Friday 30 September 2011

Chuffers

It has taken us long enough but finally on Saturday last we took ourselves off for a day on the famous Severn Valley Railway.  We exercised the dogs before leaving them aboard Caxton ( the dogs were less than impressed about this turn of events) and then driving into Kidderminster to get our train to Bridgenorth.  It was a special event weekend and all the stations enroute were heaving with train buffs and their camera equipment.   We had a first class carriage that we shared with four others all of whom were ex British Rail people and extremely knowledgable about all things railway; there was a lively discussion about the pros and cons of proposed High Speed Rail link between London and Birmingham - apparently there is already a railway line, a redundant four track, that could be used.  If that is the case it beggars belief that anyone is proposing to tear up so much beautiful countryside to save 20 mins on a journey - unless of course that group have a vested interest in securing large goverment contracts...

Anyway, on to steam trains.

This is the engine that hauled our train on Saturday - and, as I was about probably about the only person on the train, on the platforms or standing in the fields all along the route taking photo's, that is not a train buff, I can't tell you what it is - shame on me.


 And yet another chuffer - with smoke deflectors this time.


We had another dose of trains yesterday afternoon because we drove out to Highley to see the Engine House - Joe saw the Engine House, I sat in the sunshine with the dogs taking photo's of passing trains.


 A packed Highley Station - there was an excited rabble of school children, all dressed as evacuee's for the day.

And here's their train

And there goes their train - built at Crewe in 1934.

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