For three days during the school half term holiday, a steam train would be running from York, out to Castleford and Wakefield before returning to York and onwards to Scarborough.
The plan was simple really - vary locations each day and get a series of shots showing the train approaching York, pausing at platform 5 at the station and then heading onwards to Scarborough.
So day one worked fine with several shots in the station. Sadly, the following morning the steam locomotive was replaced by a diesel due to 'technical issues', and day three was steam again, but a different black locomotive, so I didn't get the series I wanted.
So back to day one, and here the locomotive 'Galatea' begins to pull away from the platform on it's way towards Scarborough.
This locomotive was built at Crewe in April 1936 and named Galatea after HMS Galatea, which in turn was named after the Galatea of mythology. It worked from a variety of depots in the English Midlands. It was in service until 1964, and shortly after withdrawal it was taken to a scrapyard in South Wales where it languished for around 14 years. It was then bought by preservationists who wanted it for spare parts for another locomotive of the same type. Some years later it was decided that it should be rebuilt and restored for use on the main line, and that was finally achieved in 2013.
As a point of interest, this locomotive is in almost the same place as Katharine's Azuma shot of yesterday.
I love these steam trains - the look very romantic. In my tiny island we don't have trains and one thing when I'm abroad I look out for them. You captured this very nicely. Well done.
Thank you all for your generous comments and favs, which put this shot on the trending page.
It has been good to see steam engines at work again, even if only for a very brief period. The next opportunity is likely to be early in December when there are sometimes specials bringing visitors to the St Nicholas Fair in York.
Great shot of this classic engine under steam and in the station. It is rare to see a steam engine on an active track in the US. Most are run on dedicated tracks that have been abandoned by a railroad.
Magnificent shot. Takes me back to our years in the UK. Must fav this because my husband is a steam railway enthusiast and I will show it to him when he comes home. fav.
Thank you all for your generous comments and favs, which put this shot on the trending page.
It has been good to see steam engines at work again, even if only for a very brief period. The next opportunity is likely to be early in December when there are sometimes specials bringing visitors to the St Nicholas Fair in York.
Ian
Nice story of this event.
Thank you both - steam trains at work make such attractive things to take photos of!
Ian
Thank you ladies - I'm a bit of an anorak when it comes to steam, and it is lovely to see real steam below the roof of York station!
Ian