VINTAGE DIESELS: With Leeds city centre as the backdrop, Hudswell Clarke 0-4-0DM shunters Nos. D631 Carroll and D577 Mary make their way from Moor Road to Park Halt on June 10, the first day of the Middleton Railway’s gala weekend celebrating 90+ years of diesels. These two were built in 1946 and 1932 respectively, and the gala also featured Hunslet 0-4-0DM No. 1786 Courage (built 1935), Hunslet 0-6-0DM No. 1697 John Alcock (and ex-LMS No. 7051, built 1932) and visiting Kerr Stuart 6wDM No. 4421, which dates back to 1929.
ROB BATTY
BRIGHT FUTURE: An unusual formation at the Kent & East Sussex Railway on May 28 saw Type 3 diesel No. 33202 Dennis G Robinson top-and-tailing a rake of vintage carriages with 1888-built Hunslet 0-6-0ST No. 15 Hastings, the train seen on the rarely-used Rother Valley Railway section west of Bodiam to Junction Road – although this is set to be part of the newlyauthorised ‘missing link’ that will allow K&ESR trains to run through to Robertsbridge in the future (see Headline News last month).
DAVID STAINES