Roygraham

Hi Dave, As I said not often photographed. Hermitage Viaduct at present I can only put my hands on one taken along the top. roygraham

No, its not on a branch. roygraham

Sorry, no to both. roygraham.

Sorry, no. roygraham

Not often photographed but worth a pic. roygraham

The very spot where the MoT thoughtfully breached the solum. roygraham

You're not the only one wishing. Apparently the firework diplays they put up had to be seen to be believed. roygraham

And a somewhat different view of Br.18. roygraham

Bridge 18 has featured prominently recently so here it is in 1969. roygraham

Was someone looking for Whitrope Tunnel, North Portal?????????

60539 was quite a regular in 1960/61. roygraham

I guess we'll never know for sure but I suspect you're correct. What a waste. roygraham

Well, maybe that's so, but the fact remains that the Clans were designed to replace the Class5/Jubilee classes on the GSWR and were later assigned to Class 8 duties which they couldn't handle, unsurprisingly. Thence they got a bad reputation. A Class 5 boiler trying to handle a Class 8 duty, doesn't work, e.g Glasgow to Liverpool Exchange. Nor did they do particularly well on the WR, though they gave a decent account of themselves. It was after all the end of steam and given some time probably improvements to the drafting could have helped. But altogether a much maligned class. The second batch were destined for the Southern including 72010 Hecate and a further five for the GSW but in the rush to carbon monoxide all were cancelled. roy graham

And finally Bridge 257 at Birkmire Bogs.

Bridge 256 over the River Lyne. roygraham

Note the crossing in the bachground, this was the minor road, track which led from Newtown to Jerriestown Bridge. roygraham

Unfortunately this section of the route are not in line order, it'll be here somewhere but difficult for me to find. roygraham

And Bridge 260.

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It's at Newtown of Rockcliffe. I can bore you all to death forever with these. roygraham

This was the real Bridge 258. roygraham

This was Bridge 255 in 1969. roygraham

Whilst we've got the Clans firmly in our sites a driver friend of mine recalls that he thought there was nothing wrong with Clans. He claims that the problem lay with the Shed Foremen and drivers who treated them as if they were Brits and set them similar tasks. Never having driven one I can't comment but I have read a contrary view. But if you look for a Class 7 performance from Class 6/5 boiler what do you expect. roygraham

What is the mystery? The house was an old hunting lodge called 'Shankend'. Part of it is now rented out as holiday accomodation so I wouldn't be surprised if the owners actively discouraged such stories. roygraham