Mono Monday: Modern

The Mono Monday theme set by ApolloFly this week is 'Modern'.  Now, I know you are thinking that my picture doesn't show something modern; indeed, it's over 60 years old.  But bear with me.

In the 1950's most European countries were modernising their railways by electrifying them.  But lots of European countries had mountains, and mountains mean cheap hydro-electricity.  We didn't have mountains, but we did have coal mines and cheap oil.  So, in 1955 British Railways introduced their Modernisation Plan, under which the dirty and smelly steam engines would be replaced, by dirty and smelly diesels.  And, another 362 dirty and smelly steam engines that were built between 1956 and 1960!  The steam engines actually survived until 1968 before they were all withdrawn.  Now don't get me wrong, most people on here will know I love a steam train and don't even mind a diesel so I'm not complaining.

This is one of the new and modern trains introduced to cover local journeys.  It's not actually going to Shrewsbury; it's on the local preserved railway, but they still use the destination roll that was in it when it was in service.  And as they were part of the Modernisation plan I submit that they qualify for the challenge.

I rest my case, m'lud.