Steam Train Photography

Picture of the week: 038-039

Alan Ledger December 25, 2014

Merry Christmas! One of my favourite foreign steam engines, not big by any means but they were really photogenic. What lovely proportioned engines they were. Over 4000 were built from 1906. Here is an ex Prussian P8 4-6-0. West German class 038 number 039 (038-039) at rest on it’s over night stay inside the shed safely under cover at Freudenstadt, Wurttemberg deep in the Black Forest region of Germany. It’s fitted with an electric generator behind the chimney, then a

Picture of the day 5043 at Elford

Alan Ledger December 13, 2014

Been after a picture like this for years and here it is at last, a silver reflection of the sun along the train and a glint off the firebox front. The conditions were just right, frost, sun rise and the right angle at Elford this morning of 5043 Earl of Mount Edgcombe with the 0.43 Tyseley to York. There’s a bit of flare almost like a rainbow on the left getting past the lens hood as the sun was almost

Picture of the week: 231G42 at Boulogne

Alan Ledger December 11, 2014

Here’s one as promised. French 4 cylinder compound 4-6-2 Pacific 231 G 42. 285 were built between 1922 and 1925 for the Paris Lyon and Mediterranean Railway before nationalisation of the railways in France in 1938. Here it is sweeping down the bank at speed from the summit at Kaffiers between Calais and Boulogne with about 500 to 600 tons of train and will be braking very hard (full service brake application! who remembers those?) here for the stop at

Todays pictures

Alan Ledger November 29, 2014

Another gloomy day as you can see. I went out to Craven Arms for two steam specials but finished up with only one as 5029 Nunney Castle failed so was replaced by a class 67. Never mind. Had a good walk whilst waiting and did see a Red Kite, this was a first for here. Anyway here are 44871 and 45407 with the 07.07 from London Paddington going very well with 13 on along with a couple of odd shots

Picture of the Week: Austrian 0-6-2 tank engine 298-56

Alan Ledger November 27, 2014

A nice black and white photo for a change. This time of the daily freight train from Garsten to Klaus coming through the woods near Summerhubermuhle (what a mouthful) in Austria hauled by 0-6-2 tank engine 298-56 which always seemed to be in excellent condition whenever visiting this line. It took about 30 hours to get here from home, it was always an adventure back then where ever we went. It has 4 narrow gauge box wagons in tow on

Picture of the Week: 46233 Duchess of Sutherland

Alan Ledger November 22, 2014

Went out this morning, poor light again to see 46233 Duchess of Sutherland on a Sheffield to Euston train. First at Aston then a chase to Tile Hill and Rugby. It will have passed through Aston many times in the past on Sunday diversions. RegardsLedg.

Picture of the Week: 46233.

Alan Ledger November 22, 2014

Picture of the Week: 62277 Gordon Highlander

Alan Ledger November 20, 2014

Here’s an old timer what a great machine GNSR (Great North of Scotland Railway) D40 4-4-0 62277 ‘Gordon Highlander’ nickname ‘the soldier’ blows off standing at Elgin. Built by the North British Locomotive Company Glasgow 1920 and withdrawn in 1958. Fortunately it’s still with us preserved as number 49 and I think it’s at the Scottish Railway Museum Bo’ness now in it’s original livery not this black stuff. The protective sheet is well and truly wrapped around the cab inside

Picture of the Week: Calais

Alan Ledger November 12, 2014

A group of us from work went over to France, our first visit to foreign shores in September 1968 following the end of British steam which had finished only a few months earlier. This was the nearest for us to travel, and before we discovered what was on offer in the rest of Europe. The first time was in the area around Calais and Boulogne to see the last of the K and G class Compound Pacifics (of which a

Picture of the Week: Westhouses

Alan Ledger November 5, 2014

An interesting view of 18B Westhouses depot on the Erewash between Trent and Clay Cross north of Alfreton. In the shed yard are 8Fs a lone 9F, the cab of a Jinty 0-6-0 tank can also be seen. What must be one of the last 4Fs 0-6-0s in existence at the time with a yellow stripe on it’s cab which meant not to work under the overhead wires south of Crewe. Saltley had just one left 44057 from a previous

Picture of the Week: Saalfeld

Alan Ledger October 29, 2014

Another visit to East Germany and an early start from our hotel before returning for breakfast. This time oil burning Pacific 01-0517 is setting out from Saalfeld on a real grim and gloomy morning working the 06.58 to Leipzig via Gera. There was also a steam hauled service via Jena to Leipzig worked from Saalfeld. The steam shed is on the left with engines standing in the yard ready for work. The class of engines working these two services kept

Picture of the week: Midford

Alan Ledger October 23, 2014

For Somerset and Dorset fans here is Southern West Country class 34041 Wilton and BR Standard 73052 coming off the single line from Bath Junction at Midford with a southbound express for Bournemouth. The Pacific is carrying the old Somerset and Dorset express head code even though it’s 12 years since nationalisation and change, they just wouldn’t change around here for anyone! The lamps should both be over the buffers. Just look at that wonderful S&DJR signal on the lattice

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