Having scanned some recently discovered colour photographs which where mainly of the "Cumbrian Mountain Express" taken locally over the past twenty years, I decided to start this collection and transferred some pictures from other galleries into this one.
I was surprised to see the variety of steam used on this excursion and help filling in some dates would be helpful as they have been long lost. There will be a gap of a few years between some pictures - I had go at videoing them for while - no doubt some gems to follow when I get chance to up load them

Saturday, Day 2 of a 3 day of the Summer Steam Gala on the K&WVR .
Two guest engines for this event - 1) LNER Robinson Type O4 7F No, 63601 from the GCR and 2) Jubilee Class 5690 "Leander" running mainline making 3 trips from Keighley up to Settle Junction & one trip onto Ribblehead.
The usual suspects make their usual appearances for the gala (90732, 80002, 41241, 47279, Taff Valley No.85 & L&Y 957 Plus "Nunlow" which eluded me again). A failure of 63601 in the morning lead to the using of No.85 as the spare engine - a small bonus.
Good day out and upto it usual high standards !!

A collection of Mainline steam working during the year of 2009 from around the Northwest of England.
21/01/09 - 46115 "Scots Guardsman" on a test Run
31/01/09 - 45407 "Lancashire Fuselier" on the "Cotton Mills Express"
07/02/09 - 46115 "Scots Guardsman" on the "Cumbria Fellsman"
28/03/09 - 6233 "Duchess of Sutherland" on the CME
02/04/09 - 62005 "Lord of the Isles" on a L.E. Movement from Carnforth to Barrow Hill.
08/04/09 - 34067 "Tangmere" on the "Great Britain II" at Flag Lane Farington
09/05/09 - 46115 "Scots Guardsman" on the "Scot over Shap" tour
17/05/09 - 5690 "Leander" approaching Selside on the "Settle - Carlisle Express"
30/05/09 - 5690 "Leander" crossing the River Kent at Arnside on the "Cumbrian Coast Express"
30/05/09 - 6233"Duchess of Sutherland" passing through the Lune Gorge on "The Royal Scot"
20/06/09 - 5043 "Earl of Mount Edgecombe" on "The Castle Over Shap" railtour at Fowler Lane.
23/06/09 - 46115 "Scots Guardsman" on a test run from Carnforth to Scarborough.

Monday - 15/06/09 = Finally decided a trip to the National Railway Museum at York was required to view the recently displayed "Duchess of Hamilton" in its recently rebuilt streamlined form. Whilst I think it looks stunning, the verdict on whether it should have been has not been decided by me yet. Perhaps if it is made mainline runable, I could possibly make up my mind after seeing it on the WCML
It must be about five years since my last visit and not too much as altered since then apart for a few changes in the Locomotive line up.
Always a good day out !!

Saturday and the first day of a 3 day event on the East Lancashire Railway when the line is invaded by the military and the trains running are of little consequence except for the enthusiasts.
Engines running though were L&Y No1300 & Jinty 47324 doubleheading, USA S160 -5197, newly repainted 0-6-0 No32 on a freight + Diesals D335 & the Thumper on the Heywood Shuttle. Not forgetting a "Dakota" flypast.
A quick run up the line and back from Ramsbottom to Bury with the wife shopping lead to a few photos here.
... A great day for traveling and enjoying the flavour of the event and especially well done Ramsbottom High street shops which seemed to have been taken over by the war effort.
Well organsied and another interesting dayout

Saturday 2nd May with fine weather and a much awaited trip to the NYMR Spring Gala for my first sightings of the new build A1 60163 "Tornado".
Other engines running included some of my favorites - 60009 "Sir Nigel Gresley" & Ian Riley`s "Pocket Rocket" - BR Std 4 -76079 plus 6619 GWR Class 56XX 0-6-2T, BR Std Class 5 75029 & Ex NER Q6 - 63395.
Other engines lined up later for the gala includes Black 5`s 45212 & 45407 plus S&D 7f - 53809, 30926 "Repton" & SR 825 if repairs to these 3 engines are completed in time.
In my opinion Tornado was a great crowd puller but needed other engines running shuttles between stations to fill the gap in the timetables with train services or freights.
Still an enjoyable day out and worth the travelling

Phew !! What an event... and I went on one of the quieter days.
Thursday and I arrived early and had time for a walk around the sheds before the first train.
It was a 4-4-0 day, the engines running - Dukedog 9017, 3440 "City of Truro", and D49 - 246 Morayshire. After a journey up and down the line with breaks at various stations to view the exhibits, it was time to visit the beer festival before going line side followed by the evening photo shoot back at the sheds.

