Time for another update with some proper traction again! Pathfinder had decided to take ‘Western Champion’ for a spin from Didcot – Blaenau Ffestiniog the previous day and upon return to Didcot the stock was stabled overnight in yard before continuing back to Eastleigh on Sunday afternoon.
The stock was due off at 13:40 but as I have found out in the past a lot of these ECS moves tend to run quite early so I headed out with plenty of time to spare. I had intended to shoot from the middle bridge at Moreton but found it was closed for engineering works so I carried on to the Sands Lane bridge which I think I have never featured on this site before. Champion departed bang on time and thankfully was running on the relief as it passed the gallery at Moreton sounding as good as ever! 
I’m back again after a long hiatus with another shot of Champion. Pathfinder tours ran probably the highlight of the year when they took Western Champion to Inverness and the Kyle of Lochalsh with the ‘Western Chieftain’ tour over the weekend of Friday 19th – Sunday 21st June. Starting at Bristol on the Friday we picked up Champion at Bescot for the trip north to Inverness with Champion putting in a superb performance as usual. On the Saturday we took a leisurely amble to the Kyle of Lochalsh in glorious weather to match the fantastic scenery where we walked over the new road bridge to Skye before returning back to Inverness with plenty of Maybach thrash!
Finally Sunday was the return home to Bristol and again the weather was in fine form, including a photo stop at Aviemore where we gained a bagpiper! The guy had been visiting Aviemore and was awaiting return to Pitlochry when Champion rolled in. While admiring Champion he was coerced to playing the bagpipes in front of Champion for the gallery to which he received much applause. He was then offered a ride on board behind Champion to Perth, where once again he played the bagpipes serenading us as Champion made a rousing departure! What a top guy and very sporting seeing as he now had to make his back to Pitlochry! Champion continued home in fine form with a very spirited descent from Shap summit! A fantastic weekend with thanks to the DTG and Pathfinder for an excellent tour.
It has been a while since the Western has been out and although I have a few photographs of Champion I haven’t got a decent one of her in Maroon. I was hoping to change that today when D1015 worked the first leg of ‘The Royal Duchy’ tour from London Paddington – Westbury.
My knowledge of locations in the Westbury area is pretty slim so after browsing a few galleries I noticed that was a decent shot near Hawkeridge Junction. The forecast was set fine so I decided it would be worth the effort to travel to Westbury. A small gallery gathered as the time drew nearer with probably a dozen or more photters awaiting Champion and just a couple of minutes late in glorious spring light D1015 eased the 1Z52 London Paddington – Par around the curve at Hawkeridge.
