Yes, doesn't it Merle?
OK, since it cannot be otherwise, I'm with Merle
wishing you an entertaining trip and look
forward to hearing about it
- the weather seems to be cooperative for the time of the year ...

Evening all

In those years ago of my youth I had a regular journey to school by steam from Three Bridges to East Grinstead. This was a single track line so a baton had to be carried and passed over to the final station to ensure it was one way only traffic.

More recently, I had a trip to the Bluebell line and they were hoping to raise enough money to extend the track to East Grinstead so that they could then continue on the main traffic lines. What a funny lot we are. Transport gets more efficient, faster and more comfortable and we yearn for the past and are prepared to pay premium rates for privilege.

Flying Scotsman at Arnside part of the route Alan will travel taken about 15 years back sorry its a bit specked

This is the Arnside viaduct that he will cross on the way home, a local diesel set is half way across. The structure has been refurbished this year.




Nigel Gresley running light up the Cumbrian coast to fetch the unit hauled up by the Scotsman. the engine is actually travelling in reverse due the lack of turntables available. later trips allowed the trips to be turned round in Sellafield this facility has now been withdrawn



Gresley's sister Engine is the record breaking Mallard A4 pacific http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LNER_Class_A4_4498_Sir_Nigel_Gresley


Another shot of Gresley on a crossing near Arnside
these were weekly trips so I was able to choose different view points

Leaving The coast the train should pass across the river Lune at Lancaster



**********



The rail river crossing is in the bottom of the picture and Alan will pass about 200 yards from the house here minutes before he passes through Lancaster station (Thats a couple of mins after passing thru Carnforth ) Lancaster station is to the right of the picture but not in shot , shame hes not on a steamer they do still run every now and then and I have heard the beat of the loco passing the end of my road

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ribblehead_Viaduct
Another bit of great railway engineering
The view through the arches of Inglebourgh is worth a mention along with Pen-y-ghent & Whernside are the three peaks that walkers climb This is a fantastic days walking in the Pennines following a route totalling 24.5 miles (39.2 k) and climbs over 5000 feet through some of the most rugged and spectacular countryside in the Yorkshire Dales National Park.

The three Peaks are Pen-y- Ghent 694m, Whernside 736m and Ingleborough 723m. They are usually completed in a continuous loop and the allocated time is 12 hours.
This is my cloth badge got for completing in 6.5 hours

the time is recorded in a Cafe in Horton in Ribblesdale, clock on and if you dont make it back in a reasonable time an alert will set in motion If you abandon you are expected to inform the Cafe. Of course you want to get back to get your cloth badge and lapel pin
Back to the trains ....
I have some pictures some where taken on the footplate and tender of Gresley when it lived at Steam town Carnforth
Steam town has dozens of old British rail carriages in the yards various liveries . and has been the home of the Hogwarts Express

Also have been looking for photos of trains and stations at Oxted, Hever, Lingfield,& Grinstead once again they are hiding some where on a disc or memory data storage device near me (should be more organised)

Have a nice trip, Scribe!

Good Morning!
Dark, calm, cool.
Yes. Especially dark.