Today we paid a visit to the only surviving roundhouse in Britain. This was saved by the foresight of one man, with only hours to go before demolition began. Hundreds of people were there over the two day special open weekend. The atmosphere was suitably smoky I first visited the roundhouse in 1959, and last in 1965. It was great to be back! This locomotive is a B12 4-6-0, which I last saw in 1958, after it was saved for preservation! . . . . more to follow [ 15 July 2001: Message edited by: Alan ]</p>
Alan, very nice. I can almost smell the coal smoke. Steam is wonderful anywhere in the world. Tell us about the "round" part. It looks pretty square to me.
Yes, Fitz, that is exactly what my wife said! Roundhouses in the UK, were usually sguare, and fully enclosed, including the turntable, which gave tracks of varying lengths inside the shed. Here is another pic. this one inside the roundhouse, of smokeboxes of large and small locomotives.
Here is an 0-4-0T of North Eastern Railway heritage. This locomotive was one end of a train (one coach), with another locomotive at the other, giving rides around the yard complex.
Beautiful cab shot, Alan, of that lovely little 1F tank (well I would like that engine, wouldn't I!); all your photos are superbly evocative; the B12 looks really good in that setting, as well. Barrow Hill looks like it is really worth a visit. Ben
Here is a shot of the brake vans in which we could ride around the site, powered by an Austerity 0-6-0 saddle tank, and later by 41708, a 1F 0-6-0 tank. It was good to be on the end platform, being pushed alog the track The view from the brake van of the far end of the track. The line used to go to a colliery. [ 21 July 2001: Message edited by: Alan ]</p>
