From the guard's van

A Class 101 DMU arrives in Buxton station with a train from Manchester. The loco depot next to the station was full of freight locos used for the limestone traffic from the nearby quarries.

The first two shots are of a two car class 114 DMU at Hednesford station on the Walsall to Rugeley line. The DTSL is nearest to the camera. The station now has a down platform as well as the up platform shown. Now we move back to the CLC line and the service from Manchester Piccadilly to Chester. It is seen here approaching Mobberley station. These two shots at Mobberley are of  a class 108 DMU. A class 104 DMU at Mobberley with a Chester to Manchester train. . A class 117 DMU leaving Derby for the north. These two final shots in Derby station show a class 114. This one shows the cab of the DMBS Many thanks to those who have helped to identify the various DMU classes especially thanks to Richard O.

We are still in the late 1980s with these views of some of the freight activity observed during a short stay at Derby station.  Rather a short train for two locos. Class 56 on a coal train. Light engine activity. Class 20s as they usually appeared... in twos. Two views of a ballast train with what appears to be a red class 47. An empty steel train goes North.

"The return, empty working of refuse containers for Greater Manchester's Northenden Depot was derailed in Knutsford station on the late afternoon of 2nd May (1990). The last two wagons came to grief in the station itself, and another bogie further along the train also came off the tracks. The line was closed for 24 hours after which the services began using only the down (Chester bound) platform." Quoted from 'The Railway Magazine' July 1990 page 464   This picture was printed with the article in the Railway Magazine. An enquiry made to the Railway Observer about the cause of the accident resulted in this explanation: "One of the M&EE 'on-call" engineers who attended this incident writes that the cause was the buckling of the track beneath the train. He remembers that the weather had been unusually warm for several days. The derailment occurred in the afternoon, in the cutting south of the station, at a point so

A recent trip to Shildon found a number of the locos festooned with flags and portraits of the queen (to celebrate her 90th birthday). This meant that photography was mostly limited to details shots of valve gear etc.  Detail of the crosshead and parts of the valve gear of Sierra Leone Railway no. 85, a 2-6-2 tank built in 1954 by the Hunslett Engine Co. Leeds. It was aquired by the Welshpool and Llanfair Light Railway in 1975 and became the W&LLR no 14. Two shots of the huge single driving wheels and splashers of the L&NWR 2-2-2 CORNWALL. Crosshead of the GNR Atlantic no. 251... ..... and the big end of the same loco.

While the railway was preparing for a diesel weekend there was still plenty of evidence of steam around.  Stanier class 5 no. 44806 was being worked on in the shed at Grosmont. Standard class 4MT no. 75029 THE GREEN KNIGHT was in the yard at Grosmont. Class B1 no. 61264, constructed in 1947 looks healthy enough in this view although in fact the driving wheels had been removed and it was standing on its bogie wheels and a small support truck. This War Department 2-10-0 no. 3672 built in 1944 and named DAME VERA LYNN was undergoing work at Grosmont too. The Whitby trains were being operated by Stanier class 5 no. 45428 ERIC TREACY and this standard class 4MT mogul. Much to the disappointment of some of the passengers the steam loco was taken off the train at Grosmont and the class 26 diesel replaced it for the run to Pickering.

A recent visit to the NYMR saw some of the preparations for a forthcoming Diesel week end.  Birmingham Railway Carriage and Wagon built loco number 26038 was being prepared at Pickering for its run to Grosmont ...and here the crew get ready to take a train back to Pickering later in the day. This brought back memories of travelling behind these locos on the West Highland Railway many years ago. Here we appear to have an imposter. Deltic number 55007 PINZA is what it claims to be but that loco is not one of the preserved Deltics!!! It is, in fact no. 55022 ROYAL SCOTS GREY from the East Lancs Railway. However, it brought back memories of lineside holidays at Berwick on Tweed when these locos ruled the East Coast route. Class 40 number D213 ANDANIA is not an imposter, but the real thing. Looking like it is ex- works it stands in the loco yard at Grosmont ready for the week end.

While all of the locos and power cars used by Virgin Trains East Coast are now in their livery there are a few variants as shown here.  Loco Number 91101 is in this FLYING SCOTSMAN livery and carries the name "Flying Scotsman". This appeared on the turntable at the National Railway Museum when the original LNER loco "Flying Scotsman" was brought back into service after its very expensive overhaul. Loco No. 91111 is named FOR THE FALLEN and is in this 'remembrance' themed livery. To celebrate the 40th anniversary of the National Railway Museum on its present site, power car number 43238 was given this special livery and named NATIONAL RAILWAY MUSEUM 40 YEARS 1975-2015.