I know it happens every year – in one form or another there will be steam specials on the line between York and Scarborough – but it evokes a special sort of nostalgia in me. You may just find me on a bridge somewhere with a camera pointing at a feint plume of smoke and steam in the distance anticipated the smell and rumble of the locomotive as it passes beneath me on it’s way to the coast.
Brief Encounters at the NRM – I’ll be taking my grandson to see this at the weekend.
BBC NEWS | England | First passenger trip for new loco
Tornado – A1 Steam Loco
January 31st is the day that passengers will be hauled by the brand new steam loco, Tornado. Built at a cost of £3m it will take members of the society that backed the project between York and Newcastle. I’ll watch it leave York but sadly I won’t be on board – not being a member.
Good luck to her and all who are hauled by her.
Originally uploaded by Dawnriser
This station is testament to the value of rural rail links. It’s on the line that connects York and Harrogate. It’s well looked after and well used.
Not far from here is the memory of a previous fundraising event. When I worked for BBC Radio York we put a team in the Knaresborough Bed Race. The “bed” belonged to someone in Cattal and we did our training around here. Training is exaggerating the effort that went in.
On the day we came last – the bed sank in the River Nidd. Jamie, the station engineer and I retrieved it from the river bed while the rest scrambled for the bank.
I’m sure this ride will end in greater success – possibly because it isn’t a race and it’s success is measured in how much money people like you donate to the cause.
For an update look here: www.help.co.uk/ridingbike
The barriers are down as I approach Haxby level crossing. These kids
are on their way to Joseph Rowntree School. It’s about 8.30am.
A few miles home from here and I’ll have done about 14 miles. Enough
training for today.
