4270 - A Legend In Steam - Part 1

4270 at Toddington Station on a photographic charter - 19th November 2022 - Photo courtesy of Ian Butler

 

The adjectives 'iconic', 'heroic' and 'legendary' or words of a similar nature, are, in my opinion, ones which are generally overused. They seem to be particularity prevalent in today's modern society. However, in the context of railways and specifically, locomotives and named trains, I believe that they are more than appropriate descriptors. Our railways are full to the brim with things which could be described as 'icons'. Locomotives such as 4472 'Flying Scotsman', 3440 'City of Truro' and 46100 'Royal Scot' need no further introduction, not forgetting the famous 'Cornish Riviera Express' services.

 

Outside of the railway press and the enthusiast sphere, it's these well known icons which typically receive all of the spotlight in the mainstream media. We mustn't forget though, that the railways came to be out of a necessity to transport commodities, and to find a better and more efficient method than the humble horse and cart. Of course, the railways date back to the early wagon-ways of the 16th century, with Richard Trevithick's first steam railway locomotive arriving in 1804.

 

Whilst today, our railways transport millions of passengers a year, it still transports a huge variety of freight. It's these freight trains which have shaped the country over the past two centuries and played a huge role in the great Industrial Revolution of the 19th century. Over the years, these trains have often operated without fanfare, with little to no fuss or complaint, seen us through wartime and through thick and thin, and yet, despite all of this, rarely attract the same appreciation and attention that their famous passenger counterparts do. These are the real unsung heroes and icons!  

 

4270 at the head of a freight service on a photographic charter - 19th November 2022 - Photo courtesy of Bryony Exton

 

Freight trains wouldn't get very far without the all important steam locomotives to haul them, and it'll be pretty obvious by now that the main subject of this particular piece is none other than 4270. This engine has a special place for many of us within the steam department, not only because of her age, her significance, or widespread appeal, but because virtually all of us, past and present, have worked on her in one way or another - Whether that be as a cleaner, fireman, or driver (and in several instances a combination of all three over the years!). Many members of the department have successfully 'Passed Out' to various footplate grades with the assistance of 4270. The 42xx being the first steam loco I ever cleaned.

 

Along with fellow GWSR locomotives 2807 and 2874, 4270 represents the 'Old Guard' and is an 'Elder Statesman' on the railway, one which is much loved and well respected. The '42' being a world away from the modern traction around today.

 

4270 'On Shed' at Toddington - 19th November 2022 - Photo courtesy of Ian Butler

 

4270 was completed at Swindon Locomotive Works in 1919 and is a member of the GWR "42xx" class of tank locomotives featuring a 2-8-0T wheel arrangement. The class was designed by the GWR's chief mechanical engineer (CME) G. J. Churchward with introductions starting in 1910. 4270 came from an order of 24 locomotives (Lot No. 213) out of a total of 105+ produced. The 42xx class is notable for being the only 2-8-0 tank engines to run on the railway network.

 

An interesting fact is that in the same year of 4270's production, The Cenotaph in its original wooden and plaster form was designed and constructed. This was replaced a year later with the Portland stone memorial that we all know today.

 

4270 'On Shed' at Toddington before the painting was finished. 7820 & 8274 are stabled alongside - Photo courtesy of David Holmes

With 'The Great War' and the Second World War that followed 20 years later, the railways stepped up to the plate and assisted heavily with the war effort, particularly when it came to freight trains, munitions production, and getting supplies and personnel to where they were most needed, whether that be on the 'Home Front' or for onward transport to various destinations overseas. The following vintage railway film was produced by the London, Midland & Scottish railway (LMS) in 1946, on behalf of all the British railways to portray all the work the railway industry accomplished during World War II 

Two months after the end of the war in Europe, it is understood that 4270 was transferred to the London Division and specifically Slough depot (141 / 81B) on the 3rd November 1945 - Notably one of the few 42xx to leave South Wales. 

 

4270 spent time at Ebbw Junction, Aberbeeg, Cardiff Canton and Cardiff East Dock before being withdrawn in 1962. 

 

4270 at the head of a freight service on a photographic charter - 19th November 2022 - Photo courtesy of Alex Caulfield

 

The locomotive made the short journey from Cardiff to Barry scrapyard where it languished until July 1985. The engine's restoration started at Toddington in mid-2003 before it moved elsewhere and later returned to the railway in 2013. Once the restoration had been completed, 4270 made its debut at the Cotswold Festival of Steam (CFOS) in 2014 and has performed on a regular basis ever since, both on passenger services and specially organised freight workings & galas.  

