Chasing the Scots Guardsman
08th February 2009
In: Trips
Saturday 7th February saw myself, Pete and Colin meet up for the first time since our 2008 Dambusters trip in Derbyshire. Hellifiled station in the Yorkshire Dales was the rendezvous point at 8am after which we spent around an hour considering the few vantage points Colin had pre-identified in capturing a picture of the Scots Guardman.
We settled for a spot not far from Hellifield where Colin assured us conditions were okay - what wise judgement that proved.
6115 was built in 1927 by the North British Locomotive Company in Glasgow. It was named Scots Guardsman in 1928 after the Scots Guards. After receiving smoke deflectors, it starred in the 1936 film Night Mail. 6115 was rebuilt in 1947 with a new tapered type 2A boiler, and was painted LMS 1946 black livery. It was renumbered 46115 by British Railways after nationalisation in 1948 and was withdrawn in 1965. 46115 was purchased by West Coast Railway Company and, come 2008 was been restored to main-line running standard after much secrecy.
(source Wikipedia)
As I'm more used to military jets turning up unannounced in the UK low level system it was a pleasant change to have plenty of warning that the locomotive was coming. We saw the steam rising high into the sky as it approached then it turned the corner and was lit up beautifully by the low winter sun. A few seconds later and it was gone.
We moved futher north in an attempt to get another picture but the weather conspired against us.
So my first trip photographing a steam train, great light, snow and the wind in the right direction....... excellent!
We settled for a spot not far from Hellifield where Colin assured us conditions were okay - what wise judgement that proved.
6115 was built in 1927 by the North British Locomotive Company in Glasgow. It was named Scots Guardsman in 1928 after the Scots Guards. After receiving smoke deflectors, it starred in the 1936 film Night Mail. 6115 was rebuilt in 1947 with a new tapered type 2A boiler, and was painted LMS 1946 black livery. It was renumbered 46115 by British Railways after nationalisation in 1948 and was withdrawn in 1965. 46115 was purchased by West Coast Railway Company and, come 2008 was been restored to main-line running standard after much secrecy.
(source Wikipedia)
As I'm more used to military jets turning up unannounced in the UK low level system it was a pleasant change to have plenty of warning that the locomotive was coming. We saw the steam rising high into the sky as it approached then it turned the corner and was lit up beautifully by the low winter sun. A few seconds later and it was gone.
We moved futher north in an attempt to get another picture but the weather conspired against us.
So my first trip photographing a steam train, great light, snow and the wind in the right direction....... excellent!
