In
mid-December I went to Valencia, Spain and saw this little gem at
Fuente San Luis depot.Steam 2003
In
mid-December I went to Valencia, Spain and saw this little gem at
Fuente San Luis depot.
34067 Tangmere was in charge of The
Royal Wessex from Wareham to Waterloo on Saturday 6th
December and is seen at Worting Junction.
On Saturday 29th November 5029 Nunney Castle
took the Christmas Elgar Explorer to Worcester
and is seen leaving Sonning Cutting
in the wind and rain.
On Saturday 15th November 60009 Union of South Africa
was back in the area when it headed The Merchant Venturer
from Bristol to Paddington on a sunny morning. It is seen approaching Sonning cutting.
On Saturday 8th November 73096
was on The Cathedrals Express from Victoria to
Bristol and 4472 Flying Scotsman was on the VSOE from Victoria to
Salisbury. They are seen at Earley
and Waltham respectively.
On Saturday 25th October 60009 Union of South Africa
took The Cathedrals Express to Worcester where
it would change over with 73096. It is seen coming out of a bright sun at Earley in
the morning.
On
Sunday 19th October 60009 Union of South Africa
was again in action, this time with The Chandlers Ford
Phoenix, and is seen passing Earley
in the morning.
On Wednesday October 15th 60009 Union of South Africa
hauled The Cathedrals Express to Yeovil and
return. It is seen on the outward journey at Virginia Water at midday.
On Saturday 27th September 4472 Flying Scotsman
hauled "The Flying Scotsman" VSOE
special and is seen passing Suttons Park,
Reading.
Its 18th September and 34016 BODMIN is back on The
Cathedrals Express from Victoria to Bristol and is seen between Bracknell and Wokingham.
On 17th September 34067 Tangmere
was scheduled to be hauled from Bristol to Old Oak Common in the
EWS van train. This was later changed to a loaded test run hauled
by 34067. In the event a 47 was attached to the
front but was doing very little work when it passed Reading.
On 13th September The Severn Standard ran to
Worcester from Alton to exchange the Standard 5 for an A4. 60009 Union of South Africa
is seen "streaking" through Earley on the return in
fading light.
5 weeks was to pass before I saw another steam run and again it
is 73096 passing Earley
with The Cathedrals Express on a damp
morning, standing in for 34016 Bodmin due to "fire
risk" according to some sources.
On Sunday 3rd August 73096 took The
Countryman for a circular trip round Berkshire,
Hampshire and Surrey and is seen passing Earley
at midday.
On Sunday 27th July 34045 Ottery St Mary (actually
34027 Taw Valley) was in charge of the Bournmouth
Belle from Victoria to Salisbury and is seen between Winchfield and Hook..
Saturday 26th July saw the 150th anniversary of Doncaster works
and 14 steam locomotives were present to celebrate the occasion.
The full set of pictures will appear here later.
Thursday 24th July and 73096
is once again on Saunderton bank with The Cathedrals
Express.
On Wednesday 9th July 4472
Flying Scotsman with the down VSOE and 73096
with the up Cathedrals Express from Poole were
photographed between Hook and
Basingstoke.
On Sunday 6th July 73096 went to Exeter with The
Cathedrals Express and is seen outward at Worting Junction .
On Wednesday 25th June 73096 took The
Cathedrals Express to Winchester and is seen outwards at
Pirbright and returning east of Reading.
Saturday 21st June marked the return of 4472 Flying
Scotsman to the main line with a VSOE
excursion to Worcester. It is seen outside Reading in the morning and passing Twyford
in the evening.
On Thursday 19th June we travelled on the "Scarborough
Flyer" behind 60800 Green Arrow.
The pictures are displayed on six pages. Click here for the first page.
On Wednesday 11th June 34067 Tangmere took the VSOE
from Victoria to Salisbury and Bath and was pictured on the
outward journey at Fleet and near
Winchfield, and at Earley on the return.
On Sunday 25th May 73096 took "The
Countryman" on a circular tour via Earley, Mortimer and Ash Junction.
Wednesday 21st May and Winchfield is the
water stop for 73096 returning from Yeovil with "The
Cathedrals Express".
On Thursday 8th May 73096 approaches
Winchfield on the return leg of "The Cathedrals
Express" between Victoria and Bristol.
Its Wednesday 30th April and 73096
is seen storming towards Saunderton summit with "The
Cathedrals Express" from Victoria to
Stratford-upon-Avon.
On Saturday 19th April 60009
Union of South Africa took the VSOE pullman as far as Salisbury, from where
it would run light to Bristol in readiness for a South Wales
tour, and is seen passing Winchfield at speed in poor light.
On Saturday 5th April another 2 trains were running and
there was a possibility of them crossing on the West London line
so I went to West
Brompton where 73096
was on time with "The Nene Valley Rambler"
but the empty stock of the "Excalibur Express"
with 34067 Tangmere bringing up the rear was
around 20 minutes late, although when it ran out through Clapham
Junction later it was back on time.
The first week-end of spring promised fine weather and
2 trains, but on Saturday a large crowd at Earley had to be
content with a distant sound as 34067 Tangmere was
"un-diverted" at Reading. On Sunday 73096 was
on tour with "The Countryman" and caught a few people out with its fast running,
being 10 minutes early at Mortimer.
The first steam I saw in my local area was 60009
Union of South Africa with the
VSOE on March 5th.
A late start to the year
as I was away on holiday in Thailand.
Page created 5th March 2003.
Page updated 21st December 2003.
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