Photo-a-Day  (Saturday, 5th October, 2024)

Years ago one of my friends would travel miles to take photos of modern engines. I used to think like the engine above most of them look like boxes on wheels . Not like the steam engines which had a shape and different wheel configurations about them.

Reminds me of when I was looking after my grandson in the school holidays and we would count the wagons together. They didn’t half ‘stink’ though. It seemed to be always on a Wednesday when they came through the station.

I love trains and railway stations, (must be due to being a fan of Brief Encounter!), and have been under that bridge on the way to Manchester many times when my daughter lived at home....I've never been since. Just for the interest of Colin and other train enthusiasts, we were waiting at the bus stop in Hellifield a couple of weeks ago when a steamer passed over the bridge on its way to Hellifield Station. The engine was blue and I was sure it was the Sir Nigel Gresley. It was pulling a long line of red-and-cream carriages and the sight, smell and sound were wonderful. Peter ran to get a photo and when we zoomed in it showed the engine number, and a friend confirmed it was The Sir Nigel Gresley. Another five minutes and we would have been on the bus to Skipton and missed it! Sadly we had to give up our caravan this week so won't stand hopefully at that bus-stop again, but we have the photo and the memory.

Some do look like boxes on wheels but underneath there are some mighty powerful engines.

Irene, I had to Google Hellifield as I had not heard of it but I must have passed through it many times. There were some interesting pictures on the site, particularly of trains. Beautiful part of the country.
It did spark a distant memory from over 40 years ago, I was for some reason going to Gargrave and took the road up from Broughton. It must have been February as I recall a woodland glade carpeted with snowdrops.

For those interested tonight’s the Bigun in Wigun. If you can’t get there it’s on BBC 2 from 5:00pm

Colin you get some great photos I will afto get that program on catch-up as we are leaving for an overnight at Milnrow for a sixtieth birthday party incidentally it’s also my birthday today but didn’t disclose it as nothing special about 77.

Colin, we have been on the caravan park at Hellifield/Long Preston for many years and Hellifield Station in a great place for steam train enthusiasts. I think the cafe is still open on the station, although we haven't been there for years, but they had a timetable showing when the steam trains would be passing through. We could hear the trains from our caravan and could always tell by the sound if it was a steam train. I have been a fan of Brief Encounter for years and there is a well-known "gaffe" in the film. The station was meant to be in Kent, and but was actually filmed in Carnforth, (Carnforth's sign being covered over by a sign saying "Milford Junction" for the filming), but as the love-struck couple are sadly parting on the "Kent" station, there is a sign behind them pointing to Bradford, Leeds and Hellifield!

Happy Birthday, John! And it's mine tomorrow but I'm only 27, (well, perhaps the numbers are the wrong way round but who's counting?!).

I think I speak for everyone on WW in wishing you both a Very Happy Birthday.

Thank you Irene and many happy returns for tomorrow I was very close to your caravan albet as I bought another bike late August time from Rowe House in Horton in Ribblesdale driving through Settle for the first time what a lovely location never realised Ingleton Fall’s was so close as we have done that walk around 5 times and been rushed out of White Scar Caves when they were flooding also delivered concrete to Hanson Quarry Ingleton from a plant that was at Holme Park near Byron in Kendal better go as taxi due have a great day with your Peter tomorrow x

Cheers Colin

Burton in Kendal not Byron in Kendal just seen the mistake.