Golden dusk at Daban. This was my breathtaking first view of a 'real' steam depot in the 21st century. It could scarcely have been more perfect (or surreal)!

Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway No.957 was built in 1887 by Beyer Peacock & Co. of Gorton, Manchester. The L&Y had hundreds of similar 0-6-0 tender engines that served faithfully during the Victori... (more)

It was a very hot and humid day deep, deep in Blansby Forest, far from any (legal) road access. BR 'Standard' 2-6-4 tank No.80135 glides effortlessly towards Pickering. The attractive forester's h... (more)

Another railway I only visited once is the Nene Valley at Wansford near Peterborough. It looked like rain (nothing new there then!) so I sheltered under trees among the cow parsley along the banks... (more)

Dad's car came in for some mileage in the summer of 1966. I ventured north to Carlisle and I was fortunate to capture passing Black 5's, two working locos in view were a rarity by this time. The s... (more)

With three other preserved railways closer to hand, it needs a good weather forecast to persuade me to drive from Yorkshire to Leicestershire. On an absolutely perfect morning, Great Western Railw... (more)

There are now regrettably few lineside locations where you can legitimately stand to get that 'up close and personal' image of passing trains. Steel palisade fencing and the encroachment of linesi... (more)

The sole surviving LMS 'Mogul', a 1933 design by Sir William Stanier, forges uphill past Cliviger towards Copy Pit. She is heading eastbound for the Lancashire-Yorkshire boundary across the Pennin... (more)

Of course they may be more beautiful panoramas on the planet than this vista from a moorland hillside above Darnholm. I'm just not sure that anyone has found one with a steam railway! The distant ... (more)

I rather liked the contrast between the bruised and battered lime green front end of a 1950's-built electric and rust-stained SY 0849 built some 20 years later in July 1974. They are caught by the... (more)

Imagine, dear viewer - you've just got off an overnight train from Beijing and you arrive at the crack of dawn in a strange and bustling foreign city (Chengde). You board a coach that climbs out o... (more)

When not munching on sweet Yorkshire grass, this is the view enjoyed by contented cows looking down the lower Worth valley towards Ingrow and Keighley. 'Black 5' No.45212 is striding purposefully ... (more)

The British Railways 'Standard 9F' 2-10-0 belonging to renowned artist, David Shepherd was standing on display in Winchcombe station. I glanced down at the motion and thought that the textures of ... (more)

Another of Wales' 'great little trains', is the tiny Llanberis Lake Railway. Outside the slate museum, situated at the foot of Mount Snowdon, is No. 3 'Dolbadarn' built by Hunslet of Leeds in 1922... (more)

The regular 'Cotton Mill Express' thunders along the Calder Valley towards Todmorden. Probably uniquely in Britain, the railway, road, river (Calder) and the Rochdale canal are all sandwiched into... (more)