 

During their mainline careers the "42xx" class were allocated to heavy freight work, mainly in the South Wales coalfields.

 

4270 departs Toddington with a freight working and is about to pass one of the coal docks, along with some superbly presented wagons, appropriately filled with the 'Black Stuff' - Photo courtesy of Mark Young

4270 rumbles along with the freight - 19th November 2022 - Photo courtesy of Alex Caulfield

 

As the freight train heads off into the distance, now is as good a time as any for a brief interlude seen as I mentioned the London Division earlier. Southern Region aficionados will be pleased to hear about a few developments on the P&O front, or to be more specific, 35006, plus one of the dogfish ballast wagons. The latest update comes courtesy of Steve Parker.

The leaking blower valve has been machined and now refitted, hopefully stopping the leakage for a while - Photo courtesy of Steve Parker

 

The cab side panels which were removed to enable us to fix a steam heat pipe leak have now been refitted, a right so & so to align the bolt holes - Photo courtesy of Steve Parker

Hand rail guard has been made and fitted to the dogfish ballast wagon - Photo courtesy of Steve Parker

 

Jack Boskett, our resident photographer and editor of 'The Cornishman', selling his pictures at Tewkesbury Abbey - Note the rather superb photograph of a certain 'Merchant Navy' amongst others! - Photo courtesy of Steve Parker

 

Given that the freight train has now arrived back at Toddington Station, it's time for us to climb back aboard the brake van.

 

4270 at Toddington Station on a photographic charter - 19th November 2022 - Photo courtesy of Alex Caulfield

 

4270 came into existence at a very different time, a different age, and in many respects, belongs to a bygone era. A time devoid of the likes of social media, mobile phones, computers, and where many aspects of life were distinctly analogue when compared to our modern digitalised age. It is very easy to look at history with 'rose tinted' spectacles but at-least with 4270 and our heritage railway, we can get some degree of semblance to those days past. In preservation, 4270 has given us many years of joy, escapism and entertainment. We are all eternally grateful for her service and dedication.

4270 stabled inside the steam shed at Toddington

 

Now we must ask the question, do we regard 4270 as a 'Centurion' in addition to being a 'Centenarian'? Both terms are among several English words derived from the Latin word for one hundred: centum. The Cambridge Dictionary defines centurion as an officer in the army of ancient Rome who was responsible for 100 soldiers. Given that the Romans constructed roads and structures that were built to last (The Colosseum in Rome being one such example), and the fact that 4270 will have been at the helm of hundreds of trains, I believe the term 'Centurion' is rather befitting for the engine.  

It's amazing to think that this fine locomotive has been around for over 100 years, a significant achievement as far as steam locomotives go. Over the years she has seen countless things in an ever changing landscape, and has had an impact on so many people, both directly and indirectly. Much like our late Queen Elizabeth II, 4270 has remained ever-present and a constant in our lives, in various states of tune. But fear not, as she's not quite done with us all just yet!

4270 at Toddington Station on a photographic charter - 19th November 2022 - Photo courtesy of Bryony Exton

 

The wonderful thing about railways is that they connect people and places from far and wide, across the length and breadth of the counrty. They link rural towns and villages to the large industrial and economic cites. They transport people and freight to destinations all over the land, but most of all, they bring communities together. In the heyday of Steam, many railway towns and railway works had their own football and rugby teams, who regularly staged their own events and tournaments. Sport offered a brief respite from the heavy industrial work which was commonplace to the railway family. 

 

Train travel to sporting events is nothing new and has its origins in the mid 1920s, when the Great Western Railway operated some 50 'Football Specials' from Wales to London for the 1927 FA Cup Final at Wembley Stadium. Today, both football and rugby services operate frequently to major fixtures, with the 'Six Nations' being another tournament of note. 

 

4270 approaches 'Greet Tunnel' with the freight service - 19th November 2022 - Photo courtesy of Bryony Exton

 

I mention the 'Six Nations' tournament in particular not only due to the railway connection, or for the fact that I follow Rugby Union and the 'Home Nations', but because I was moved and saddened to hear the news last weekend that the Scottish Rugby legend Doddie Weir had died of motor neuron disease (MND). It is another stark reminder about the value of life, the preciousness of life, and in Doddie's case, the fragility and often cruel nature of life. Doddie was a gentle giant, much adored by his family, his peers, and the country, both on and off the pitch. His contribution was truly priceless.  

