It has been quite sometime since my last update, 5 months infact! However I’m back again with a new phot today. I haven’t really been following the Rail scene closely however I had noted thay 6B33 Theale – Margam had reverted back to Class 60 haulage in the last few weeks and as it was a nice day I was hoping one would produce. I soon found the gen that 59202 was going to be the power for todays train and I hadn’t photted a 59 on this working yet so decided to head out.
It was booked 12:12 off Theale however I saw a gen message saying it had passed Lower Basildon about half an hour early so I had to move quickly and I opted to play it safe and go for the shot at Shrivenham. I arrived to find a handful of photographers on the bridge so presumed I hadn’t missed it yet and my luck was in as within 5 minutes of arrival 59202 rounded the curve with empty tanks in tow!
I’m not a huge steam fan but as this is the GWR 175 celebration year and FGW had organised a charter featuring 5043 ‘Earl of Mount Edgcumbe’ from London Paddington – Bristol and return I thought I should make an effort seeing as the Western mainline is my home. I opted for the the shot at Shrivenham and so did everyone else, the bridge was wedged with probably 30-40 photographers dotted all over the place and running bang to time 5043 rolled 1Z22 past the huge gallery!
I had seen the outward working at Shrivenham but not got a shot so decided to get the return working at Kings Sutton in the afternoon. It was running just a couple of minutes late as 47787 on 1Z52 return to Skegness passed the spire at Kings Sutton.