Clan Line

35028 Royal Navy Class 4-6-2 ( the wheel set up front to back).locomotive built in 1948 but with at least four major make-overs. Chugging at speed through Ashchurch station this afternoon.

This loco has had many illustrious pulls and done many thousands of miles. Down the side is the Merchant Navy Locomotive Preservation Society.

Built in Eastleigh in 1948 and ended her career for BR in 1967 hauling a London Waterloo to Bournemouth and back. It didn't stop there  and was bought by the Merchant Navy  LPS for £3850. It did Sunday Lunch trips, Santa Specials in the Midlands just to name but a few.

It has hauled Royal train with the Prince of Wales to Cardiff in 2018 and since 2006 has undertaken about 20 runs per year as a British Pullman train. There is a lot more to this but this is just a brief synopsis.

It is now in Brunswick Green and been fitted with the Train Protection and Warning System (TPWS) and the OTMR which records the status of parts of the engine and the cab has now been fitted with the GSM-R (Global System for Mobile Communications).

Moving swiftly on as this loco has a long and respected and admired career - it passed its hydraulic and steam tests in 2024 and here you have it. 

Lovely to have had the heads up that it was passing us down our line here. Yes I have graduated to being an anorak on the station waiting for a train like quite a few others. Possibly I need help :) 

I did manage a few kestrel shots today and the Extra bears this out.

Out for an Italian tonight - a meal not anything dodgy.

Found one of my socks in the pond hmmm.... some small puppy is by-passing the stair gate!