For those of an industrial bent, Chris and I supported the Embsay & Bolton Abbey Railways' Hunslet event over the weekend it was a 3 day event starting on Friday and finishing Sunday evening. We decided to make a long weekend of it so we went down on Thursday afternoon to get set up. On Thursday evening they have a small get together for their volunteers and invited us to join them. They lined up a number of the Hunslets across the front of their shed to create a photo opportunity but sadly the lighting wasn't great by this time. I don't know much about Hunslets but I was told that they are from left to right, a 14 inch, a 15 inch, a 17 inch and a 19 inch. Last but by no means least is the tender Hunslet which was apparently rebuilt in preservation to become one of the Thomas characters.
Wife and myself were there on Thursday last Rob, quite by accident, as we had a week in the Yorkshire Dales (as a change from living on the outskirts of the Derbyshire ones!), and coming out of Skipton towards Grassington happened to see the brown sign indicating the railway (one I've never heard of) so called in 'on spec' and managed to get on a train about to depart, hauled by 2890 above. I am of course aware of the Wensleydale railway, but I'm afraid that at my age, I feel there are no such things as "heritage Diesels" they're just not my thing as a die hard steam fan. This is much more 'my thing', taken on the Bluebell last year. Keith.
Hi Keith, Depending on what time of day you were there, we may have been there at the same time. We arrived at just after 3PM to get set up. I am with you on the Wensleydale and Heritage Diesels mutter... mutter... mutter... We do keep trying to persuade them to get more steam but it largely falls on deaf ears.
Funny you should say that, Our Class 33 was 65 years old this last week. Another year or two and it will have been in preservation longer than its BR Service... Andy P.S. I also loved a rebuilt Bullied pacific. Just look the part!
I recall it was just after 3pm that we got back into Embsay station Rob, so must have just missed you. Andy, as I know you are much younger than me (I'm 78 now), then I guess you'll have missed any operational steam services, and I was around when diesels such as the Deltic prototype were being trialled on the East Coast main line. They do just seem characterless to me, compared to seeing A4's rattling through stations like Retford at about 80mph and Merchant Navies on the Southern when I was about 12. Each to his own I guess, but it's a shame you weren't around then. My late Dad took me onto the platform of the long gone "Lancashire, Derbyshire and East Coast Railway" Market Place station in Chesterfield when I was a toddler (about 1949) and from then on, I was hooked on steam. Keith.
We would have been at the bottom of the car park then Keith unloading and setting up in the engine shed.
The LDECR in Chesterfield. Now that’s something I would have loved to have seen. At 48 years old, I can just recall Horns Bridge being still in situe and the A617 running under the Green bridge from Hasland and also the other bridge recently removed up to the island against Kwik Fit and what ever that night club was above it? (Began with an A?) and then it was all revamps. Donkins went, the branch went. And I seem to have missed it all in action as I did in my own town. Too young to have been able to go on my own to see the remains before they were lost under what’s now the A38, although I do remember the GC being infilled in Kirkby along side Southwell Lane. (My grandad used to take me weekly to a garage at the end of that road, so probably where my car interest came from too) Sadly all now gone. Andy
