Thirsty Engine

When BWTAS visited yesterday they were treated to the sight, sound and smell of one of Britain's most powerful passenger engines tearing uphill through Settle.   Pure and happy coincidence.   The engine was the Duchess of Sutherland - a former London Midland and Scottish locomotive which would certainly have come through Settle from time to time when in LMS service.

Here is The Duchess taking on water at the Appleby water tower on an earlier occasion:

click to enlarge

The Appleby water tower is a minnow alongside Settle - the same length (five panels) as ours is wide but it has one advantage over ours - it serves its intended purpose.   It was built in 1991 after steam had returned to the line and the railway discovered it had demolished seven of these splendid towers - and sold ours off!

When we got to Carlisle there was The Duchess again, posing in Citadel Station.