Below: This morning I popped over to the Tanfield Railway to see ‘Captain Baxter’ participating in the railway’s themed weekend.  Here are a few images from this lovely railway – the event continues tomorrow and I would urge people to visit and see two charming 0-4-0s at work on mixed trains in a pure light railway recreation.  We start with a view of RSH ‘Sir Cecil Cochrane’ waiting its turn on duties outside the shed at Marley Hill. 

Below: The Armstrong Whitworth diesel electric 0-4-0 shunter prepares to move off shed and take a number of turns on the passenger train, a recreation of the North Sunderland Railway which used a near identical locomotive for many years.  The ‘Farne Islander’ headboard is reference to that carried by a Y7 on that railway on its last day of operation.

Below: Sir Cecil Cochrane at Andrews House station on a mixed train.  I’m not sure, but think the boiler on the wagon behind might be the little RSH’s original (it now carries a new one, made by Winson Engineering).

Below: A scene showing two open back cabbed locos passing at Andrews House, Sir Cecil arriving as Baxter takes water.

Below: Captain Baxter poses on its mixed train at Andrews House – the weather has been OK today, despite some dire weather forecasts!

Blogger has changed its format (much for the better I think!) – but it might take a little time to get used to it and the posting and order of images…