To commemorate the 150th anniversary of the Hammersmith & City line, the London Transport Museum promoted several trips on the Underground using a vintage train. Many of these trip were to be 'topped-and-tailed' by Metropolitan E class No. 1 and Metropolitan electric loco No. 12 Sarah Siddons. Coaching stock was formed of Metropolitan Milk van No. 3, Jubilee coach No. 353, and the Bluebell Railway's Chesham set. Our trip from Moorgate to Hammersmith was electric hauled on the outbound journey and steam on the return, that little 0-4-4T didn't half make some noise as we passed bemused and astonished passengers awaiting their usual tude train.

After visits from both 'King' and 'Duchess' locomotives over the past three years, the Mid-Norfolk Railway would have to pull out all the stops for this year's gala line up. But that is exactly what they did! In fact the MNR pulled off a major coup by attracting three of West Coast Railway's star locos. The all LMS line up consisted Royal Scot 46115 Scots Guardsman, Jubilee 45699 Galatea and 8F 48151. All three engines took it in turns to haul trains from Dereham to Wymondham Abbey.

Together with some good friends, I made a visit to Wales and the Bala Lake Railway to celebrate my birthday. On offer was a day driving and firing Julian Birley's Quarry Hunslet 0-4-0ST Alice.

After prepping Alice, we then hand shunted our train, which consisted of Penrhyn Quarrymans Carriage ‘H’ (a real bone shaker!) and 10 quarry slate wagons, which made a mesmerising sight as they individually 'wandered' around the rail head. We left on our first run just before noon, and all took it in turns to fire and drive Alice as we competed two round trips from Llanuwchllyn to Bala. The pace was sedate, the scenery spectacular and company in good spirits, quite often jeering from the train as the person driving snatch the odd coupling. Hopefully this wont be our only visit to the BLR. Perhaps when Winifred (Julian's other loco) is overhauled, we'll return.