Loose_Grip/Pete's photos with the keyword: East Midlands

British Railways Standard 9F 2-10-0 92212, re-numbered as 92178 for the Timeline Events photo charter. The photographers had walked on to the next location near Quorn & Woodhouse's Down Starter signal and are just visible in the distance. We backed behind the occupation bridge about half way along the Quorn straight & were just starting our next run past.

GCR. My first firing turn on LMS Black 5 4-6-0 45305 with Craig driving. We were on the 13.15 dining train so I had time to drop down for a photo while the soup was being served as we stood on Swithland viaduct. A beautiful sunny day but that steam heat was still needed. It was 45305's 2nd day in full service so felt honoured to be trusted with it! What a great engine. Swithland reservoir is one of the highlights of the Loughborough to Leicester trip on the Great Central Railway with views across to Bradgate Park & the varied birdlife. I'm always impressed by the number of herons around the banks of the lake.

LNER Thompson B1 4-6-0 61264 on the TPO special at the Winter Steam Gala. The engine is at Rothley Brook after the TPO coaches seen in distance had been pulled back into the station by another engine. This was the first time I had fired the Mail train & it was a real treat. We are blowing off because I had built a huge fire for the race to Quorn & the mail bag pick-up/drop-off & then we just cruised to Rothley. In fact I didn't really need such a big fire as long as the grate was covered. Built in 1947 & withdrawn in 1965 it survived as a Deparmental Loco until 1968 and was sent for scrap to Woodham's in Barry, the only LNER engine to go there. 61264 was restored on the GCR but has moved on & has spent many years on the main line on, among others, Maillaig-Fort William trains on the West Highland Line in Scotland.

Fire & mash cans on the footplate of LMS Black 5 4-6-0 45305 . I think this shot sums up the footplate experience. The contrast of darkness & light. Elemental: Earth, fire & water. And tea...

View north from Leicester station. Peak class diesels 45159 & 45114 slowly draw a train towards the station although the signals seem to be against them. In fact that's the signalman hurrying back to his box to clear the Inner Home. Meanwhile a dmu is heading northwards under clear signals on the Down Main. 45159 had failed within sight of the station & fortunately 45114 was on hand in the station & was dispatched to retrieve it. The whole episode only took half an hour or so. I wonder how long it would take today if a Midland Mainline train failed here? There are only very few locomotives around, if any, & those would be EWS or Freightliner owned so difficulties with insurance, liabilities, etc would make it a long drawn out procedure I'm sure. Until the 1980s Leicester Midland before modernisation was an interesting place with a definite steam-age atmosphere. Leicester North's Midland Railway signal box, a forest of semaphore signals, the loco stabling point behind the box and, off shot to the left, the LNWR & MR Goods yards all added their bit. Interestingly, the loading gauge post on the extreme left has lost its hanging gauge hoop which could still be seen on a 1975 photo I posted elsewhere. A clear indication of the further loss of freight business in the intervening two years.

Quorn and Woodhouse station & full semaphore signalling seen from the footplate of D1705 Brush Type 4 diesel approaching the station from the south. The Starter is pulled off for LMS Black 5 45305 waiting in the Up platform with a train to Leicester. This station has been restored to LNER condition and is the typical design of the Great Central Railway's main line to London with one island platform and access down from the road overbridge. The signal box, Up goods yard to the right & Down lay-by to the left were also typical. www.gcrailway.co.uk/ Their web page is well worth a visit.

A winter scene by the River Soar in Aylestone Meadows.

Diesel Jockos 13101 & 10119 in the Up Through at Loughborough station.