The scene is platform 1 of Bath Spa station. A gaggle of rail enthusiasts are gathered outside the Wild Bean Cafe laden with all manner of hi tech photographic paraphernalia eagerly discussing the event for which they have gathered.
Passing through the station today is none other than that grand old lady of steam herself - Evening Star - the last steam locomotive ever to have been built in Great Britain.
A hush descends as we hear a distant high pitched whistle and the rails begin to screech indicating that the object of their desire is about to hove into view round the Widcombe curve.
Then, completely unexpectedly from the other direction, an EWS quarry train en route to the Tor Works at Cranmore trundles into the station thus obscuring our view of the opposite track. A double header too so we know she's a long one. So long, in fact, that by the time the last car had passed the only view of Evening Star was the sight of the rear of her guards van disappearing from view somewhere around Oldfield Park.I shouldn't laugh really but these gentlemen were seriously not happy at all. One of them abduction come all the way from Coleford to get his shot.
I suggested that, In the spirit of the great Ivo Peters, they get in their cars and follow the line up to Bristol and get a shot of Evening Star from every bridge along the line. We then considered the Bath one way system (which wasn't in existence in Ivo's day) and realised that this was a ridiculous proposition.
Edit: more on Ivo here though I suspect those of you from the Bath area will be more than familiar with Ivo from his many appearances on Points West over the years before his untimely passing.
Passing through the station today is none other than that grand old lady of steam herself - Evening Star - the last steam locomotive ever to have been built in Great Britain.
A hush descends as we hear a distant high pitched whistle and the rails begin to screech indicating that the object of their desire is about to hove into view round the Widcombe curve.
Then, completely unexpectedly from the other direction, an EWS quarry train en route to the Tor Works at Cranmore trundles into the station thus obscuring our view of the opposite track. A double header too so we know she's a long one. So long, in fact, that by the time the last car had passed the only view of Evening Star was the sight of the rear of her guards van disappearing from view somewhere around Oldfield Park.I shouldn't laugh really but these gentlemen were seriously not happy at all. One of them abduction come all the way from Coleford to get his shot.
I suggested that, In the spirit of the great Ivo Peters, they get in their cars and follow the line up to Bristol and get a shot of Evening Star from every bridge along the line. We then considered the Bath one way system (which wasn't in existence in Ivo's day) and realised that this was a ridiculous proposition.
Edit: more on Ivo here though I suspect those of you from the Bath area will be more than familiar with Ivo from his many appearances on Points West over the years before his untimely passing.
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