 

Doddie was a larger than life character, always smiling, always positive, and despite adversity he never gave up. He was an avid campaigner very keen to raise support and awareness of MND. Someone who will be greatly missed by many.  

4270 at Toddington in 2014 on what is believed to be her first official outing following restoration - Photo courtesy of David Holmes

 

As much as we love and care for our steam engines and our heritage railway, it's just as important that we look out for and care for one another, especially during these cold winter months and the festive period. Whilst Christmas is a joyous time for many, sadly this isn't always the case for everyone. You needn't look no further than the situation in Eastern Europe at the present time. Who'd have thought that after 100 years, 4270 would still be operating with conflict ongoing. 

 

4270 arrives at Winchcombe Station with a southbound freight circa 2014/2015 - Photo courtesy of David Holmes

Some would rightly ask, how does one become so attached to an inanimate object? Well, much like humans and pets, put simply, steam engines can also be considered as family members. Whilst they are not living beings in a cognitive or biological sense, they are very much alive from an engineering and mechanical perspective. If you look after a steam locomotive and treat it well, it will return the favour with many miles of faultless running and exemplary service. Although a steam engine cannot converse in the same manner as you and I, it can communicate through sounds and smells.

 

It will be a day of mixed emotions when 4270 departs us for pastures new in the new year, as it will mark an end to our long custodianship, for now at-least anyway. Who knows what the future holds for her, but with the recent photo charter event and the Santa weeks' still to come, it's important that we give her a fitting send-off. Here's to the next 100+ years!

 

4270 stands at Winchcombe Station with a Santa Special - 27th November 2022 - Photo courtesy of Paul Richardson

Stay tuned folks as another instalment on this great bastion of GWR engineering will be coming in the not too distant future. 4270 will be continuing to operate services over the festive period and into early January 2023 (please check first).

 

4270 - A true centurion and centenarian of our times, an icon, one of our very own gentle giants, and a legend in steam. 

 

As for Doddie Weir, well, in my view and I hope you'll agree, he was an inspiration and a hero for humanity.

Alex (the sooty one!). 

 

I'll leave you with the late Eva Cassidy and a rather fitting song given its railway references. 'People Get Ready'

All published photographs are my own unless otherwise stated/credited.

Does anyone have a 'Magic Carpet' going spare?

7820 'Dinmore Manor' & 35006 'P&O' being prepared for service at Toddington - 25th October 2022

 

From the outside, especially to those relatively unfamiliar with the heritage railway industry, it would be very easy to surmise that the vast majority of our time is spent 'Playing Trains' more than anything else. However, the reality in an operational steam department is actually quite different. Anyone with a model railway can attest to the fact that 'playing trains', or as it's more jokingly referred to as, 'testing', forms a mere fraction of the overall puzzle so to speak, or should that be layout to be more precise. It's quite a complicated affair.

 

Now of course, we'd all love to spend all day playing trains on our full size layout, week in, week out, and the operation of steam trains is quite rightly considered to be one of the most 'glamorous and fun' jobs on the railway. Nevertheless, there are a myriad of less glamorous jobs within the department which must be done in a timely manner and at regular intervals to ensure that our fun of playing trains is not impeded. If the more mundane tasks were consistently deferred or ignored, then this would cause a 'domino effect' for us all.

 

Sooner of later we'd hit the buffers (metaphorically speaking!) and everything would grind to halt, and by extension, so would the wider railway, thus having a big impact on our very important and valued visitors. It is therefore imperative that the whole department works as one big team to make sure that everything runs as effectively and efficiently as possible. As the saying goes - "Teamwork makes the dream work!"

7903 'Foremarke Hall' on shed at Toddington - 18th November 2022

 

It doesn't matter whether you're a new member, one with years of experience, operational footplate crew - be that drivers, firemen or cleaners, management, support staff, or those heavily involved with restoration projects, we are all members of the same department. First and foremost, the needs of the department come first and it's important that everyone gets involved, stuck in, and mucks in (I mean this quite literally). The washing machine certainly receives some abuse!

