Battlefield Line Railway 12th October 2013

The Battlefield Line Railway hadn’t used 31101 in anger since the height of the Summer when 73114 hadn’t been able to cope with the 30 degree temperatures we were experiencing back then. This October day was a stark difference to what we’d been treated to in the Summer; it was hammering down with rain, the leaves were falling from the trees and it was generally a cold day, one that didn’t warrant the coat being removed all day!

Of course the weather didn’t put ‘101 off doing its stuff and with a good driver on the footplate those in attendance were treated to some good thrash, quite a few diverts and it made the crappy drive down the soaked motorway all the more worth it!

Since Suburban Preservation, the owners of both 31101, and 31130, had done some recent engine work on ‘101 it had sounded far better than it had done throughout most of its time in preservation; long may it stay that way. Unfortunately though 31101 may not be doing much work during the 2014 season as it’s having some work done on its roof, to allow a boiler to be fitted; which will ultimately become operational.