A whiff of smoke and steam! by if1

A whiff of smoke and steam!

178 - One of the early signs of the end of summer is that the 3 days a week steam hauled 'Scarborough Spa Express' service to Scarborough comes to an end, and this is the last day of this year's service. The train waits to depart from platform 5 at York ready to be off.

The locomotive is of the same design as the one illustrated in http://365project.org/if1/365/2012-08-08. This is an older example, no 45305 being built by Armstrong-Whitworth of Newcastle-on-Tyne in 1936, and it spent almost all of it's working life in the north west of England, surviving in service until the final month of steam operation on British Rail.

It was sold to a scrap merchant in Hull, but the owner of the scrapyard, A.E. Draper saved the engine, choosing this one (it is said) because it was the cleanest engine in the yard!
What a cool shot! I love the steam from the top and the smoke at the rails!
August 30th, 2012  
Awesome capture and great background story. You just can't miss with a steam loco. Just beautiful.
August 30th, 2012  
Love steam trains .. my Mum often talked about Scarborough.. I've never been :-) This ones a great capture wow what a lot of steam!
August 30th, 2012  
What a superb picture, I'd love to see that at my favourite station!
August 30th, 2012  
Spectacular shot! Wonderful with all that steam! :)
August 31st, 2012  
Holy smokes! - Someone is eventually going to say it so I'll say it first :D Wonderful capture Ian.
August 31st, 2012  
Great shot of all the steam coming out
August 31st, 2012  
Fantastic capture, love the steam!!
August 31st, 2012  
wow.. awesome shot...
August 31st, 2012  
FAV for me this one. Breathtaking.
August 31st, 2012  
What a nostalgic shot ! When a small boy I had a little book and ticked the numbers off, wish I still had it to check No 45308 !
August 31st, 2012  
@clmiller

Thank you Caren - it's poised and ready to set off, but there was a bit of a delay, hence the steam ejected from the safety valve at the top.
August 31st, 2012  
@tonydebont

Thank you Tony - it's been great fun getting shots of the different locomotives used on this service over the summer!
August 31st, 2012  
@suelaubscher

Thank you Sue - Scarborough is quite an attractive town, with two large bays and a ruined castle on the headland between the bays. It's a handy place for a day out, since it only takes an hour on the train to get there.
August 31st, 2012  
@louisefrance

Thank you Louise! - if you are visiting this part of the world during the school summer holidays next year, this service runs 3 days a week, and there are other services on two other days, so there is a good chance of seeing one!
August 31st, 2012  
@paintdipper

Thank you Junan - it's ready and poised for the off!
August 31st, 2012  
@marieooi

Thank you Marie, glad you got to say it first!
August 31st, 2012  
@bkbinthecity

Thank you Brian, I love the drama of a steam train under the fabulous station roof!
August 31st, 2012  
@tanja_1211

Thank you Tanja - I love seeing steam trains in action!
August 31st, 2012  
@roslynjoy

Thank you Roslyn, glad you like it!
August 31st, 2012  
@doodlerdeb

Thank you Debra, and thank you for the fav!
August 31st, 2012  
@collin

Thank you Hanson - As a boy I too had an Ian Allan book to record what I saw! And one of the exciting days out was to travel up to York and spend the day watching the trains go by!
August 31st, 2012  
Brings back memories. When I was a child in London we used to go on holiday to the Kent coast by steam train! mmmm perhaps I shouldn't have admitted that!
August 31st, 2012  
This is a truly evocative picture, Ian. I love steam trains, I get very excited with all the noise, smoke, steam and sheer power. Great shot, excellent viewpoint.
September 1st, 2012  
@lellie

Thank you Lesley - I remember travelling through Totley Tunnel between Sheffield and Derbyshire in the 1960s, with smoke and sparks flowing past the window as the train climbed through the tunnel!
September 1st, 2012  
@janturnbull

Thank you Janet - I really enjoy the summer season of steam trains through York!
September 1st, 2012  
Nice shot, love a good train
September 2nd, 2012  
@klemieux

Thank you Ken - I love a steam train too!
September 2nd, 2012  
great capture of all the steam
September 4th, 2012  
I love a good train photo and the steam really adds to it!
September 5th, 2012  
@lynne3804

Thank you Lynne, glad you like it!
September 5th, 2012  
@kph129

Thank you Kristin - I could become quite addicted to doing this kind of shot!
September 5th, 2012  
How did I miss this one? love to see the steam rising up. is this her last run? what will happen to it?
September 21st, 2012  
@bruni

Sorry Bruni, I missed this comment when you posted it. The steam service to Scarborough only runs in the school summer holiday. The locomotive will return to it's base at Carnforth shortly where it will be available for hire on one-off trips. The Scarborough service will probably run again next summer, and this may well be one of the locomotives used
November 15th, 2012  
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