 

Aside from special events and galas, the run up to Christmas is one of the most important times of the year. Why the title reference to 'Magic Carpets' I hear you ask? Well, more on that particular subject is to come very shorty. 

 

The Steam Dept can turn its hands to most things, both big or small!

 

 

'Playing with the dog!' - Photo courtesy of John Cruxon

 

Here you see John Hancock, Mark Webber and Eddie Arnold fitting a new spring to the P Way dogfish. Once it was all fitted, the dragbox height was then checked to make sure the waggon sat level.

 

 

You can't beat a good wash! - Photo courtesy of John Cruxon

Here you see two of our regular Wednesday gang members, Fred Ardy in the pit and John Longhurst up top giving No 8 road outside pit a thorough clean. The yellow Steam Cleaner is in the background and if you look carefully, the new high pressure “Patio Cleaner type attachment” on the floor to the right of the cleaner is a new acquisition. The situation is we are having a major effort to clean area’s more effectively and this new kit works a treat. Whether we like it or not, Steam Engines are messy and leave a lot of mess so our housekeeping has to improve. The old steamer would do it but it took forever! This new machine blasts it off in no time. 4270 peeks out of the shed watching the activity.

...roll on Friday, or should I say 'Shuntday'!

 

Friday 18th November brought about a good reorganisation and a clean of the shed. With 7820 being away on her holidays for the winter, we were afforded some additional space within the shed to relocate various restoration projects and reposition certain pieces of associated railway equipment. Having further available space inside during the winter months is a godsend as it allows more items to be kept from the elements.

 

I bring up the aforementioned 'magic carpet' at this point as having one would've certainly made things a lot easier and less time consuming. Instead of shunting, we could have floated things around the shed with aplomb. I hear Aladdin is an avid user of such a contraption, but sadly I've yet to see one in the wild myself!

7903 on shed at Toddington in the early morning sunshine - 18th November 2022

The first task was to extract 7903 from shed No 9 road and place her over the outside pit on No 8 road. As a result, we then had access to 3850 who'd been stabled at the rear of the shed for some time. She was very carefully removed.  

 

 

The photographs above and below show 3850 as of Friday morning - 18th November 2022

The eventual goal was to reunite 3850 with shed No 7 road and specifically the jacks, to allow further restoration work to continue. In order for this to be facilitated, both 2807 and D6948 needed to be removed from shed No 7 road. The '37' has been in the steam shed for some time receiving some much needed repairs, which required the use of the jacks to lift the body from its bogies. I'm pleased to report that things are looking good for 2023 and the latest update can be found here: Is it nearly Winter already??  

A 'floating' 37? The state of play as of 26th August 2022 - Note the rather dirty shed floor!

Moving back to the present time. 2807 was removed from shed No 7 road and duly shunted over to No 10 road in front of the diesel shed. This meant that access could be gained to the '37' which was recently reunited with its bogies. Further work is required, thus the diesel could not be moved under her own power. A shunter was sent in to extract the Type 3.

 

Mark Young gets the shunter ready, 2874 can be seen on the right - 18th November 2022

 

With the 'Big Green Machine' removed, we were left with a completely free shed No 7 road. Thus, the opportunity was taken to give the far end beyond the indoor pit a thorough clean. Having not used the new cleaning equipment before, John Cruxon gave me a crash course in its operation (don't worry, nobody was injured!). However, I will admit that one or two folk may have got a little wet. I'm keen to give the machine a new name, how about 'Cleany McCleanFace'?

How shed No 7 road looked following a good clean. 3850's tender can be seen behind P&O.

 

The new cleaning equipment took a bit of getting used to initially but I soon got the hang of the “Patio Cleaner type attachment”. A bit of adjustment was required to the detergent output, as we rather quickly ended up with something akin to an industrial scale bubble-bath. You're always learning when you work on the railway!

 

It's not often you see an empty shed No 7 road! - 18th November 2022

  

By this point, 3850 had been brought round to shed No 7 road - The cleaner floor was drying out.

 

The floor cleaning was a team effort and an awful lot of crud and detritus was removed in the process. A fair bit of shovelling was required and we filled up two buckets with debris, fortunately no one 'kicked the bucket' so to speak. In between the sunken rails was thoroughly cleaned and we used a number of brooms to try and remove as much of the excess surface water as we could. I have to say that Steve was very adept with the hosepipe, wasn't he David H? Thank you to everyone who helped out as it wasn't a particularly easy job.