Could have spent a week here but work spoilt my plans to be back again
Excellent is an understatement - well done Betton Grange lads!!

While on my travels photographing Steam Trains, I usually encounter other types of traction on the lines as well.
Grouping all these together, both vintage and modern, I have made this collection from pictures taken over the past two years.
So, for all who arn`t steam buffs - enjoy !

Another of the ELR novel ideas for a steam event which I didnt want to miss. All the engines running down the line in BR Black.
Turned out to be a cloudy day with sunny intervals and after visiting Burrs,I went to Ramsbottom and onto Townsend fold at the Rawtenstall end of the line.
Engines running were Black 5 45407 "Lancashire Fuselier", Std Class 4 76079, Std Tank 80098 as 80086 and Jinty 47324 plus the Peckett at Bury station. Black 5 - 45231 failed to appear, being stuck due to an holdup down south which spoiled the double heading of Black 5`s but the rest where extremely well turned out
Another enjoyable day on the ELR !
A couple of pictures added taken at Irewell Vale on 12/04/09 - Easter Sunday of the last scheluled run day of Std 4 Tank 80098 on the ELR

Sunday 8th march and the last of a three day festival of steam on the Severn Valley Railway. The weather was not as forcast a few days earlier and the sun on the way down quickly changed to cloudy with rain showers and rather cold.
Great idea of big guest engines of 71000 "Duke of Gloucster", 70013 "Oliver Cromwell" 60007 "Sir Nigel Gresley" & 5029 "Nunney Castle" plus looking spendid the home fleet of 7812 "Erlestoke Manor", Ivatt 46443 & GWR Tank 5164.
Good day out !!

22/02/09 - A Friday night photo shoot at Buckley Wells Engine shed & Yard on the night before the Feburary steam Event at the ELR
Engines on display include 71000 "Duke of Gloucester," 2 x Black 5`s - 45231"Sherwood Forester" & 45407 "Lancashire Fuselier" plus BR STD 4 76079 and BR STD Tank 80098, 0-6-0 Jinty 47324 & L & Y "A" Class -1300 plus Pecket 0-4-0 2173 "May" at the shed entrance.
Very well attended by photographers and a good night out!!
Cheers ELR for the event

A cloudy Saturday and its day 2 of a 3 day at the Keighley & Worth Valley Railway Winter gala and some patches of snow still remains in places from the week before.
The usual suspects make their usual appearance for the gala (90732, 80002, 41241, 47279 & Taff Valley No.85) with special guest engine for this gala - 70013 "Oliver Cromwell"
The trains ran to their full capacity and practically on time with the usual freight trains in between the passenger trains.
Up to its great standard !!

A really frosty gloomy dismal start to the event when I arrived very early at Burrs country park for the freight train photo shoot. The light did improve during the day and the sun appeared in the early afternoon. Some great performances from the engines were to be seen storming up Burrs with the engine crews doing a great job.
Engines running - Std 4mt tank 80096, 71000 "Duke of Gloucester," Black 5`s 45407 "Lancashire Fuselier" & 45231"Sherwood Forester" Austerity 2183 on the Bury / Ramsbottom Shuttle plus Jinty 47274* & Peckett 1370* on Bury station duties
*= no pictures

A Novel excuse for a event ! - and any excuse for me to go out with my camera was all that I needed .
2 steam engines running each with 3 cylinders.
The two engines in question -71000 "Duke of Gloucester" & K4 61994 "The Great Marquess"
I was hoping for a few line side pictures but the weather had other ideas and I decided a trip along the line in a warm carriage was the better option.
Still an enjoyable dayout despite the weather

21/07/08 - A lovely sunny Monday and 5690 LMS Jubilee Class "Leander" on a positioning move with empty coaching stock going from Carnforth to York via Hellifield for the THE SCARBOROUGH SPA EXPRESS.
26/07/08 - A gloroius Saturday evening at Hellifield and when I arrived 60009 "Union of South Africa", running early, had detached from "The Hadrian" and was being watered before setting off for Crewe via Blackburn with its support coach.
05/08/08 - Another miserable day and Its 70013 "Oliver Cromwell" doing a test run around the Carnforth circuit with a loaded test run for its IT57 run next Sunday - Looks and soungs great!
17/08/08 - 5690 "Leander" is out on a sunday "Dalesman" from Hellifield to Carlisle and back. A couple of pictures taken passing Helwith Bridge northbound.
29/11/08 - 46115 "Scots Guardsman" on an excursion from Carnforth to Scarborough.

