Today's post, 11th August 2015, once again reflects the number of steam 'Specials' passing in and around us over the past month. Eleven pictures featuring steam locomotives are included in the total of twenty five,
a record number again contributed by just seven photographers.
WINWICK & BEYOND
First up are three pictures from Ieuan Wood. Number one shows the giant, ex LMS 'Princess Coronation' class 4-6-2 of Sir William Stanier, No.46233
Duchess of Sutherland. The loco was heading the 'Cumbrian Mountain Express' out of Liverpool on 1st August 2015. The location was Eccleston Park and the 'Special' ran Liverpool - Wigan - Settle - Carlisle - Shap - Liverpool.
Pic two, from Ieuan, shows the 'Caledonia Sleeper' empty stock working Polmadie - Wembley Inter City Depot. The pic is dated 31st July 2015 and the location was Winwick. The loco was class 92, 92010 in Caledonian Sleeper 'White Stag' livery.
Ieuan's third shot features ex LMS re-built 'Royal Scot' class 4-6-0 of Sir William Stanier (originally of Sir Henry Fowler) No.46115
Scots Guardsman. The 'Special' was the 'North Wales Coast Express' which ran Liverpool - Frodsham - Chester - Holyhead and return. Whiston was the location; 2nd August 2015 was the date.
The following four pics are from Colin Platt. First up is 46115
Scots Guardsman again, on the 'NWCE' heading towards Lea Green on the same date, 2nd August 2015.
Colin's second shot shows the rear of the same 'NWCE' working on 2nd August 2015, at Lea Green. Backing up is WCRC class 47, 47760.
Number three from Colin is another shot of No.46233
Duchess of Sutherland, on the 'CME' (see above). This pic was taken at Eccleston Park on the return leg (evening) on 1st August 2015.
Colin's fourth shot is another from Lea Green. The working was biomass hauled by GBRf class 66, 66742
ABP Port of Immingham Centenary 1912-2012. The pic is date 2nd August 2015.
The following quartet are from David Quayle. They were all taken at Toddington on the GWR (Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway). His first shows ex SR 'Merchant Navy' class 4-6-2 of Oliver Bulleid, No.35006
Peninsular & Oriental Steam Navigation Company, one of only two 'Merchant Navy' class 4-6-2s to be re-built in 1959 (the other was
Clan Line). It hasn't run in preservation yet but appears likely to do so, in the near future.The pic is dated 28th July 2015.
Another of David's Toddington pics features ex GWR (Great Western Railway), Churchward '42xx' class 2-8-0T, No.4270. This pic is also dated 28th July 2015.
Same place same date for David's third shot. This one shows the ex SR 'electro-diesel' built in 1962 - E6036 (73129) - and ex GWR, Churchward/Collett 'Prairie' class 2-6-2, No. 5542.
A class 35 'Hymek' diesel is the subject of David's final pic. D7076, ex BR Western Region (built in 1962), is pictured at Toddington being prepared to return home to the ELR, on 28th July 2015.
Alan Rigby has sent in the next four pics. First up is GBRf class 66, 66760 working Ironbridge - LBT biomass empties at Winwick on 4th August 2015.
Next is GBRf class 66, 66772 dragging First ScotRail liveried class 90, 90024 to Crewe TMD from Carlisle on 30th July 2015. The location was Winwick. The class 90 had been damaged while being shunted into Edinburgh Station on 28th July 2015.
Alan's third pic shows electro-diesel class 73, 73961 at Bank Quay, on test with coaching stock from Crewe. The pic is dated 29th July 2015.
The fourth shot from Alan depicts electro-diesel 73963, on the tail of the same train to work back to Crewe. In close up at Bank Quay on the same date.
Three pics from Geoff Monks are next. The first shows Beacon Rail class 66, 66750 on a Toton - Crewe engineers working; GBRf class 66, 66739
Bluebell Railway, is immediately behind. The location was Millmeece (between Stafford and Crewe) and the date, 30th July 2015.
Geoff's second shot depicts double heading DRS class 20s - 20305and 20308. The working was Sellafield - Crewe (via Carlisle) nuclear flasks; the location was Lowca and the sate, 1st August 2015.
The third and final shot from Geoff features class 37, 37401
Mary Queen of Scots heading a Carlisle - Barrow service at St Bees on 1st August 2015.
