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Tuesday 11 September 2012

The romance of steam


The trouble I went to, to get this photo... (and it's not even that brilliant, but never mind that). Over the summer, the Railway Touring Company run a few Sunday steam train excursions (The Waverley Tour) from York to Carlisle on the famous Settle-Carlisle line, over Ribblehead Viaduct. On the way, of course, they have to pass through Saltaire. I have many times heard the familiar chug-chug from my house and thought "one day I must go out and take a photo of that". So I got up especially early one Sunday morning (I normally enjoy my lie-in!) and stood on the bridge and waited... and waited... and it didn't come. A couple of Sundays later I got up again and this time it did come, but my photos didn't turn out very good at all from the high bridge viewpoint - too many cables in the way and other distractions. This last Sunday I got up again and staked out a place on the station platform. The train was a good half-hour later than scheduled but at least it came.  With the camera on 'continuous' shooting, I almost have a video (!) but this is possibly the best of the bunch.

The hauling locomotive is LMS 'Black Five' No 45305.  There are lots of great photos of it on Flickr - and this video, also taken on Sunday somewhere further up the line.

I love steam trains anyway, and to be in such close proximity to one, going at quite a lick (as they don't stop at Saltaire station) is a real thrill.  I actually found myself teary-eyed, it was so romantic!  There's something so right about seeing one in Saltaire's Victorian setting, knowing that when the village was first built, they would have been a regular sight - and sound - up and down the line.

10 comments:

  1. You see Jenny, we are drawn to the same places, even without planning it. Only this weekend I was taking visitors to North Yorkshire and we stopped off at Ribblehead Viaduct to take pictures and I tried to recall whether you had ever featured a photograph of it. And at the same time you were lower down the line, taking a photo.

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  2. This steam train and Saltaire really match together!i like your picture (and admire your patience, thank you!)
    And how not to think of the Harry Potter's train ..

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  3. A magnificent machine. There's never been a diesel with the charm of even the shabbiest steam locomotive. I'm afraid taking pictures of this one could quickly become an obsession with me.

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  4. Yes, there is something so romantic about it. That is a great shot, even if you don't think so. :-) How I'd love to take that train route some day!

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  5. I waited in Shipley for it for 20 minutes then gave up. I had seen the Waverely before and got photographs of varied quality at both Shipley and Saltaire which are on my blog

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  6. I am so glad you took the photo. I love the shot and seeing the older traines. I have a plastic model, sad, of the train that was in the Narnia movie. I still like the model and it makes the train sounds.

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  7. On our recent trip, where we had the pleasure of meeting you, I had originally planned to work in a journey on the Settle-Carlisle Line. My husband was less enthusiastic, and it would have made for a longer journey. Next time...

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  8. I love these old steam trains too, I also find them so romantic and they remind me a bit of my childhood when I was with my grandparents.You picture is very nice !

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  9. It definitely looks like it belongs there.

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  10. I can smell it from here! Good photo!

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