Thanks to the Midland Railway Butterley (MRB) needing to use their steam engine on an additional train, for a wedding party, on the afternoon of Saturday June 8th there was the requirement for another engine to cover the afternoon service. This duty fell to A1A Locomotives 31271. 31271 worked the following: 1310 Swanwick – Butterley Read the Rest…
The Great Central Railway Notttingham (GCR(N)) diesel gala over the weekend of June 7th to 9th featured the following: Home Fleet – 20007, 20154, 25279, 31162 (long term visitor), 46010, 47292, 56097 & 73110 Visitors from the East Lancs – 33109, 37901, 50015 (these were brought across by DCR’s 31190 earlier in the week) As Read the Rest…
The second of A1A Locomotives‘ working locos out over the Easter period, after 31162 got proceedings going on Easter Saturday, was 31271 at the Midland Railway Butterley. ‘271 worked on both Sunday and Monday doing 4 round trips from Butterley each day. Unfortunately for the MRB they had no heat on either of their sets, Read the Rest…
At Peak Rail the 2013 Season had been under way since January but no diesels came into the frame until March due to their service operating with steam only and terminating at Matlock Riverside to negate the need for a T&T loco. Due to D8 being out of service having some work done on it, 31270 Read the Rest…
A1A Locomotives’ 31162 had the honour of being the first diesel to work at the Great Central Railway Nottingham (GCR(N)) during the 2013 season. Due to the ongoing cold spell that had gripped the country ‘162s start-up the day before was nothing less than spectacular, by all accounts. As with anything/anyone if you’ve been hibernating for Read the Rest…
In true tradition the Northampton & Lamport Railway ran their annual mince pie specials on New Years Day again; this being at least the 4th year in a row that 31289 had been the first 31 to work in the New Year. I’d not actually managed to make it the NLR at all during 2012 Read the Rest…
A1A Locomotives 31162 had seen a busy year in comparison to recent times and its arrival at the Great Central Railway Nottingham (GCRN) soon had it pressed into service at the railways Autumn Diesel Gala. It was a cold Saturday morning and having not been started sine being shut down at Llangollen on 22nd September 31162 Read the Rest…
This gala was unfortunately 31162’s last appearance at the Llangollen Railway before heading off to the Great Central North a few days later. A1A Locomotives 31162 had performed faultlessly during its time at Llangollen and this day wasn’t going to be any different. It was shame that it couldn’t be said for the home fleet…….. Read the Rest…
Wednesday 8th August A normal day at Peak Rail, until the last train of the day that was. D8 had been out of service for repairs to a fluctuating power problem, that problem having been solved, apparently. It was given a test run vice the steam loco (68013) which needed attention to a spring as Read the Rest…
The third Ecclesbourne Valley Railway diesel weekend of the year, for the second time in a row featuring 31414 & 33035. This time, unlike last time, everything went smoothly throughout the weekend with both locos working the trains they were rostered to. The only exception being the 1355 Ravenstor “shuttle” on the Saturday, which was Read the Rest…
A1A Locomotives Class 31, 31162, had been at the Llangollen Railway for almost two full seasons and this had been the first time I’d managed to make the trip for it, having been out of the country or at work for every other occasion. Thanks to a bit of good fortune, in that 37240 was Read the Rest…
At Peak Rail 31270 had continued to work T&T with steam loco 68013 throughout the Summer and had been the only active diesel the railway had since D8 had been taken out of service in June to attend to low power issues. ‘270 had even worked the whole day’s service on its own on at Read the Rest…
During our stay on the Isle of Wight the only sets in use on the Island Line Railway were 007 (127/227) and 009 (129/229). Sets 004, 008 and two unidentified sets were seen on the shed at Ryde St Johns Road. A day rover on the Island Line Railway costs £5.50 and is good value Read the Rest…
This weekend saw the second “Diesel Weekend” of the year for the Ecclesbourne Valley Railway (EVR). The normal timetable applies of the Wirksworth – Duffield line with departures at 1020, 1220, 1420 & 1620 from Wirksworth, while the Wirksworth – Ravenstor departures are enhanced with departures at 25 & 55 minutes past the hour from Read the Rest…
During the Jubilee Weekend celebrations Peak Rail used 31270 on 4 consecutive days (Sat to Tue) as the T&T engine with steam 68013. It performed faultlessly, although it had developed an oil leak from somewhere in the region of its radiator elements since my last visit…….
Most bank holidays throughout the year the Embsay & Bolton Abbey Railway host a Thomas the Tank Engine weekend. They always have at least one diesel working trains, with two sets of stock in action and 3 locos in total. Locos run round each train at Bolton Abbey and lay over a train each time Read the Rest…
May brought a 3rd visit to Peak Rail in quick succession. Despite the fact it was the Nene Valley Railway Diesel Gala the same weekend I’d decided I was going to Peak Rail on the Sunday for the rarer of the 31’s out that weekend, where I was starting to look like part of the Read the Rest…
The Nene Valley Railway Galas always throw up something “different”. A cracking weekend, especially for 31 bashers…….. Unfortunately the plan for this gala was ever changing, right until the last minute, due to various locos not being available. 56018, 56091, 37905 all on the starting line-up were not ready in time, replacements 37109 & 56301 were also not Read the Rest…
Due to the fact that the Weardale Railway haven’t yet completed their run round loop at Bishop Auckland West they have to use another loco to either shunt release at Bishop Auckland West, or alternatively they top & tail the train all day, when they run the whole length of the line. Often, on “normal” Read the Rest…
A more mundane day at Peak Rail, post the Bank Holiday weekend, with 31270 T&T with steam 68013, the preserved worlds most reliable steam engine in existence………?