Steam loco surprise

[its hilly]

From the buildings I keep the horse/chooks at you can see the local railway line, which is part of the Cumbrian West Coast line. While I was there on Weds I heard what I thought was the little traction engine which lives near me, only to suddenly realise that it was too loud, and was accompanied by the beat of a helicopter. Scooted rapidly round to where I could see, and coming up the vally was a smart black heli, and a lot of smoke? Two seconds later as the land flattened out a steam loco at full speed came thundering through. What a fantastic sight. I've seen them moving in and out of Carnforth station a few times, but never at full stretch like that before. Stunning.
Thought it might be The Flying Scotsman, but talking to oh last night he told me it was on Border news, and was the first ever West Coast run of the newly built Tornado. The first steam loco to have been built in Britain for I dont know how long.
I feel like I've just seen history in the making, and it was beautiful.

[bobleponge]

Fantastic, to see that in your own garden must be brilliant.

[bubblewrap]

Good a'int it???
YouTube - The Royal Train hauled by A1 No.60163 'Tornado' on the 19th February 2009

[Patchninja]

Monsieur PN would be in heaven if he could see that

[shirlthegirl43]

Oh lucky you!!! I love steam engines and hate that our boys are now too 'old' to want to go and visit our local steam railway

[bubblewrap]

Oh lucky you!!! I love steam engines and hate that our boys are now too 'old' to want to go and visit our local steam railway

TOO OLD???? You're NEVER too old to like steam engines.

YouTube - Great Central Railway 1960's Gala 2008 Part 2

[its hilly]

Too old to like steam engines
Me, oh and my dad all love to go to places like the Steam Gathering or shows.
At the pub I used to work at till about four years ago they used to come up from the steam gathering on their traction engines, and park on the front while they had lunch. I love that smell of hot oil and coal and smoke.
When I was younger (lots) I went out with a railway nut. We used to go to a private estate where the owner had his own 9" guage railway with three steam locos. I learned how to fire one up from cold, and got to drive them all several times. That was ace.

By the way Boble, its not from my garden sadly, but some rented land, although I suppose if I stood on the top of our back wall I could see them go through the station at Millom.

[shirlthegirl43]

I will tell Madmax and the boys that they are not too old to go watch steamies - hope it works

[organic]

Oh how I wish I'd seen it.

I find it nigh-on impossible to get excited about trains... even the disturbingly fast ones like the Bullet, TGV, ICE and even the one that's turned London-Manchester into about 2.5 hours. They are all just "fast".

But steam?

Oh my!

I'm pretty certain it's something to do with the fact they combine fire, water and steel and come up with something about half a step down from a great big bomb that just hurls itself along the track.

It makes the hair on the back of my neck stand on end and gives me shivers.

Recently I was talking to someone who used to work on a steam train. Driver or fireman I can't recall but he told us how one day they had just the right conditions and pushed the train harder than they ever had to go for some sort of record along that line.

Then he told me that involved shoveling coal into the fire box almost constantly for the entire journey. The driver and fireman took turns to shovel 10 loads each and did it for about 45 minutes. EDIT - thinking about it - it might have been more like 80 to 90 minutes... either way a very hard thing to do.

I was astounded at just how much work they take.

You're very, very lucky to have seen that, Hilly - I seriously wish I'd been there.

[SarzWix]

You're never too old to get excited by a steam train - look at Fred Dibnah

[kirsty b]

When coming back from my sister's in December (she's in Cumbria) we kept glimpsing smoke off a ways to the right of the road we were on and it was mum who pointed out it was a steam train. Shame we were such a distance away as I love 'em too! Would have liked to have got a good look, but I was driving and mother kept telling me to keep my eyes on the road!!

[Glutton4...]

Excellent! I remember 'gawping' at all the engines at Bressingham when I was younger. I keep telling Mr. G. we should visit - but he knows there are 'flowers an' sh*t' there too!