Jeff Nicholls has sent in the next four pics. First up is a shot of GBRf class 66, 66760 passing the site of part of the Ironbridge Gorge Museum complex: parts of some of the industrial buildings can be seen in the photo. The pic is dated 5th August 2015. The working was LBT - Ironbridge biomass.
Pic two shows GBRf class 66, 66730
Whitemoor, on the reverse working compared with the above; the date was the same.
Next from Jeff are a couple of shots taken on the SVR. First is Collett 'Manor' class 4-6-0, No.7812
Erlestoke Manor, working Kidderminster - Bridgnorth on 5th August 2015.
Bulleid 'Battle of Britain' 'Light Pacific' No.34053
Sir Keith Park is the subject of Jeff's fourth shot, working in the opposite direction to the above on the SVR, on the same date.
The last three shots are from myself. First up is the Stanier 'Duchess' again, 46233
Duchess of Sutherland. passing through Thatto Heath Station on 18th July 2015. The 'special' was the reverse 'Cumbrian Mountain Express' working Carlisle - Liverpool Lime Street.
Next is GBRf class 66, 66742
ABP Port of Immingham Centenary 1912-2012, with a biomass empty working through Lea Green on 2nd August 2015.
My third shot is of Stanier 'Black 5' 4-6-0, No.45231
The Sherwood Forester working 'The Welsh Mountaineer' from Preston - Warrington - Frodsham - Chester - Llandudno Junction to Blaenau Ffestiniog and return. The location was Winwick and the date, 4th August 2015.
First up are three pics from Geoff Monks. First one shows double heading Freightliner class 90s, 90049 and 90043 Freightliner Coatbridge, on a Felixestowe - Crewe intermodal. The location was Millmeece and the date, 30th July 2015.
Second from Geoff is WCRC class 47, 47851 on a Holyhead - Edinburgh excursion through Daresbury, on 16th August 2015.
Geoff's final shot was taken near Helsby on 17th August 2015. Pictured is class 67, 67014 at the head of a Manchester Piccadilly - Llandudno passenger service. The pic is dated 17th August 20015.
Next are a Ieuan Wood 'Northern Belle' pairing taken on 15th August 2015. First up is DRS class 57, 57301 Goliath, at St Helens Junction heading to Liverpool.
Ieuan's second shot of the same 'Pullman' train on its way to Edinburgh, was taken at Earlestown and features DRS class 57, 57310 Pride of Cumbria. The 'Northern Belle' ran Bank Quay - Liverpool - Edinburgh.
Three shots from Jeff Nicholls now - first is an Arriva Trains Wales (ATW), Holyhead - Manchester Piccadilly service, with class 67, 67014 at the head. The location was Culcheth (the Chat Moss route) and the date, 10th August 2015.
Next are two shots from Jeff taken at the ELR. This one shows a class 117 dmu at Ramsbottom on a Rawtenstall - Heywood service on 13th August 2015.
Jeff's third ELR shot features the ex LMS Hughes/Fowler 2-6-0 'Crab', No.13065 (BR 42765), same place, same date, but running in the opposite direction. The train is framed by using the latticed bridge.
Alan Rigby has sent in the next four shots. His first was taken at Winwick on 12th August 2015 and shows double heading DBS class 90s, 90037 Spirit of Dagenham and 90021 (still in First ScotRail livery) working Dollands Moor-Irvine china clay tanks.
Number two from Alan features a DBS class 66, 66114 at Winwick on 12th August 2015. The loco was working Arpley Yard - Wigan Wagons for repair.
Another pic of ATW class 67, 67014 is next, working Manchester Piccadilly - Holyhead on 12th August 2015. The location was Winwick. 
Alan's fourth and final shot shows double heading DBS class 90s, 90029 and 90018 at Winwick, on 11th August 2015. The working was Mossend - Daventry intermodal.
Two from myself are up next. First Great Western class 165, 165109 and WCRC class 47, 47786 Roy Castle OBE are pictured at Oxford Station on 22nd July 2015. The class 47 had hauled a 'Special' from Liverpool to Oxford and was ready for the return journey.
My second shot was taken at Lea Green on 2nd August 2015 and depicts Northern Rail class 319 emu, 319362.
