Steam Train Over the Forth Bridge

[cessna152towser]

I travelled to South Queensferry to go on a steam train trip.

I arrived an hour early for the train so while I was waiting I visited Scotia Kilts.

I bought this new sporran. Real leather, made in Scotland, reasonably priced at £38, including the straps and chain.

Nice vanity plate.

Soon the train appeared.

The locomotive, Oliver Cromwell, was built in 1951. It was retired to the National Railway Museum after just seventeen years service in 1968. I had contributed back in 1992 when the NRM had sought contributions to return the locomotive to steam, on the basis of a promise that it would come north during 1993. The NRM had loaned the locomotive to a theme park, with whom they then got into a protracted legal dispute over the terms of the loan agreement, so the promised visit here following re-steaming is only now taking place.

The view from the train crossing the Forth Bridge.

North of Inverkeithing. The train followed an 89 mile circular route via Burntisland, Kirkcaldy, Dunfermline, Alloa, Stirling, Falkirk and Linlithgow, with high tea served on board.
More to follow shortly.

[BoldHighlander]

Another of my passions Alex, steam locomotives!

Can't wait to see the rest of your photos!

[cessna152towser]

We had time off at Stirling while the locomotive took water.

Kilts are becoming much more common as everyday wear, although only one young kilted gent can be seen among this group waiting for the train to Glasgow.


Two final shots after I left the train, as it continued across the Forth Bridge again at dusk to set down the remaining passengers at Inverkeithing on the north bank.
That's all for today folks.

[Jordan]

Good looking pics Alex. that train was up my way a while ago unfortunatly i only found out about it after it had gone and it didnt stop in huntly anyway, But its nice to see some more photos.

Jordan

[piperdbh]

As always, I appreciate these looks at your home.

[Alan H]

If you get to California for the Pleasanton Games, there are a couple of steam trains running still. We'll have to get you on the ride through Niles Canyon.

http://www.ncry.org/

[Highlander31]

If you get to California for the Pleasanton Games, there are a couple of steam trains running still. We'll have to get you on the ride through Niles Canyon.

http://www.ncry.org/

Alan, if Alex has time, there is the Roaring Camp and Big Trees railroad in Felton which is a great ride through the Redwoods. There is also the Billy Jones Wildcat Railroad in Vasona Park in Los Gatos. The 1/3 scale engines and coaches were the hobby of a retired train engineer, Billy Jones. He had them running around his ranch, and gave rides to those who'd stop by. On his death, the trains were bequeathed to the city of Los Gatos. As a young man in high school, I volunteered with many others to help lay the track in the park.

http://www.roaringcamp.com/
http://www.bjwrr.org/

[Zardoz]

Great photos Cessna, I love to see running steam locomotives. What do you call the 4-6-2 type in Britain? We call them "Pacific" over here.

[cessna152towser]

What do you call the 4-6-2 type in Britain? We call them "Pacific" over here.

Yes, we also call them Pacifics.

[Rob]

Great photos Cessna, I love to see running steam locomotives. What do you call the 4-6-2 type in Britain? We call them "Pacific" over here.

Zardoz,

Most railways here used Pacifics for heavy express passenger duties apart from the Great Western Railway, which used 4-6-0 locomotives. This was because some of the main GWR routes were over very steeply graded track (up to 1 in 36, or 2.8%), and Pacifics had a tendancy to slip on such gradients when hauling heavy trains.

Oliver Cromwell was one of a class of 55 locomotives commonly known as "Britannias" (after the first one in the class), built after the railways were nationalised in 1948.

Rob