Bittern

Hi David,

          I used to watch this very loco and others of the A4 class in their final years in the mid 1960s.In those days they were painted BR green with ornage and black lining. Their last stronghold of operation was on the Glasgow to Aberdeen run in Scotland. Both on fast passenger and freight. Often on Aberdeen to London fish trains. They were quite a sight at full tilt ,especially at night. I have distinct memories of them tanning along ,firemen and driver silhouted in the orange glow of the open firebox and the smoke and steam billowing behind them. Those were the days when trains were trains eh ! .   DAVY 

Beautiful locomotive. Thanks for posting!

Davy and John,

Thanks very much - I am glad you like it

Here she is from a couple of years ago when I saw her in green at Shrub Hill, Worcester...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8r0NcUUOshE

She is my favourite engine and I am really lucky to have an O gauge example of her in green.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jxHK2XTygGE

Davy you are a lucky man to have seen them working - I would love to see one going full tilt !!

All the best

David

Hi David,

          My parents used to have a holiday caravan (trailer home in US speak)back in the 60's on the "Red Lion Caravan Site",in the town of Arbroath in north east Scotland right on the North Sea coast. Our caravan was parked right across from the Glasgow to Aberdeen mainline. So we could literally sit at our meals and watch the trains go by. There was a great variety of steam types went past ,0-6-0, 2-6-0,2-8-0, 4-6-0, 4-6-2s of all sorts and classes.Plus the early British Railways diesels. Sometimes steam and diesel double heading together.  There was a great viewing point on a bridge along the line about 600 yards away where you could watch the trains approach each other from north and south along the coast. Two express steam trains going full whack with their whistles blowing and passing each other with the beach and the sea to the one side. It truly was pure magic. Sadly those days are long gone. I remember one night in particular.It was the night of the fight between Henry Cooper the London boxer and Muhamad Ali,or Cassius Clay as he was then. I rememebr sittin in the car with my old man listening to the fight , and at the same time taking in the steam trains as they past. I distinctly remember at least one A4 going past that night on an express freight, but which one I don't recall.But it could have been Bittern as that was her final stomping ground before being withdrawn. Others I remember were,"Union of South Africa", "Golden Plover", and others. Aye ,those were the days. Modern trains just don't cut it for me. Just not the same as the old kettles eh !?.

 Davy.

Hi again David, heres some you-tube footage from Perthshire in Scotland . This is typical of what I was used to as a kid. Steam a plenty and a great variety. A4s included.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XWbPxpvVJH8 (black and white footage)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y4F2v4t6-Jo&feature=related  (colour footage)

(The accompanying music was from the same era too)  ENJOY !

Hi again David and all.  The wee town or "toon" as we say in Scotland of Arbroath was where I spent many a happy day as a kid. Not only was there the main line railway there was also right next to it across the road from the holiday caravan park on the beach side "Kerr's Miniature Railway". Still there today. If you watch this footage you will see modern trains on the mainline go by. Now picture yourself as a kid on the miniture railway with express steam trains on the mainline flying past. When a mainline train would go past the miniture trains and the full size trains would whistle to each other. Didn't get any better than this for a train-nut kid like myself !

 Enjoy.... http://www.thecourier.co.uk/Ne...-some-big-plans.html (scroll down this page and click video link)

Davy,

Great video links and great memories for you !

To have seen so many engines right at the end - brilliant !!

All the best

David

Hi David, Now this video is how I remember the A4s,Bittern included .This is "Union of South Africa". Used to watch her back in the 60s performing just like this......

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=75zCi-0OM9U&feature=related  and you'll love this too... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pFTphTnv2Q8&feature=fvwrel

Those were great vids, particularly the pacing shot. Thanks for posting them!

Thanks John.

Davy, I love the 'racing video' !

All the best

David

Very nice!

Awesome!  Thanks for posting!

Eric and Lee 145,

Thank you - I just love ths locomotive. To see it just down the road from where I live was a proper treat !

All the best

David