My first of the year......steam of course!

[Swiss Toni]

New build loco "Tornado" has just had a winter overhaul and to make sure everything was ok before she takes the royal train this week they gave her a light run out.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v196/stubro2000/7478.jpg

[snappa]

Nice shot Toni/Tony ?

[artyman]

Nice shot in the winter sun.

[Woolburr]

Stuart...great cloud of steam and smoke, as well as wonderful lighting. Is the track actually angled that much?

[FLphotoguy]

Nice image. It looks like the train was moving along pretty well.

[PhotosGuy]

Lovely!

[Swiss Toni]

Is the track actually angled that much?
It's a freight and local line so the track bed is pretty uneven and doesn't get the tlc of a main passenger line.
Also the ballast being higher than the nearside rail magnifies the effect.

This is the sort of traffic that normally uses it. http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v196/stubro2000/icon_puke_r.gif

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v196/stubro2000/7475.jpg

[Woolburr]

That is a very strange ballast job indeed. But I know what you are saying about the #2 track....we have a lot of the same here....the main track is welded, ground and leveled....the #2 looks like it was laid by a couple of drunks on a bad day.

BTW... If it weren't for the diesels....we'd have nothing at all to shoot here. ;)

[Mick Emmett]

Tony (Stuart), I'm not a train buff but would love to try and get a few shots of the Tornado, could you possibly let me know what day, time and track the Tornado will be pulling the Royal coaches on; or point me to a site where that information will be.
Great shot as usual, the ballast hides the track and gives the impression the train has de-railed.

[F/M Bill]

Nice Stuart, gotta love all that steam. Keep up the good work.

[Swiss Toni]

Tony (Stuart), I'm not a train buff but would love to try and get a few shots of the Tornado, could you possibly let me know what day, time and track the Tornado will be pulling the Royal coaches on; or point me to a site where that information will be.
Sorry Mick I can't help you, the timings are kept secret for security reasons.
However, rumour has it that the royal train will leave Preston on Thursday morning at 09.00 and travel south to Golborne and then on to Eccles. :D

If you can't make that then Wed. 21st April "Tornado" goes from Crewe to Carlisle via Shap and then back via the Carlisle to Settle line. The web site for all the info. is HERE (http://www.uksteam.info/tours/trs10.htm), times are filled in nearer the departure dates.

[Mick Emmett]

Preston? In Lancastrionshire? Me! Leave Yorkshire? Mmmmmm!! :D

[crn3371]

Great shots as usual. You guys are lucky on the other side of the pond. Beautiful countryside, and no shortage of still running steam.

[Stargazerfrank]

nice and sharp but they look derailed.

[Swiss Toni]

they look derailed.
I think we've already covered that. ;)