Not sure of the exact year, but there was a rumour the railway was about to close & as I’d never been to the Isle of Man before I decided to head across there – caught train from Birmingham on Saturday morning after a night shift, booked bed & breakfast in Douglas & returned on Sunday. I have found about 12 slides, not sure if I have any other photos from that visit.
Photo below…..
It’s 2023, perhaps I should try posting in the blog again. How often, who knows!!
I’ve found all sorts of old slides from years ago, quite a few railway ones, but many others that won’t interest you, such as family ones. The Spanish railway slides are a bit of a jumble, no idea where many of them were taken but they are interesting to see. What else turns up, you’ll have to wait & see…….
Photo below…..
D1013 and 46443 at Arley in 2006, 37906 and 40145 at Kidderminster in 2008, D8188 and 3802 at Bewdley in 2010, D821 and 50135 at Arley in 2012 and finally.66089 at Stourbridge in 2014. Also sneaked in a photo of Blue, a cat we had many years ago before getting KC.
Photos below:-
We spent a few hours at Kingsbury Water Park during the day watching the locos running on the 7¼” gauge railway. Good variety of locos in action and the first time I have seen trains running on the extension to Far Leys. Fortunately the weather was dry, with plenty of sunshine and we even had a ride on one of the trains. Lots of photos to sort, give me a few days!
It’s never a good idea to let people know you’re away from home, but if you wondered why there were no postings, that was the reason.
A few items of railway interest – saw “Lyd” at the Launceston Railway on the Thursday, in steam but not working trains, Hunslet “Covertcoat” was on our train. On Friday I managed to make a detour to see 6435 on the Bodmin Railway. Saturday found us heading for Okehampton for a ride on DEMU 1132 to Merldon Quarry. Sunday was the “big one”, lunch at Looe gave me a chance to see 37685 & 9466 top & tail some specials on the branch, then to Bodmin Parkway to see 6435 & 30587, finally 60019 “Bittern” on “The Cornishman” returning to Bristol.
The photos will follow, he says hopefully, but don’t ask me when
Called in for a train ride today. The 4-2-2 “Iron Duke” replica was on temporary track in the car park. Our train was hauled by 2-8-0 no. 2807 & D8137. As the train could only run as far as Gotherington, due to the collapsed embankment, the 2 locos top & tailed the train.
Spent an enjoyable day at the above railway. 11 locos were in steam, and a Land Rover converted to run on narrow gauge track was also running.
Plenty of photos to upload over the next few days
Instead of heading west today (towards Arley) I struggled with the car to make it go in an easterly direction, destination Kingsbury Water Park.
Intention was to meet up with grandson, whose parents were visiting the park with their jet ski, and take him on the miniature railway. Several locos were hauling trains, ours was a Standard tank, 84029 I think – will check my photos later
