Thursday, January 10, 2013

Once a Trainspotter ...

Always a train-spotter!

I put on my best anorak and away I went ... I was off on a grand outing to the National Railway Museum at York.  Elaine didn't want to accompany me on this adventure - can't think why.

It was up at first light (actually before first light !!) at 6.45am!  Elaine dropped me off at Stone railway station where I caught a train to York, stopping at Stoke, Macclesfield, Stockport. Manchester, Stalybridge, Dewsbury, Huddersfield, Leeds and finally York.

It was a lovely trip across the Pennines on the aptly named 'Trans Pennine Express', the fields were white with frost under a clear blue sky.

The museum is right next door to York railway station.

So a few pics with brief descriptions - can't have you falling asleep can we!

Royal Train
Royal Bed in Royal Train
Milk Tanker - I remember these in the 60s !
Mallard, Fastest Steam Train in the World (126 MPH) 
"Green Arrow" which is awaiting overhaul to enable mainline running
Flying Scotsman Undergoing a Major Overhaul
Ditto
60009 Union of South Africa, Certified for Mainline Use 
Cutaway of a full Size Steam Engine
Mallard again - she will never be in steam again as they would have to take away too much of its originality 
Mallard
Evening Star, last steam locomotive built in the UK...1960, withdrawn 1965!  
Inside Japanese bullet train
Japanese Bullet train
Huge Chinese Loco, built in UK 1935
Inside Mallard
City of Truro, running condition
City of Truro
What I liked about this museum is that apart from the static displays of trains and artefacts they had a running fleet of steam and diesel locos plus rolling stock.  I've just got to get a ticket now to go on a steam special - hundreds of anoraks all together........super!

After spending 7 hours looking around the Museum I had a walk around the City of York - unfortunately I didn't have a great deal of time as I had to catch the train back.
From what I did see, it was a fantastic city - we need to go back at a later date to have a good explore.
Finished the day off with a nice pint of beer at pub on the station (The York Tap), 32 beers on tap!!
\I've run out of space on this blog but will post some more pictures soon !
 

5 comments:

  1. Bad news about the Flying Scotsman repairs, they have discovered something else wrong and have to fund another 1/2 million pound of repairs.
    http://www.yorkpress.co.uk/news/10144220.Flying_Scotsman____facing_extra_____m_repair_bill___/?ref=rss

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I was having a chat with one of the explainers, reading between the lines I guessed that all was not rosy!

      Delete
  2. Look up Compass Rail Tours - a fantastic day out is guaranteed.

    ReplyDelete
  3. We took our boat to York last summer and had a few wonderful days there. I really enjoyed the railway museum! But do go back and explore York properly - we took a walking tour round the walls of the city too - I can recommend that.

    Linda
    NB Mary H

    ReplyDelete