And so the school summer holidays are finally here, and whilst many parents are dreading the next six weeks, this particular teaching parent is relishing the time to spend it with wife, new daughter and also on some serious model railway work. For me there is my home layout, Skaleby, to continue with and also my show layout, Skaleby West. Lots to do. On top of this I always try to make the most of the summer break and visit as many preserved railways as I can, and get in as many steam hauled miles as possible.

It may not be strictly a model railway theme, but I thought some people out there may find an interest in the photos taken during my trips out. Some may provide some modelling inspiration - you never know!

This weekend I began my summer of steam with a trip to the Foxfield Steam gala. It has been four years since my one and only previous visit. I was a little disappointed by the line on that occasion, but not this time. The line put on an excellent show with seven engines in steam, six of them taking turns on the passenger and freight services and the Dubs Crane Tank 4101 on duty at Foxfield Colliery.

The railway put on a free bus service from Caverswall Road to the colliery site and, having missed the first train of the day, I made use of this. I was delighted to see areas opened up for photographers with signs into the nearby fields and the footpath to Dilhorne Park station clearly signed. Makes a change from some lines!

Whilst at the colliery I photographed the vintage well tank "Bellerophon" which was paired with the little 0-4-0 Bagnall No.2. The first picture shows the pair at the colliery, whilst the next two are shots of the first freight of the day to ascend the 1 in 19 Foxfield Bank. Hope you like them! The Bagnall was a "cop" for me. Yes I do actually have a small preserved steam loco spotters book. I am that sad! During the weekend I also "copped" the visiting "Ugly" and resident "Lewisham No.2"

The railway followed the usual gala routine of swapping engines at all stations. The passenger train loco would bring the freight back down the bank, whilst the freight engines would take the passenger train back from Dilhorne Park to Caverswall Road where they would be swapped again. The Bagnall and the Well tank relieved the Austerity "Whiston" for my first passenger run. Whiston is seen here at Dilhorne Park after I had safely navigated the muddy footpath!!

I managed to get a few rides in during the day, and successfully managed to be hauled by all locos except Whiston, seen above leaving Dilhorne Park, and the Dubs which was not on passenger duty. Mind you I was a bit gutted to miss its impromptu ascent of the bank with a brake van moments after I had left the location from which I took the picture below!

This picture shows Lewisham No.2 and Austerity "Wimblebury".

With several of my trips being on trains from Dilhorne Park, and therefore downhill, I didn't really get too many decent runs. The best was behind the Bagnall and Bellerophon on a train from Caverswall Road later in the day. They did make some nice noise on some of the steeper sections of the passenger line.

Star guest was the "Ugly" class so I suppose I had better include a shot of that. Not a great pic, but I never seemed to catch it at a decent location. Would have loved to have seen that go up Foxfield Bank. Sadly I was rather limited with time and only had four hours there. I did enjoy it, and would recommend a visit to next year's gala. In such a small space of time I still got a few pictures, and covered 12 and a half miles behind steam. Oh and the colliery did give me a fledgling idea for an extension to Skaleby West in the future.

So there it is. Like I said, not especially a model railway entry, but I hope the pictures at least provide some interest.

Peak Rail next I think!