66200 "RAILWAY HERITAGE COMMITTEE" arrives at Cranmore on the East Somerset Railway with "1Z18" 17.50 shuttle from Westbury in connection with "Cranmore 150 & Merehead Quarry Gala Weekend"..22 june 2008..

Found a rather overgrown(Up to our necks!) but completely legal "Foot crossing" somewhere between Quarry-Junction and Wanstrow to record the passing of 1Z26 Cranmore-Westbury Shuttle.59102 doing the honours..22 june 2008..

Only about Half-a-Dozen EWS Sheds carry names,this loco 66200 is one of these."RAILWAY HERITAGE COMMITTEE" is viewed climbing up to Quarry-Junction on a Pathfinder Shuttle from Westbury to Cranmore (1Z16) With 59102 on the rear for the return to Westbury later..22 june 2008..

Swinging round the curve on the incline to Quarry-Junction 66200 with 9 on and 59102 DOR.Working is 1Z16 Westbury-Cranmore Shuttle for Torr Quarry Open-Day..22 june 2008..

"1Z24" Cranmore to Westbury "Pathfinder" operated Shuttle runs out of Wanstrow on the single-line freight branch during the open-day at Torr-Works.59102 leads with 66200(obscured) round the bend DOR..22 june 2008..

60040...A look at the "Army" Decals affixed to the bodysides..22 june 2008..

Ex-National Power 59202 is now a regular here,indeed Merehead does all the Mtce on these machines.About time EW&S or who ever they are sorted out the bodyside numbers,now badly faded..22 june 2008..

Recent repaint and now an instant celebrity is 60040,also renamed "The Territorial Army Centenary".Won't stay in this condition for long!..22 june 2008..

Another of the Ex-NP 59/2 variant 59203 stands on display,also suffering from loss of paint in the logo and number area's on the bodysides..22 june 2008..

Two smaller steam locomotives were "Southern "class 0298 30587 and GWR saddle-tank 813.Both were giving demonstration freight runs up and down the reception sidings..22 june2008..

Interesting sight.Wonder if the presence of this "Aggregate Industries" liveried Loco offers a hint as to the inevitable relivery of the MRL fleet in the near future?Only time will tell..22 june 2008..

66623 "Billy Bolsover",a Freightliner machine stands on show..22 june 2008..

Dragged to the event by "Barbie"66731 "JB" 73209 sits still coupled to the GM.Nice livery is the original gBrf..22 june 2008..

After each "set" of runs up the yard the two steam locomotives were switched around,9F first or S160 first still double-headed.Engines worked singly as well.Here they are viewed during a change over.Giving a chance to record them both side by side..22 june 2008..

After their run up the sidings entire train was dragged back to the start (under the road-bridge) by Number 44 the resident GM switcher..22 june 2008..

This could almost be taken somewhere in deepest China,suppose the trees are a bit of a giveaway.A bit too lush for that part of the world..22 june 2008..

USATC S160 2-8-0 5197 and 2-10-0 9F "Black Prince" perform another volcanic start for a run up the sidings with a loaded rake of stone hoppers..22 june 2008..

Blasting away again,The S160 was a very steamy engine,when at full regulator most of the boiler was usually obscured by steam from the cylinders,occasionally things were a little clearer!..22 june 2008..

Ready for the off.S160 and 9F plus loaded stone...Pity not going all the way to Hamworthy!!!..22 june 2008..

"S160" 5197and 9F 92203 having swapped positions about to go for it again up Yeomans Yard during the Gala there..22 june 2008..

A Narrow-Gauge track was set up on the site giving short rides up and down the yard..22 june 2008..

50049 "Defiance" stands on show,this loco brought the two 37's 37901/37906 from the SVR..22 june 2008..

Looking well cared for is Yeoman Blue Liveried 08032.Another working member of the MRL 08 Fleet..22 june 2008..

Waiting to commence another blast up the yard at Torr-Works during the Yeoman Open-Day there.92203 (See David Sheppard on the footplate) and S160 5197 from the Churnet Valley with 1700 tons in tow..22 june 2008..

37901/37906 looking ready to haul at least 3000 tons away from the Quarry stand in the sun at Merehead..22 june 2008..

37906/37901 stand in the sunshine next to the demonstation-lines in the Quarry sidings..22 june 2008..

Now well over 20 years old this was the Loco (Number 44 "WESTERN YEOMAN II") that really started the GM revolution in the UK.Because this loco performed so impressively and also with 100% reliability the decision was made to purchase the Class 59's from the same company.....Quite a Milestone.....The rest is History..22 june 2008..

9F 92203 and S160 5197 having an incredibly smoky and noisy getaway! Although this combination never happened on the main-line during steam-days it still makes a pretty impressive sight,lifting 1700 tons away from the Loader at Merehead quarry as a demonstration,regretfully formation was only going 800 yards at most.Brake-force was supplied by the resident GM bo-bo shunter since wagons are all air-braked.GWR 4936 "Kinlet Hall looks on with a short rake of mk1/mk2 coaches..22 june 2008..

Another shot of 60040 (The other side) in all its gleaming new paint.Quite an impressive paint finish,looks to have been sprayed.Wonder if this is the base colour for any mass reliverying now EWS has been flogged to the Germans..22 june 2008..

Here we see the actual power-unit of 59005.Hood removed for Mtce.This gives virtually unobstructed access all round the engine.Brilliant piece of design..22 june 2008..

Yes! even GM's suffer from the dreaded rust worm.Must be a water trap near the base of the cab-door.metal was corroded right through.Time for a spot of welding and touching up! Hard to believe though now 59005(The newest Yeoman 59) is getting on for 20 yrs old..22 june 2008..

Inside the Mtce shed,59005 has it's hood removed to gain access to the engine..22 june 2008..

08643,now rather faded but still looking good.Think this was a Ex-Bristol SFM machine..Still in use daily here moving wagons around the site..22 june 2008..

Sunday line-up,captured before the pushchairs and children became to much...L to R are 08643-66731-59104-59103-59203 and 60040..22 june 2008..

Looking fit only for scrap 08731 awaits the chop after being heavily plundered for spares for the rest of the Merehead fleet of 08's..22 june 2008..footnote....finally laid to rest in a local Frome scrap dealers in march 2009 .RIP.

Another "Christmas Tree" 08 fit only for spares is 08826.Dumped at the far end of the yard well away from the main shed area..2 june 2008..

59001 on the 14:25 Cranmore-Westbury Shuttle passes Quarry Junction just above Merehead Proper,looking a bit overgrown these days!..21 june 2008..

Negotiating the deep cutting at Wanstrow heading for the main-line at East Somerset Junction.59001 in the lead 66100 on the rear with another Cranmore-Westbury Shuttle Service..21 june 2008..

59001 draws away from Cranmore Station at the start of another return journey to Westbury shuttling passengers for the Merehead Quarry "Open-day"..21 june 2008..

Standing at the station on a shuttle to Westbury is 59001.New signals have appeared all around the station area here at Cranmore,all looking nicely overhauled.Looks like the railway will soon be having some operational signals at last..21 june 2008..

59001 on the rear of a Westbury-Cranmore shuttle in connection with the Merehead Quarry open-day,seen passing Wanstrow..21 june 2008..

Appearing out of the long cutting at Wanstrow 66200 (Named "Railway Heritage Committee") runs uphill on the final leg of its journey from Westbury to Cranmore hauling more visitors for the Quarry Open-Day..21 june 2008..