92203 Black Prince

British railways standard class 9f   2-10-0 loco, deigned by Robert Riddles in the 1950's..... This was the last class of steam locos built by British Rail.

This is Black Prince, owned by the artist David Shepherd ....famous for his paintings of elephants, but
also a fantastic railway artist.

In 1982 Black Prince set the record for pulling the heaviest train by a steam
locomotive at 2.178 tons....



 The view from the cab.....

harry potter...hogwarts castle

all steamed up and ready to take the young wizards to school

4468 mallard

Mallard has been moved to Locomotion at shildon,  so i went down at the weekend to get some pics.

beautiful lines of the streamlining...(pity about the clutter around the wheels, but
that's museums for you )

the plate on the side commemorating the world speed record set in 1930

view inside the cab...

6233 Dutchess of Sutherland

6233 dutchess of sutherland standing at york

big wheels keep on turning....

can't wait to go back to york to see the newly streamlined "dutchess of hamilton" ,  i hear it looks fantastic.

Stirling No 1

stirling No1 outside at the plant doncaster

view of the cab ...not much shelter.

4472 Flying Scotsman

4472 Flying Scotsman's little admirer

Class J72......69023 "Joem"

69023.... As a guest engine at Tanfield railway.

60923.... Reversing up to pick up a coal train 

69023....Nice shot of the driver

I remember seeing one of these engines when i was a kid working as the station pilot at Newcastle Central Station in the 1960's.  They were always well polished and looked like a green jewel with the smart green livery.  This design had a fantastic history, first built in1898 and the last batch built in 1951...what an achievement for this design,  when it's right, don't change it.

HST Inter City 125...Newcastle Central Station

HST Inter City 125...newcastle Central

Back in the day, from a photograph in took in about 1978.....A pair of British Rail Intercity 125's getting ready to leave Newcastle Central,  one for Scotland the other for London.  Amazing they are still running after over 30 years and i always thought they made a great noise.

National Express HST.....2008

The train from Edinburgh coming into Newcastle Central Station passing the old castle

4472 Flying Scotsman at Doncaster and York

4472 The Flying Scotsman stands outside the shed where she was built

Flying Scotsman was built in1923 at Doncaster Works .....known as "The Plant"

......Having a bit of TLC at the National Railway Museum ,  York

Looking good - even in the pouring rain (not so good for me though )

4468 Mallard

gleaming in the sun....Mallard at the plant Doncaster in 2003

George Stephensons birthplace-Wylam Waggonway, Northumberland

George Stephenson was born in this cottage on the wylam waggonway in 1781....the holy of holies for trainspotters.  The Wylam Waggonway-which is now a beautiful cycle track and part of Hadrians way that follows the Roman Wall-  was one of the very early waggonways, originally horsedrawn, and was opened in 1748.

The village of Wylam was not only the birthplace of George Stephenson, but also of  Timothy Hackworth of Shildon fame, and William Hedley, the designer of the famous Puffing Billy.