Picture of the Day 1 June 2010

The 18” gauge Steeple Grange Light Railway (SGLR) near Wirksworth in Derbyshire celebrates its 25th anniversary in 2010. The line is built on the trackbed of the former Cromford and High Peak Railway (now the High Peak Trail). On Spring Bank Holiday (31 May) 2010, Greenwood and Batley 1961 5hp battery electric locomotive Greenbat and manrider vehicle No. 103 make a colourful combination as they tackle the steep gradient towards Dark Lane Quarry. The locomotive started life at the Halesowen Steel Company in the West Midlands, while the manrider vehicle was originally used to take miners to the coal face at Bevercotes Colliery in Nottinghamshire. The photographer would like to thank Mr. Peter Sellers (Chair of the SGLR) for permission to take this photograph at the location is not usually open to the public.
John Binch

Picture of the Day 2 June 2010

The TRC website Picture of the Day will not be updated again until around 24 June, as the author, together with Nathan Williamson are undertaking a rail safari in California, visiting San Francisco, Tehachapi, Cajon, Los Angeles and San Diego to name but a few locations. Hopefully we will return with some good North American images. One of two we will share with others as PODs. However, in the meantime we leave viewers with this image recorded at Cardiff by the Sea trestle near Del Mar of 'Coaster' F40-PH2C No. 2103 powering train 653, the 15.37 San Diego to Oceanside on 20 October 2009.
Colin J. Marsden

Picture of the Day 25 June 2010

Northern Class 142 unit No. 142043 pauses at Hope on the afternoon of Saturday 19 June 2010, with the 13.15 Manchester Piccadilly to Sheffield service. To increase capacity on the Hope Valley Line, Network Rail plans to install passing loops at Hope and Grindleford as well as laying extra track at Dore Junction. Work on the project could start in 2014.
John Binch

Picture of the Day 26 June 2010

A slightly different view of a down train approaching Kennaway Tunnel, Dawlish. Taken on 26 June 2010, the picture shows the late running 1Z28 15.53 Exeter St Davids to Par powered by 'King' No. 6024 and 'Castle' No. 5029. The image was recorded from the roof of the house adjacent to Kennaway Tunnel, allowing a slightly more angled and higher elevation.
Colin J. Marsden

Picture of the Day 27 June 2010

During the diesel-hydraulic event held on the West Somerset Railway between 11-13 June 2010, 'Warships' Nos. D832 and D821 depart from Washford with a service bound for Minehead on 11 June 2010.
Ian Gould

Picture of the Day 29 June 2010

On Tuesday 29 June 2010, Siemens Mobility held a special rail media event in Dusseldorf, Germany where the company outlined their latest locomotive - The Vectron, classified at this stage as German class 193. The Vectron is a new breed of high powered freight or passenger loco, mounted on a Bo-Bo wheel arrangement and will be show-cased at this years Innotrans Exhibition held in Berlin in September. The loco will be made available in Multi-System (MS) mode fitted for both ac/dc power collection and installed with every possible signal and safety system for cross-Europe operation (except the UK). Other versions will be offered in ac high power, ac medium power and dc power collection mode. The loco has a design speed of 200km/h, with a power output of 6,400kW (8,582hp). After the full press brief, the actual loco was demonstrated on the Siemens Wildenrath test track, with No. 193901 (a MS loco) performing some high speed light loco runs on the sites large test track, while high power ac loco No. 193921 was displayed inside one of the vehicle preparation sheds at the Wildenrath centre. No. 193901 is illustrated above.
Colin J. Marsden