In an earlier post I confessed to a youth spent hanging around sooty stations and sheds, inhaling steam, writing down numbers and underlining entries in an Ian Allan Combined Volume. Traces of that boy in a school cap, grey shorts and Clarks sandals remain. For the last couple of weekends the Flying Scotsman has been travelling through Hexham on excursions to Carlisle; of course, I had to go and pay my respects.
I last saw this engine in steam at Doncaster when she was still in service; it would have been around 1961, a few years before she was sold to Alan Pegler. Now she is pristine but in 1961 she was in standard BR livery, soot black and filthy. Majestic she may be but I have fond memories of the days when not just the engines but the entire railway infrastructure was grubby, down-at-heel but workmanlike.
The first image, dated 14th August 2016, was taken at Tyne Green on the opposite side of the tracks to the golf course. The second image, dated 21st August 2016 was taken between Fourstones and Newbrough, on the track and crossing that used to lead down from Bull Bank:
She is due through Hexham again tomorrow so I will mount the Yamaha and seek out another viewing angle. My whole life has been a landscape with machines.
northumbrian : light 
a ride on this train is on my bucket list… I hope this isn’t as utopic as to travel with simplon orient or british pullman once :o)
Keep dreaming, you will get there in the end.
I’d love to see that train, and love it even more to ride on it!
Have a great weekend,
Pit
Thanks Pit and likewise – it came to the US in 1969: http://www.flyingscotsman.org.uk/flying-scotsman-overseas/
Thanks for the link. I didn’t know that the “Flying Scotsman” had been over to the US.
I’ve been on a wonderful old railway once in England, during my last narrowboat trip, from Kiddermisnter to Bridgnorth and back on the Severn Valley Railway [http://tinyurl.com/heheewv]. And I’m definitely planning to do some historical railway lines here in the US. That reminds me: I need to post some pictures of old engines and cars on my second blog, “Pit’s Bilderbuch”. Will do so soon.
I would like to see them – what is the link to your second blog?
Ignore that question – found it 🙂
No longer 4472…. Not the real Scot!
🙂 I am not that old that I remember it in steam as 4472 but I do remember 60103. Hope all is well in your world – apologies for the lack of comments but it has been a busy summer.
Well, I never saw it as 4472, but that was the number I was told about as I was growing up!! My world is fine thanks, Robin!
Beautiful machine, but, like you, I prefer a little authentic grunge. Good luck with your new angle. 🙂
Thanks Julie – I will be there on the bike, assuming good weather. I have walked off golf courses drenched too many times this ‘summer’. Hope it is better in your part of the world.
Enjoy! She’s a rare sight 🙂
And all too fleeting, Jo. You hang around for 20 minutes (she was late on Sunday) and she zooms by in a few seconds.
I’m on my way to Blyth by public transport to see something else rather special. Wish me luck!
Aha, so you are – see my question on your latest post – have a great time!
What a beauty! I have good memories of taking trains between the Midwest and West of the US when a child, although from what my parents said, my glasses must have been rose-colored. Would still like to take a few more epic trips someday, though.
janet
You should Janet – a train journey across the States must be quite something.
What a beauty that train is!!!
It is, Cate – Sir Nigel Gresley’s finest creation – I always preferred this to his A4 Class locos (Mallard etc) – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nigel_Gresley
I agree with all of the above… Wonderful post, Robin. There are trains and there are t r a i n s. And this one is very beautiful.
Thanks Main – in northern Spain at the moment hoping to ride the narrow gauge Fave railway to Bilbao. The is no cure 🙂
All the best, Robin