Visiting Engine Day - 5th July 2009



by Peter Jackson


The visiting engine day 2009, was a heavily attended occassion with 12 engines seeing use on our little line. The first engine off shed was the newly painted into "Dutch" Hymek, still missing hand rails and horns, but looking splendid nonetheless. Sir Goss was out shortly afterwards in preperation of the "party" train. The first visiting engine out was the Mardyke built Blue pullman train. she was shortly followed by another engine new to our line a black Romulus.

The Blue Pullman working a train back to lakeside



Visiting Romulus


It wasn't long to all the trains were on the track, with 3 small narrow gauge visiting engines working hard pulling a full 5 car train. The "mighty" Mallard pulling two visiting aristocraft coaches and the visiting Hymek also working passenger trains. Of course with our own Hymek and the visiting one, a double header had to be organised and was achieved in the early afternoon.


Isabelle waiting to come out.



The two Hymeks backing on to a passenger train



The three visiting steam engines (Tess, Isabelle, Romulus) charging up towards the station



Mallard with the two scale coaches


The signal box as ever was a manic location, with some serious amount of movements going on, we even had a large period where a train left Lakeside every minute! (The Underground should take note!). In the afternoon Siusaidh came out to play for a while, and a little knock on the visiting Romulus was sorted.
Richard DeSmedt and his wife Beryl also came down to see the Mardyke built engines in action, and Richard couldn't resit having a few goes.
Richard driving the visiting Hymek



Pete and Jim keeping the trains moving in the signal box



as the end of the day approached, a BBQ was put on for members and visitors, which was set up next to the main line so we could still watch the trains go by. All to soon the day ended and with the amount of smiles all round it certainly was a good day. With some rememberable performances, including Isabelle and Tess working a 5 car on there own and the visiting Romulus pulling the freight on its own happily. Links to more pictures of the event are below.

Engines in use over the event:
visiting engines
Blue Pullman
Romulus
Tess
Isabelle
Hymek

SNBR Fleet in use:
Kestrel
Hymek
Tulyar
SNCF
Mallard
Siusaidh
Sir Goss

Resident Hymek just passed the summit

3 Mardykes at Lakeside

Mallard with the scale coaches

A nice pic of the SNCF

Pullman on the mainline

Visiting Hymek