The Highland Explorer

FoSCL member and DB driver Andrew Griffiths added the icing on the cake to a visit to Settle Station by Settle Primary School's summer group.   Andrew just happened to be driving the train that travels between Clitheroe and Mossend in Scotland carrying 1000 tonnes of Castle cement - three times this week.

He wondered if we had a relevant headboard for the train for its daily Anglo-Scottish journey over the S&C.   Sure enough, in store in Unit 8A was this old headboard, displayed by young FoSCL volunteer Anthony Ward:

click to enlarge

On the back of the headboard we put this message for Scotland:

The children spent an hour visiting the water tower, the signal box and the station and just before the appointed hour the cement train came through Settle Station ahead of time and at a crawl bearing the Highland Explorer headboard.   The photographers may well go nuts this week!

 As it accelerated away the children chorused "Thank you Mr Griffiths" who responded with the railway theme song on his horns 'On Ilkley Moor Bah't 'at'.

An altogether delightful occasion when all the ducks lined up in a row.

FoSCL makes great efforts to connect with young people - in this case pressing home the message that many of the freight trains go right through to Scotland.    That, after all, is why it was built.

and here she is going north this evening, 1,000 tons heavier but still sporting the nameplate and with Mr Griffiths at the helm:

and a MUCH better picture from our webcam at Ribblehead station not long afterwards:

click to enlarge

And a stunningly good picture by ace photographer Mike Farrington:

Just look at that heat shimmer.