Simon Edmunds on 'light-up' duty with Ade on 4270 - 18th November 2022

 
Following a relatively short lunch break, 4270 was taken out of the shed and prepared to be lit-up by Simon and Ade during the afternoon - The 42xx being rostered for a 'Photo Charter' and 'Charity Santa' at the weekend. Luckily the sun was still shining at this point, even if it was a little on the chilly side. 2807 and 7903 were shunted into shed No 9 road. Later on, 3850 was reunited with her smokebox having been with 2807.  

3850 with her smokebox reattached - 18th November 2022

Simon's got the warming fire going as 4270 starts to slowly warm up by early evening - 18th November 2022

 

3850 now back where she belongs and reunited with her smokebox. Her wheelsets can be seen underneath - 18th November 2022

An overall view of the shed. L-R 7903, 2807, 35006, 3850 & 2874 - 18th November 2022

Like a lot of days on shed, things are planned out to a certain degree so that everyone knows what's going on. You could say that it's a bit like choreography in dancing. Sometimes things go swimmingly whilst on other occasions it can be more of a challenge and obstacles have to be overcome. But like I said at the start of this piece, it's the team that you have around you which makes all of the difference. A rather successful day or two by all accounts in my book.

Until next time folks, I'm off to 'play trains' once more, albeit of the model variety this time. Do keep warm!

Alex (the sooty one!).

P.S. If anyone happens to have a magic carpet or knows where I might be able to acquire one, then please shout!

All published photographs are my own unless otherwise stated/credited.

A Hall to 'Marke' a poignant weekend of remembrance

7903 'Foremarke Hall' at Toddington after returning from the first round trip - 11th November 2022

Early November heralds the return of the 'November Meeting' at Cheltenham Racecourse, which tends to fall on either the second or third weekend of the month. To add to the occasion for racegoers, the GWSR puts on steam hauled 'November Race Specials'. These are non-stop express passenger services that operate between Toddington and Cheltenham Racecourse, with a morning round trip and another in the evening. 

 

This weekend turned out to be a rather more poignant affair given that steam trains would be operating on the 11th November, or as it's more importantly known, 'Armistice Day', to mark the armistice signed between the Allies of World War I and Germany at Compiègne, France. Due to the way that the dates fell, this would be the first occasion in six years whereby we'd be running trains on the 11th, with the last time being way back in November 2016.

7903 'On Shed' at Toddington following preparation and a thorough clean - 11th November 2022

I arrived and signed on shortly before 06:30 ready to assist the rostered morning crew. The rostered crew for the first round trip being John (driver), Ade (fireman) and Liam (fellow cleaner). One of the benefits of the November Race Specials is that the timetable allows for more time in the morning before the engine needs to be ready to head off shed. Compared to gala weekends and days when we operate the purple timetable, the additional preparation time is certainly appreciated by the footplate crews and beats the 04:00 start I had during the Mixed Traction Gala. I don't mind the early starts! 

We were fortunate in that 7903 had already been disposed earlier on in the week and therefore the ashpan didn't need much attention. Great, not so dirty overalls then! As a consequence, more time could be spent giving Foremarke a thorough clean. Given that it was the 11th, we were keen to mark remembrance in some way. Luckily, we came across a Poppy which we were able to easily fix to the tender, along with the customary 'At The Races Express' headboard.  

 

A view of the rear of 7903's tender complete with 'At The Races Express' headboard & Poppy. BR Class 55 'Deltic' No. 55019 'Royal Highland Fusilier' can be seen stabled on the left - 11th November 2022

 

Now some of you might be wondering why the headboard and poppy are at the rear at this point. The reason for this is due to the fact that 7903 faces north on the railway. The first service of the day runs southbound from Toddington to Cheltenham and therefore operates 'tender first'. As a consequence, the embellishments needed to be facing in the direction of travel (or to put it more simply, so that the visitors can see them!). 

 

With the loco now ready and good to go, John and Ade headed off shed and approached Platform 1 at Toddington. I was very kindly invited out on the footplate and so Liam and I met 7903 once she had arrived at the station. It was great to see a good number of very smartly dressed racegoers ready for the train. 

