.4566.   

His final pic was taken at Highley and shows the '1500' class 0-6-0 pannier tank, No.1501 -  the class was built for the Western Region of  British Railways after 1948.

Geoff Monks has sent in the following pair of shots. His first shows Colas Rail Freight class 60, 60002 at Hall Royd Junction, Todmorden with the Preston - Lyndsey tanks on 25th March 2015.

Geoff's second shot features the unique GBRf class 66, 66721 Harry Beck. The latter famously designed the London Tube map in 1933 and a portion is shown on one side of the white liveried loco. On the other side is the current version of the map from 2013. The working was empty biomass tanks Ironbridge Power Station - Tuebrook, on 26th March 2015. The location was Winwick. 

Four shots now follow from Alan Rigby, all taken in Rome. His first, at Rome termini station, shows Leonardo Express working to the airport. The pic is dated 9th March 2015.

The same location was chosen for TRENITALIA 464 169  on 11th March 2015.

Again at Rome termini station, TRENITALIA 464 589 waits on 12th March 2015 - spot the safety 

notice written in English.

Alan's fourth shot is of a Rome double tram unit No.7051, pictured near the termini station. The pic is dated 11th March 2015.

A record nine shots are next, the work of David Quayle. David has been very busy lately on a photo/literary project  which necessitates many trips to Heritage Railways. Barrow Hill Roundhouse (BHR) is on his itinery and five shots are up next all taken at BHR 14th March 2015. His first shows two locos from the National Collection  -  ex GCR 'Improved Director' class 4-4-0, No.506 (62660) Butler Henderson and ex MR 'Compound' 4-4-0, No.1000 (41000).

Next is is a shot of Peppercorn 'A2' class 4-6-2, No.60532 Blue Peter, the sole surviving class member.

David's third shot from BHR features five locomotives gathered around the turntable. They are No's.41708, 1000, 506, 2491 and 8217. No's 1000 and 506 are described above and the other three are - ex MR 0-6-0 No.1708 (BR 41708), Hawthorn  Leslie 0-4-0ST No.2491 Henry and ex GER 'J17' class 0-6-0, No.8217 (GER No.1217).

Gesley 'D49' class 4-4-0 No.62712 Morayshire, is next from David. The loco is owned by The National Museums of Scotland and based at The Bo'ness and Kinneil Railway. Look up the web site of the Scottish Railway Preservation Society for the history of this 1928, Darlington built loco. 

David's final shot from BHR is of the class 40 diesel, D213, Andania (BR40013).

The next four shots from David were taken at the recent SVR Gala. Bewdley was the location and 21st March 2015, the date.. His first shows ex London Transport 0-6-0 pannier tank L92 (5786), ex GWR '1400' class 0-4-2T No.1450 and ex GWR 2-6-2 'Prairie' tank No. 4566. No.5786 is an interesting loco - the ex LT locomotive (retired to preservation in 1971) returned to service in March 2013 in the  maroon livery of London Transport to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the opening of London's Underground, in 1863. 

Ex SR Bulleid 'Light Pacific' No.34053, Sir Keith Park is pictured next.

Next is 'large Prairie' class 2-8-0T No.4270 owned by Jeremy Hosking and resident at the GWR (Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway).

Finally the last pic in this post features ex WD 2-8-0 No.90733 which was repatriated to the K&WVR from Sweden in 1973, having spent many years in Holland and Sweden. 

Ten Steam; Six Diesel

In today's post, 23rd March 2015, the recent steam gala theme is continued but punctuated with a few local shots. Sixteen pics from five contributors are described.

WINWICK & ELSEWHERE

First up today are six shots from our most regular contributor, Jeff Nicholls. His first three are from the recent Severn Valley Railway Steam Gala. Shot one features the ex GWR, Hawksworth, BR Western Region class '15' 0-6-0 pannier tank, No.1501, at Bridgnorth in an almost monochrome setting. The shot is dated 20th March 2015.

In a similar monochromatic setting, Ex L&NWR 0-6-2 Webb coal tank, No.1054, waits by a water tank at Bewdley on 21st March 2015.

On the same date, 21st March 2015, Jeff shot ex GWR 0-4-2 tank No.1450, by the Arley signal box.

Jeff's fourth shot is of  ex GWR 2-6-2 large Prairie tank, No.5199 of Charles Collett. The pic is dated 6th March 2015 and the location, Corwen at the Llangollen Steam Gala.

Two local shots now follow from Jeff. The first was taken at Winwick on 11th March 2015 and shows double heading DRS class 68s, 68002 and 68003, on the Tesco's intermodal.

The last of six shots from Jeff depicts the Aviva liveried class 67, 67001 on a Chester - Manchester Piccadilly service at Red Bank, Newton - le - Willows. The pic is dated 11th March 2013.

The next two shots are from David Wood. His first shows the GBRf class 66, 66701 Sorrento in Mediterranean Shipping Company livery.  The working was Garston Car Terminal - Dagenham and the location, Runcorn. The date was 10th March 2015.

David's second shot, taken on the same date features GBRf class 66, 66701 on a biomass working, at Lea Green.

