Let me introduce myself ...

[Anthony Darby]

A rare talent. Rafa is not the only painter on the Forum.

Here are some National Railways of Zimbabwe Garratts.

[Luc Gilgemyn]

Thanks for pointing me in the right direction Maggi !
I hadn't noticed it before... 

[ranunculus]

I was about to post a few more images from Skipton for you, Anthony and then spotted these wonderful pictures ...
Ah, what the heck ... it's Christmas ...

[Joakim B]

Anthony do You know for how long these Garretts were in use?
My father-in-law was working in Beira, Mozambique at the time it was part of "Oversees Portugal" and Beira was the "port of Rhodesia". Now the city has lost a lot on the lack of traffic coming and going to Zimbabwe. We gave the father-in-law a "book of 100 trains of all time" or something similar and I think the Garretts where there and he mentioned that they in Mozambique also had Garretts.
A small world we are living in!?

All the best
Joakim

[Anthony Darby]

They are still in use Joakim. These are recent pics.

Cliff, those pics are really atmospheric. Not so many years ago the A4 "Union of South Africa" was used between Edinburgh and Perth for driver training. I was in Stirling railway station when the train was stopped on the north platform (2). I asked the driver (it was actually the owner John Cameron) to "give us a skid". He said "I couldn't possibly. I'm a professional". Well did he skid those wheels?! John then leant out of the cab and gave me the thumbs up. Fantastic! In the mid 60s I used to run up to the bridge over the railway at Stirling after my piano lesson in time to see 'Bittern' or 'Kingfisher' or another A4 (streamlined loco of the same class as 'Mallard', the world speed record holder for steam) leave with the 5 o'clock mail train.

[David Nicholson]

Got the Ian Allen books and the anorak Anthony?

[Anthony Darby]

Just the anorak David.

[David Nicholson]

Do you remember the 1040 double header out of Huddersfield to Newcastle, it was always two 'namers'?

[johnw]

John...... "beautiful water"........       My  Mi'kmaq is good, but not that good! 

Muskoodeeboo???

Mus'-ka-daw'-bit.

More non-Nova Scotians stumble over that one than any other place name. The village even has a small train museum.

johnw - +1c / -13c tonight

[Anthony Darby]

Rafa,
Welcome to the forum 
I didn't realize you were an artistic painter.  Would it be much trouble to put pix of some of your work on the the Forum
I'm sure a lot of us would be interested. 

Se Rafa's link, on his sig. box, Luc..... http://ilustracion-botanica.blogspot.com/ ..... this man has many talents.

Must remember to check these as I quite fancy one of the Ophrys paintings for my study wall. The detail is stunning.

Hudds to Newcastle? That would normally be ex-LNER but I suspect Jubilees?

[David Nicholson]

Can't remember if they were Jubilees or not. Was 'Bihar and Orissa' a Jubilee class?

[Anthony Darby]

Yep, that's a Jubilee. http://www.abctales.com/node/540534

[David Nicholson]

Ah! makes me quite nostalgic. Thanks for that.

[Anthony Darby]

Who said nostalgia isn't what it used to be?

[David Nicholson]