Today I did do - Train Spotting/Steam Trains!

[Blue_SV650S]

Visited the Watercress Line and had a go on (in) some steam trains! They basically run a dedicated line ... I had the window open and got lots of ash in my hair at one point!!

In traditional Blue_ stylee here is a little vid of the day!! ... watch all the way to the end to get the Toot Toot's!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uq7kJAO2SLo&fmt=18


Any train Spotters/Annoracks on here?!?!?
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The purpose of life is to fight maturity.

[fatmatt]

Heya mate,

ah the good old Mid hants, spent many an hour down there! And yes you can call me a trainspotter, goon what ever i dont care lol

hers a few pics from when i went down last week:

https://farm3.static.flickr.com/2164/3546023045_6140b9de2f.jpg

https://farm4.static.flickr.com/3334/3546000005_01a9b764a4.jpg

https://farm4.static.flickr.com/3362/3546018239_dd5e51de7a.jpg

https://farm3.static.flickr.com/2440/3546834668_d17b3e9127.jpg

on the day they had the A4 60019 Bittern running and also 34007 on driver experiance runs. plenty more shots of many train related items on me site :
https://www.flickr.com/photos/matthewtomsphotography/

All the best Matt
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https://www.flickr.com/photos/matthewtomsphotography/

[Blue_SV650S]

[Catalyst]

[fatmatt]

no worries mate,

from the vid it looks like you went on 34007 Wadebridge, the loco is a West Country class, built during the war by Southern Railways as a mixed traffic engine, although it was quite clear it was going to form the basis of there new passenger train. But during the war the companies were banned from building express engines, hence its mixed traffic 'abilities' a few members of the class were rebuilt and had the casing removed, but as you can clearly see 34007 kepts its on lol.

Also you has the GWR tank down there, i belive its the 2-8-0 but not 100 sure, so prolly spent most of its working life up in the welsh mountins on coal trains

As you have already seen 60019 Bittern is a member of the a4 class, made famous by 60022 Mallard (fastest kettle in the world 126.5 mph)
a better shot of the loco down at alton
https://farm4.static.flickr.com/3337/3546030737_eaf6774999.jpg
All the best
hope that helps a lil bit and hope you have enjoyed me photos

Matt
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https://www.flickr.com/photos/matthewtomsphotography/

[Blue_SV650S]

[Didge]

[Jrod]

I've done 2 of their long haul trips. 1 to london, the other to birmingham. They were epic.

https://www.watercressline.co.uk/images/5w90703.jpg

[Blue_SV650S]

[tribal_tiger]

A week or so ago I spotted a big steam train at the station in Lowestoft.

Didn't know what it was at the time, but I later found out it was the Oliver Cromwell.

Someone seemed to think this was a big deal, but I've not got a clue, I know it went from here to London, then came back to Norwich way.

I'm not into them myself, though I can see the attraction as they are great bits of kit. One of the guys I work with spends a lot of his weekends as a driver at a near by steam museum.
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How much wood would a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could Chuck Norris?

All of it.

[Blue_SV650S]

[zephyrgirl]

Went on the Lord Nelson (Watercress Line) Alresford - Ropley return on 17th May.
There was the Alresford Watercress festival on at the time and they were running free trips if you parked at Ropley & caught the train to the Festival in Alresford.

I had parked in Alresford and was a bit peeved to find that you had to buy a ticket (£7.00!) if you were doing the reverse journey.

Sadly, being the honest person I am, I actually forked out and paid whilst everyone else on the platform just bustled past and got on the train.

My 2 year old was pretty impressed though.
Got some footage on the mobile, but have no idea how to put it up anywhere without using a computer.
(as I don't have a computer of my own!)

Ooh, it was lovely.
Lovely smell and sounds.
Got soot in our hair.
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Fly away on my Zephyr?
I bloody wish.

[Blue_SV650S]

[Didge]

[Blue_SV650S]

[Didge]

Now this is what you call a steam locomotive.

Union Pacific 844. She was built in the '40s, and as far as I'm aware, she's the only steam loco in the world, that has never been officially retired.

Union Pacific runs 'rail fan' trips on a regular basis.

https://i43.tinypic.com/fu2ut1.jpg


And to give you an idea of the size of her:-

https://i39.tinypic.com/6rkgh0.jpg

[Blue_SV650S]

Wow .. that is a whopper!!

After all these years of service, wonder how much of it is still original??
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The purpose of life is to fight maturity.

[warped one]

If my memory serves me correct, didn't the yankees make a steamer so big that they couldn't physically shovel enough coal into the box and had to use a conveyor?

Also a quy that I work with rebuilds those things for a hobby, at Ludbrough, between Louth and Grimsby. Sounds quite interesting when he starts going on about how they are wanting to lay the original track down and go from Grimsby to Louth, stopping at Waltham, Holton Le clay, Tetney and North Thorsby.

Cheers

Warped
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amnesia - Never in the history of usernames has one been more accurate. Warped indeed. You sir are a fecking oddball.

[Pete.]

My dad has rebuilt a few and made many parts. Until recently he held a steam license and is (was) qualified to train drivers on steam too. Alas he is too ill to do any of that anymore but it doesn't stop him trying. I don't share his passion in steam locomotives but I do take somewhat of an interest just because he does.

That Union Pacific loco is bloody enormous!
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a.k.a 'Geri'

132.9mph off and walked away. Gear is good, gear is good, gear is very very good