Ieuan Wood has sent in the next two shots. Number one depicts the Pathfinder Tours 'Cumbrian Docker' 'Special' on 21st March 2015. DRS class 57s, 57004T and T57008 are pictured on the Birmingham International - Carlisle working through Winwick.

Ieuan's second pic features double heading WCRC pair, class 47, 47237 and class 57, 57314 on the same date, at Winwick. The working was Carnforth - York, part of a Statesman Rail 'Special'.

David Quayle has sent in the following four shots of the same locomotive -  Charles Collett's ex GWR 0-6-0 tender locomotive, No.3205, of the '2251' class (aka 'Collett Goods'). A Parcels Charter is up first taken at Carrog on 9th March 2015.

The same charter is featured between Corwen and Carrog on the same date.

This time the charter is pictured west of  Glyndyfrdwy  on the same date.

Now contrast and compare the same locomotive, taken by David on 28th September 1969 at Tyseley. The distinct lack of safety regulations is immediately apparent.

The final two shots are from Colin Platt. Featured in the first are ex BR 'Standard' class '9F', 2-10-0, No.92214 Central Star and ex SR  'West Country' class 4-6-2 of Oliver Bulleid, No.34092 Wells (originally City of Wells). The double headers are leaving Llangollen Station on 6th March 2015.

Colin's second shot depicts the Bulleid 'Light Pacific' No.34092 Wells, again,  heading a passenger service into Carrog. The service is passing the signal box on the same date, 6th March 2015. 

More Steam

As the title suggests, this post 16th March 2015, is dominated by pics of steam locomotives, a reflection of the Gala season which is rapidly picking up momentum.

WINWICK & ELSEWHERE

First up today are five shots from Jeff Nicholls. His first four are from the recent Llangollen 'Steam, Steel and Stars IV' Gala held over two weekends in March. First is a shot from Llangollen Station of Charles Collett's ex GWR 0-6-0 tender locomotive, No.3205, of the '2251' class (aka 'Collett Goods'). Built from 1946 the class eventually numbered 120 with No.3205 the only surviving member. The shot was taken on 6th March 2015.

Jeff's second pic is of the same locomotive No.3205 approaching Carrog with ex BR 'Standard' class '9F', 2-10-0, No.92214 Central Star in the background. The date was the same, 6th March 2015.

A third pick from the Llangollen Railway, by Jeff, shows 0-4-2T push/pull locomotive, No.1450, at Glyndyfrdwy on the same date. The loco, partially framed by a bridge, was photographed from a GWR toad brake van while Jeff was riding on a demonstration freight working. The date - 6th March 2015.

Jeff's final pic from Llangollen, features No.1450 at Glyndwfrdwy again, on the same date, but this time on a passenger service.

A fifth shot from Jeff shows double heading DRS class 66s, 66422 and 66303 on the Tesco's containers, through Winwick on 22nd February 2015.

Colin Platt is up next with five more Llangollen shots. His first features a 'push and pull' service with Collett '14xx' class 0-4-2T No.1450 sandwiched between two auto coaches near Carrog. The date was 7th March 2015.

Also on the same date Colin photographed the 0-6-0 tender locomotive No.3205 (see above) near Carrog on a passenger service. 

The third shot from Colin shows ex GWR '42xx' class 2-8-0T, No.4270, travelling light engine towards Carrog and startling some sheep at the same time. The Churchward heavy freight tank became part of Jeremy Hosking's team of locos in 2003 and was restored on the GWR (Gloucester Warwickshire Railway). For more info on this loco see The Railway Magazine issue No.428. The pic is dated 6th March 2015.

Another pic of Colin's was taken at Llangollen Station on the same date. Pictured by the road bridge are 'West Country' class 4-6-2 of Oliver Bulleid, No.34092 Wells (originally City of Wells), and the ex BR Standard class '9F' described above (No.92214).

The fifth shot from Colin shows the class '9F' No.92214 Central Star again, travelling light engine towards Carrog on the same date. 

Bevan Price has sent in the next two shots. His first was taken at Crewe on 6th March 2015. Pictured is Chiltern Railways Mainline class 68, 68013 with a working of empty flats, Basford Hall - Daventry. 

Colas Rail class 66, 66849 Wylam Dilly is up next from Bevan, crossing the swing bridge at Preston Riverside on the Ribble Steam Railway. The class 66 is on the tail of the train with class 14, D9539 up front. The pic is dated 7th March 2015.

The next two pics are residual examples from David Quayle's  visit to the K&WVR, spotlighted in the previous post. Both were taken on the Haworth Loop. Pictured are the USA Transportation Company's 'S160' class 2-8-0 No.5820 and ex L&NWR 0-6-2 'coal tank' No.1054.  The pic is dated 28th February 2015. 

Taken on the same date was David's second pic - 'coal tank' No.1054 again, but pictured light engine.

Last but not least, is Alan Rigby's shot of East Midlands class 158, 158865 at Liverpool South Parkway on 6th February 2015.

As I publish this post more pics are arriving by email. Keep them coming in but in a controlled way, please.