~Trainspotting~
20th January 2013
Black 5 No.44871
Scroll down for photos and a description of the prediliction!
BR Standard Class 4 2-6-4T No.80080 at Bury
I kindly offered to take Mrs.R to Bury so that she could peruse the shelves of the big stores. I wandered off and found plenty of activity at Bury Bolton Street Railway Station. Part of the East Lancashire Railway, Bury is busy today as the Steam Gala is in full flow. £3 buys a Platform Ticket (special events rate) and gives me access to the action.
Leaving for Heywood
Black 5, No 45407 heads, tender first, for Heywood. Tender-first means backwards, for the benefit of the uninitiated.
No.80080 awaits departure for Rawtenstall
No.80080 is a tank engine. Such carry their water in side-tanks each side of the boiler and don't have a "tender". "Thomas The Tank Engine" is the most famous of this type of locomotive.
Departing
Lots of steam marking the departure of the service for Rawtenstall. LMS "Jinty" No.47324, but numbered as 47584 has arrived into the other platform. Let's have a look at the "trainspotters"....
Trainspotter 1
A cycle-hatted, bearded (possibly religious face furniture), multi-bag carrying rail enthusiast.
Trainspotter 2 - The "Cat Dies"
It's not unusual for trainspotters to have trousers that don't meet their shoes. "Cat-Dies" is a common term for trousers at half-mast, but I'm not sure why.
Trainspotter 3
The Two-Pint Trick. It's quite commom for a 'spotter on their own to buy two pints and pretend they have a friend with them.
Black 5, No. 44871
One reason why I wanted to have a look at the railway was to check on the running condition of the two Black 5's, nos 44871 and 45407. We'll be seeing more of these next weekend! All being well.
Black 5, No.44871 at Bury
No.44871 leaves for Rawtenstall
"In 1846 the Directors of the original East Lancashire Railway could have no idea that the name of their railway would disappear in 1859, only to reappear 110 years later first as a preservation dream and 18 years later as a heritage railway reality, operated by volunteers. Since the original re-opening in 1987 the extent of the days when the railway operates has grown. The railway runs every weekend and Bank Holiday throughout the year, other than Christmas Day. Midweek the railway runs on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays from May to September, at Easter and at October half-term." Quote from the ELR's website.
All photos copyright Richard Ratcliffe 2013 ©
Take me back to the start ....