A 'busy' scene at Parkend on the Dean Forest Railway last Saturday, 28 September 2024 as 09106 awaits the arrival of the branch passenger service before returning to Lydney Junction - for more details about 09106's working see the image entitled 'Parkend Freight' in my photostream.

Approaching the station is ex-GWR 2-6-2T number 5541 working the 1304 Lydney Junction to Parkend.

Tags:   Dean Forest Railway DFR Parkend 09106 HNRC HNRC 6 TTA 5541

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On Saturday 28 September 2024 09106 arrives at Parkend on the Dean Forest Railway with the 12.46 Lydney junction to Parkend freight.

For more information about the locomotive/train/event please see the image 'Parkend Freight', it is next to this image.

Tags:   Dean Forest Railway DFR Parkend HNRC HNRC 6 Harry Needle Rail Company 09106 TTA Queen Mary Queen Mary Brakevan

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An enjoyable few hours at Parkend on the Dean Forest Railway last Saturday (28 September 2024). Occasionally the railway operates trips along the line using a brake van, this day the motive power was 09106, also eleven preserved TTA tankers were included making quite an interesting sight. The working shown was the 11.15 Lydney Junction to Parkend. I was surprised, but pleased (as a photographer) to see so few people around the station, so this view is enhanced by the couple watching as the working arrives at its destination.

09106 was owned by Harry Needle Rail Company (as fleet number 6), hence the orange livery, it has previously (I believe) worked at Hope Cement works, Derbyshire and more recently at Celsa steel works in Cardiff when on hire to GBRf. When the hire period finished HNRC sold the shunter and it now resides at the DFR. Between 09106 and the TTAs is the ex-Southern Railway 'Queen Mary bogie brake van.

Tags:   Dean Forest Railway DFR Parkend Class 09 09106 Harry Needle Rail Company HNRC TTA Preserved Tankers Queen Mary Queen Mary Brakevan 6 HNRC 6

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Today, 27 September 2024 I saw on the BBC Lunchtime news that Ratcliffe-on-Soar power station is to be closed from the end of this month, I thought it to be appropriate to show an older picture that I took on 27 March 1995. Nigel Capelle (Hibel Road) and I spent a day photographing around the Nottingham area, we sneaked through an open gate at Trent Junction and captured a few pictures before exiting just in case a driver had reported us for being somewhere that we probably should not have been!

In this shot 58024 has just passed Trent South Junction heading for Toton yard having pulled a train of empty MGR wagons out of Ratcliffe-on-Soar power station. The power station first produced electricity in 1969, its eight cooling towers may be seen from miles around. According to the BBC the site is to be cleared within a couple of years and redeveloped industrially to produce and use 'green' energy. 58024 spent much of its British existence (1984 to 2011) powering coal trains between collieries and power stations, on withdrawal it was exported to Spain.

Also in the scene is the 154-yards long Red Hill Tunnel, the River Trent viaduct and the bridge over the Cranfleet Canal

Tags:   Class 58 58024 MGR Trent Junction Trent South Junction Ratcliffe-on-Soar Ratcliffe-on-Soar Power Station Coal Toton

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I learned of this excursion only a couple of days before it ran, I had to consider that my lovely little dog, Eddi had to go with me as my wife was in the south of France. It was a hot and sunny day, so could not leave Eddi in the car, I unfortunately only have two hands, one for my walking stick and the other for the dog's lead, my camera was around my neck. The Central Wales Line can be difficult to photograph in sunny conditions as it largely runs in a north-east to south-west axis and the vegetation growth is dreadful, how passengers see much of the delightful scenery I do not know. The decision was therefore to go to Llandovery, it would be quiet there, diesels are not as popular with the general public as steam locomotives are and it was a Wednesday, everyone would be in work or school. I expected to have the place much to myself, but I counted around 20 people to see the train, most were locals. My options became a bit limited and this was as good as I could get considering the whole situation - definitely not a prize winner!

D6817 (37521) leads 37409 into Llandovery station with Steam Dreams' "The Welsh Dragon", this was I believe, Day 4 and the working was 1Z98, the 09.10 Holyhead to Cardiff Central. 60007 worked the Holyhead to Crewe leg of this journey, the following day 34046 would return the excursion to Paddington from the Welsh capital.

D6817 was new to Sheffield Darnall (41A) in March 1963, later renumbered 37117 and then 37521, now dressed in British Railways green. Behind is ScotRail liveried 37409, it started life as D6970 allocated to Cardiff Canton (86A) in March 1965, so probably spent much time working coal trains in the Welsh valleys, renumbered 37270 before receiving its current number when ETH was fitted.

Tags:   D6817 37117 37521 BR British Railways D6970 37270 37409 ScotRail LSL Locomotive Services Ltd 1Z98 09.10 Holyhead to Cardiff Central Steam Dreams The Welsh Dragon Llandovery Central Wales Line

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