Galatea Test Run Today

It seems that "Jubilee" 45699 Galatea is to do a loaded test today, round the usual circuit from / to Carnforth

Galatea is booked to stand in the RES platform at Preston, from 16.27 to 18.11.

As with all test-runs, the booked times should be taken with a very large pinch of salt. This test could run very early, very late, or not at all!

The big question is, after the frankly bizarre efforts to confuse the enthusiast fraternity on the first (aborted) light test run - Galatea was sent out in a hastily-applied coat of WCRC maroon paint and Leander's number and name plates.... What will Galatea be disguised as this time? Perhaps they WCRC apprentices will have made a ply-wood casing to make it look like a DMU ?

Last Chance to See...

** LATEST .... MOVE NOW CANCELLED **
This evening may well be the very last time a Class 87 passes through Preston. 87002 and 86101 are due to move from Willesden following winter ice-breaking duties based at Carlisle.

The owners of these locos recently announced that all their locos were to be taken out-of-service, due to insufficient work. The locos are likely to be sold into Eastern Europe, where class-mates are already continuing to earn a living.

0Z87 Carlisle - Willesden, Due Preston 17.38 - 17.40 DETAILS

Virgin to continue on WCML until 2017

A major shakeup of rail franchising in the UK has been announced by Transport secretary Patrick McLoughlin. This follows the Brown Review, which was one of two reviews launched following the collapse of the bidding process for the WCML last year.

The big change is that priority will now be given to returning the East Coast route to private business by 2015, before the next election. The WCRC contest is consequently pushed back, requiring yet another extension to Virgin's contract to run the line. Richard Branson's company will now continue to operate the main line through Preston until at least 2017.

More details HERE

New Station for Cottam?

It's a lot of years since Cottam had a station, but there are proposals to open a new Parkway-style station to serve the area. The idea is part of a general plan for transport in Lancashire.
More Here

Photo bonanza

Sometimes, we seem to be stuck with the same "Photo of the Day" for weeks, then like buses, several come along all at once!



Black 5 44932 at Farrington Curve Junc.
Photo : Steve Boreham 16-Feb-2013


86259 "Les Ross" on WCME
Photo : DM Stuart 16-Feb-2013


Ribble Steam Railway "Winter Steam Gala" and evening photo-shoot (gallery).

Steam loco roster

The much-discussed test-run for Galatea this week, turned out to be a test run for 46115 Scots Guardsman instead, so it had been assumed that the "Scot" would be in charge of Saturday's Lancastrian tour, which has Preston as the starting and ending point of the steam section. It now seams that that will not be the case and 8F 48151 will instead take charge.

Saturday's other tour, The Winter Cumbrian Mountain Express, should again be hauled by A4 60009 Union of South Africa, with class 86 no 86259 Les Ross on the non-steam portions.

Steam Test Run

Today's steam test run, booked to run round the usual Carnforth circuit, was widely expected to be the first outing for 45699 Galatea, but 46115 Scots Guardsman was turned-out instead. It now seems likely that the "Scot" will haul the Lancastrian tour on Saturday.

Despite today's no-show, Galatea is now almost fully restored and ready to operate it's first train since withdrawal in 1964. The "Jub" was bought from the famous Woodhams scrap yard as a source of spares for sister loco "Leander", but instead has been undergoing overhaul at Carnforth for a number of years.