Monthly Archives: May 2010

I needed to attend a meeting at 3pm this afternoon at York on my way back from Wales, so took the chance to have a quick scoot round to see what colleagues are up to and bring blog readers up … Continue reading →

At the suggestion of Julian Birley who was on the Welsh Highland train yesterday, I made my way back to York today via the Llanberis Lake Railway where I found 1904 Quarry Hunslet “Wild Aster/Thomas Bach” raising steam. The loco’s … Continue reading →

Yesterday was a momentous day for the Welsh Highland Railway, opening the line to Pont Croesor from Hafod y Llyn and now giving over 20 miles of line from Caernarfon and leaving only 3 more miles to open to get … Continue reading →

After cylinder repairs last week, NELPG’s K1 2-6-0 No. 62005 was in steam today for trials at Shildon. If all is well, it will leave on Saturday for a week’s running in on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway before heading … Continue reading →

This afternoon, the restoration of the 5 ton capacity Smith Rodley steam crane in the Shildon workshops took a big step forward when Richard & Johnny fitted the jib for the first time. It’s only on for a trial basis, … Continue reading →

Friday saw Helen Ashby & I heading for the Midland Railway at Butterley to discuss working together in the future. After a very productive meeting, we were given a comprehensive tour of the railway’s Swanwick Junction site, including the vintage … Continue reading →

Early last week saw a new locomotive delivered to Shildon, but not one that is part of the Collection. We are establishing a partnership with the Locomotive Conservation and Learning Trust http://www.lclt.org.uk/ to restore the North Eastern Railway designed J21 … Continue reading →

Yesterday and today saw Chris Beet & I heading south to visit Steam – The Museum of the Great Western Railway at Swindon – in Wiltshire, hence the moonraking of the title, a local legend. The NRM has a number … Continue reading →

Visitors to York may well be surprised to see the Stirling Single in the workshop since last Friday. I’m afraid thoughts of a return to steam are somewhat premature, but the truth is that the loco is being prepared for … Continue reading →

A very quick canter through the North Eastern Giants of Steam weekend. I’ll let the photos speak for themselves in the main except to say that there were some 21,100 visitors over the three day event, the busiest that Locomotion … Continue reading →