The first day of the
new Summer season and clearly there are those who do not appreciate
the dangers of an operating railway.
First train of the
day arriving at Froghall after passing through the copper works.
68030 appears under
the road bridge performing the run round.
I caught the train
and ran through to Cheddleton to partake of some lunch at The
Boat Inn - how the Inn has progressed since the early days of
the railway. Then out of The Boat and down the canal towpath
to await the arrival of the next train. At the bottom of the
shed yard could be seen the frames of 44422, shortly to be removed
to Crewe for reintroduction to the boiler.
68030 returned and
is seen here alongside the River Churnet en route for Leekbrook
Junction.
From Leekbrook back
to Cheddleton - note to plc Directors, why oh why must you run
the locomotives facing this way? Please consider changing them
round to face into the sun.
Back on the train
to alight at Consall.
A quick dash to see
the train depart for Froghall. Note the new signal post.
Now for a stroll round
and a shot of the station buildings looking from the forecourt
area with the signal box in the background. What can one say?
Further down the valley
to await the return train from Froghall and a shot of it passing
over the Cauldon Canal overflow, draining excess water back into
the Churnet.
Still further into
the valley and across the bridge to find another new signal post.
My grateful thanks to the S&T Department for the brilliant
positioning of the post, it has a similar effect to the one at
Cheddleton station really!
You see the bridge
parapet is somewhat high for those of us under 6 feet tall and
so this is the view I get from the bridge top. Not much use really
is it?
In one of the NSR
tribute albums there is a photograph of Consall Station from
the tow path entitled "reflections", good init?
Back now to
Froghall and a surprise on the footplate - the proud owner!
A quick dash
by car to Leekbrook to witness the runround and just in time
to see 68030 brewing up as it waits to be detached from its stock.
After running
up to the headshunt and round the train, 68030 returns to the
stock.....
..and is reattached,
After final
check the train is away again en route for Cheddleton.
