Barrow Hill LNER Gala 2009

A2 pacific 60532 Blue Peter stands beside newly built A1 pacific 60163 Tornado.

This day is the Friday and a private photo charter had the run of the shed and the locos.

A2 60532 has been cosmetically restored and painted into Apple Green livery with British Railways written on the tender especially for this gala.

NELPeG's K1 2-6-0 loco 62005 stands outside the main shed.

John Cameron's A4, 60009 Union of South Africa stands inside Barrow Hill's former Midland Railway square roundhouse on the 56 foot diameter turntable, too short to turn it.

I was here as support crew RO for No9.

A varied selection of locos was inside the shed on display. Included are former Midland railway 1F 0-6-0 41708 and ex LMSR Black Five 45110.

506 is part of the National Collection and is a class D11/1 Director built for the Great Central Railway and is named Butler Henderson.

Also in the shed and in steam is another National Collection loco, class O4 2-8-0 63601.

Black Five 45110 looks the part in the shed. I have worked support crew and been on the footplate on the mainline with this engine.

No9 sits on the 57 foot diameter turntable and poses inside the shed.

Quite a selection of steam classes, A4, J17, 04 D11/1.

Support Crew member Ross tends to the lamps on No9.

Robinson's 1920 design for the Great Central Railway poses inside the square roundhouse.

The J17 has its BR number on the smokebox door. Next to it is 04 63601 and D11/1 506.

Out in the yard, N7/4 69621 acts as yard pilot and has repositioned A2 pacific Blue Peter. Now it skurries away.

A4's 60007 and 60009 stand next to each other.

A1 60163, A2 60532 and A4 60007. Someone has put a smouldering rag in the smokebox of the A2.

An impressive line up of former LNER locos, classes A1, A2, A4 and K1. It was a real shame that A3 4472 Flying Scotsman was not available.

If Flying Scotsman, Bittern and Mallard could have attended also, it would have been a line up never to be surpassed.....until the next LNER rebuild comes along!!

As the day wears on so the sun comes out and is a most welcome attendee.

Blue Peter and Sir Nigel Gresley.

Sir Nigel Gresley and Union of South Africa.

The clean but work stained green livery on John Cameron's A4.

Now this is a front end line up, all nameplates are on show.

Ross is enjoying himself as he looks from the cab of No9.

04 63601 has emerged from the shed and poses in the warm afternoon sun. I had the pleasure of driving this beast up and down the track here several times.