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Photos of Wigan
Photos of Wigan



Photo-a-Day Archive
Photo-a-Day Archive

Photo-a-Day  (Thursday, 13th December, 2018)

70000 Britannia


70000 Britannia
BR Standard 7 Class No70000 Britannia hurtles through Wigan North Western with the Crewe to Barnsley "Pennine Moors Express" on Saturday 8th December 2018.

Photo: Dave (Oy)  (Nikon D850)
Views: 3,216

Comment by: AP on 13th December 2018 at 00:19

Gosh, that is clean and shiny.

Mind, when it was in service with BR in the 1960's, it was the cleanest and shiniest of their locomotives that I ever saw.

Comment by: irene roberts on 13th December 2018 at 00:19

This is the first time I have still been up when the p-a-d has changed....hadn't realised how late it was! But worth waiting for. Magic! xx

Comment by: Helen of Troy on 13th December 2018 at 06:38

Theres nothing like it, the smell, the noise & the power ! Great pic .

Comment by: stan disher on 13th December 2018 at 07:12

Crewe to Burnley not Barnsley.

Comment by: Mick on 13th December 2018 at 08:34

We went on one a few years ago, we went from Preston to Settle and over the Ribblehead viaduct to Carlisle
Just enough time in Carlisle to queue for some fish and chips>

https://youtu.be/pcjOSco64AQ Part 1
https://youtu.be/nzjaE-IB2M8 Part 2
https://youtu.be/fcdh-xSaLrg Part 3

Comment by: Veronica on 13th December 2018 at 09:00

We've had a boat and plane it's only right we have a shiny train. It looks brand new!

Comment by: Philip G. on 13th December 2018 at 09:40

And what about the loco's Bottle Green livery Helen . . . brilliant, isn't it. But then, is it Bottle Green? So many other different 'greens' have been put forward over the years i.e, Brunswick Green, BR Loco' Green, GWR Loco' Green . . . phew! And to add to my confusion, my cousin told me once that the carriage livery shown here is sometimes known as Rhubarb and Custard. I can see where he's coming from, but I don't recall any of WWs Steam wizards using that description - perhaps it was my cousin's own concoction.

Comment by: Poet on 13th December 2018 at 11:22

What a beautiful contrast of textures. The smoke fleecing like a thundercloud. The train shining like oiled mackerel in a tin.

Comment by: Ed on 13th December 2018 at 11:40

That is a beutifull train,what were they thinking of taking these trains out of service.

Comment by: Cullie on 13th December 2018 at 12:52

Give me a class 40 over this scrap metal any day

Comment by: Anne on 13th December 2018 at 13:21

In a word Ed.... economics but thank goodness some were saved and we have superb photographers taking superb photos.

Comment by: TommyT on 13th December 2018 at 15:10

I was driving a steam locomotive the other week on the East Lancs Railway at Bury. City of Wells it was called.
Absolute magic!

Comment by: Maureen on 13th December 2018 at 15:43

That's a beautiful shot of a beautiful train.

Comment by: DerekB on 13th December 2018 at 16:23

PhillipG. I have also never heard of the first livery of the then British Railways coach stock being referred to as Rhubarb and Custard. I believe it was officially referred to as Strawberry and Cream or for some reason, as some would have it, Strawberry and Spilt Cream.

Comment by: AP on 13th December 2018 at 17:20

Thanks, stan disher. I thought going via Wigan a rather strange route for Crewe to Barnsley. But then again, Albert Hitchcock had London to Edinburgh going via Box Tunnel!

Comment by: Gary on 13th December 2018 at 17:58

I remember the livery as "blood and custard" introduced in the mid 1950s.
The locomotive, Britannia, was built in 1951 and was based at Carlisle in its final years 1966-68. The loco was a awful condition, not properly maintained for three years and what you see now is a complete rebuild, but much as it was new.
The engines were not particularly popular with the drivers, not as powerful as the Stanier "Duchesses" although everyone liked their "chime" whistle, fitted to the side of the boiler.

Comment by: David Owens on 13th December 2018 at 18:02

Also known as "blood and custard"

Comment by: Fred Mason on 13th December 2018 at 18:41

Oy, your photographic techniques are amazing. The depth of field on this shot is great.

Keep on supplying us with these fantastic shots.

Good un..!!!

Comment by: DTease on 13th December 2018 at 18:53

What a beautiful piece of engineering. It’s sad to realise that when this was built ‘Made in Britain’ meant something, now we are reduced to enduring the shameful spectacle of watching our Prime Minister wandering around Europe rattling her begging bowl and pleading for a few crumbs from the European table. How the mighty have fallen.

Comment by: Peebee on 13th December 2018 at 19:07

Don't forget Malachite Green on the S.R. and we always knew them as blood and custard.

Comment by: Philip G. on 13th December 2018 at 19:21

Thanks Derek. Strawberry 'n' Cream sounds much better - and it gets my vote.

Comment by: Philip G. on 13th December 2018 at 21:00

Further thanks to Gary, David, and Peebee for their 'tasty' responses.

Comment by: Garry on 13th December 2018 at 21:34

Don't matter whose vote counts. Blood and Custard is correct wording of this livery for BR.

Comment by: Dave (Oy) on 14th December 2018 at 07:47

Thanks folks :)

Comment by: Ken R on 17th December 2018 at 21:25

Dave, you certainly stopped that Loco, I would say a perfect shot.

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