This collection contains mainly mainline steam operations found in the North West area of England and other pictures that dont fall into the other collections ie mainline steam runnings on the WCML and the S & C Railways. Also includes runnings on the East Lancs lines of Bolton / Blackburn / Hellifield and the Pennine routes between Preston / Blackburn & Hebden Bridge via Copy Pit. Plus random pictures on the East Lancs Railway & other venues and outings including "Cotton Mills Express" "Dalesman" & "Cumbria Mountain Express"

Saturday 25th of October and if you where a duck and liked steam trains - Burrs Country park was the place to be and get wet with the constant rain. Unfortunately I didnt arrive untill mid afternoon and this made the later trains impossible to photograph in the gloom & rain of the late afternoon
Guest Engines where 61994 "The Great Marquess" & Austerite J94 plus 71000 "Duck of Gloucester,"Jinty 47324, BR STD 4 76079 + L&Y 1300 and Black 5 45407 back from a Cotton Mills Express.
A Night photo shoot then followed at Buckley Wells Engine shed again in constant rain but this was still very enjoyable.

This collection contains scanned pictures which my father - Geoffrey Robinson took back in the early 1960`s during the last days of steam on the old Rose Grove - Padiham - Gt Harwood - Blackburn loop line.
Pictures include Wake Week Holiday specials to the seaside and the demolishion of the railway station and track removal. plus a few pictures from surrounding areas.

Saturday, and the rain from early morning had gone when I arrived around lunchtime and it turned into a nice afternoon.
Guest engine from the Churnet Valley Railway was S160 class - 5197 and the usual suspects made up for the rest of the gala. L&Y 957, No85 Taff Valley Tank, 2MT Ivatt 41241, WD 90733, 0-6-0 tank - Nunlow & Std Tank 80002 (which unfortunatley eluded me today in my short visit)
Upto its usual high standard!

Friday and the first day of a three day Autumn gala and with pleasent weather as well!
5 engines in steam today with more in steam over the weekend. Today saw 4f 44422 running the goods train all day whilst GWR tank 5643 & Great Eastern N7 tank took the sub sets. Metropolitan Railway Class E tank engine No1 ran a shuttle between Carrog / Glyndyfrdwy and Pannier tank 6430 ran a full line Autotrain.
Great day out including the usual guards van ride for me.

Sunday, and another glorious day following on from yesterdays visit to Embsay and this time at the Middleton Railway celebrating 250 years in opertion as a railway.
3 engines in steam (Sir Berkley, Brookes No.1, & Matthew Murray) and nearly every diesal engine in the museum that could run must have been used in todays event.
A frequent service upto Park Halt and guardsvan / train rides down the rarely used Balm Road section added to the interest.
Plus a great photoshoot with a steam roller, steam wagon & Sir Berkley. Great value too and a great day out !!!

A glorious sunny saturday for this years Embsay & Bolton Abbey Railway - Harvest of Steam Weekend 2008
Guest engine LNER D49 No246 "Morayshire" looked great running on the line and was accompanied by two 0-6-0 saddle tanks, Monckton No1 and Darfield No1 +Class 31 D5600 deputising for a failed NCB140 running both an extensive timetable and a freight train
Great improvment on last years event

Heading south for a family wedding in "Rain Bashed" Worthing on the Friday, I managed to escape shopping in Brighton on Saturday and headed swiftly with my father to the Bluebell Railway for a first time visit.
In the short time allowed, we managed a full line trip and a look around the engine sheds at Sheffield Park plus a stopover at Horsted Keynes on the way back for a look around the station before getting the next train back to Sheffield Park.
Engines running - "U" Class 1638 & SECR "O" Class No.65
Highly recommended and hope to visit again in much better weather

A cloudy Saturday and its the "Settle - Carlisle Venturer" from York to Carlisle and 46115 "Scots Guardsman" is in charge from Hellifield to Carlisle and back.
Arriving early at Hellifield, I took a few pictures of the engine and support coaches, leaving before the train arrived to travel up the line to Ribblehead for more photographs.
Glorious sight on Ribblehead and a great engine!

10/08/08 - Family commitments meant a weekend in Leicester and spoiled my plans to chase IT57 around the northern rails.
Being let out to play for a Sunday morning I headed for the Great Central Railway to see what was happening. A run down the line and back from Rothley and a look at Kinchley lane was all I had time for before heading back to Leicester.
Engines in steam - 63601 & 850 "Lord Nelson" + DMU unit & Class 25 diesel D5185
Quiet day I thought but enjoyable day out - as per usual !