 

After receiving the 'tip' from the guard to proceed, 7903 approaches the coaching stock in Platform 1 at Toddington Station - 11th November 2022

The 'tip' from the guard is when a signal is given to the footplate crew to say that it is safe and clear for the engine to approach and buffer-up to the coaching stock. Being a Great Western locomotive, the driver's position is on the right hand side of the footplate, thus the guard cannot easily be seen from that location. As a result, it is the fireman's job (Ade) to be on the lookout for the appropriate signal from the guard. 

Once on the footplate and with a good 30-40 minutes before we were due to depart, it was time for that all important tradition - Breakfast on the shovel! Not to mention a few cups of tea to wash it down with for good measure. There's nothing quite like a bacon sandwich that has been cooked on the footplate. You can keep your oven grill!

It's amazing how fast time flies when you're having fun, let alone eating, and that was just us aboard the footplate. I know the racegoers were in good spirits before we left and I gather a number of beverages were available! Anyway, with a blink of an eye, we were given the off and well on our way to Cheltenham. I haven't been on many non-stop trains at the railway but it's a great experience and it gives the steam locomotives a good chance to stretch their legs for a change. 

Using a steady hand, Liam cooks us some breakfast, kindly provided by Ade - 11th November 2022

We pulled into Platform 1 at Cheltenham Racecourse Station at around 10:55 and duly uncoupled 7903 from the coaching stock whilst the racegoers alighted from the train. Shortly before the hour, a bugle could be heard in the distance from the racecourse. When the clock moved to 11:00, John blew the whistle to mark the start of the two minutes silence. This was a very poignant and moving occasion for us all, to gather our thoughts, our reflections, and to remember all of those servicemen and women who gave their lives in conflict both at home and overseas. At 11:02 the whistle was blown again and the bugle sounded once more to signify the end of the silence.

A few minutes later, John carried out the 'run round' of 7903 to the other end of the train. Liam helped me reattach the coupling and vacuum pipe between the loco and the coaching stock, whilst Ade moved the headboard and poppy from the tender and kept an eye on the fire. It's not the easiest job to couple up and reattach the pipes to the stock due to the confined space, but luckily we weren't using steam heating on the first round trip so that was one pipe less to wrestle with! Here's a photo of Ade & Liam with 7903 taken shortly before we were due to head off with the return trip back. 

Ade & Liam with 7903 at Cheltenham Racecourse Station - 11th November 2022

I couldn't think of something more fitting to be doing on a day such as this, particularly given that both of my grandfathers served in the Second World War and both also had a keen interest in all things railway (especially steam). Sadly, they are no longer with us but I'd like to think that they are looking down on us with fondness at what they have left behind. 

If someone had said to me a few years ago that I'd be riding on the footplate of a steam locomotive on 'Armistice Day' then I wouldn't have believed them. It's a day that I'll never forget and one made all the better with great company and support. It's that 'Keep Calm and Carry On' spirt that keeps us going through the good times and the bad. Life may be difficult at times, but nothing can compare to living through war or conflict. We owe a debt of gratitude to those who have given their lives. It is understood that over 20,000 members of the 'Railway Family' were lost during 'The Great War'. 

The Railway Industry Memorial at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire - Photo © Derek Bennett (cc-by-sa/2.0)

 

Our railway runs through an idyllic landscape with the surrounding hills, rolling fields and many picturesque Cotswold properties. We have beautifully adorned period stations, signal boxes, and iconic pieces of railway infrastructure in Greet Tunnel, Stanway Viaduct and Three Arch Bridge, to name but a few. We have superbly maintained locomotives, coaches, wagons and facilities, but for all these wonderful things, we would be nothing without our volunteers - A number of whom have either served or continue to serve in the armed forces and civilian services. It is thanks to their support, dedication, time, enthusiasm, pride and workmanship, not forgetting those from the generations before them, that we are so lucky. For it is the people that make the railway, it is the people that define a nation and it is the people who shape the world that we live in today.

 

 "At the going down of the sun and in the morning. We will remember them". - Photo courtesy of Dan Wigg

It is a fact of life that people come and go, new friendships and acquaintances are made, and sadly, due to the passage of time, the generations move on. Life is precious and fleeting, but we will never forget and we will always remember.

 

"When you go home, tell them of us and say, for your tomorrow, we gave our today"

 

As I bring this piece to a close on the evening of 'Remembrance Sunday', I'll leave you with this which needs no further introduction: Edward Elgar - Nimrod (Enigma Variations)
 

Alex (the sooty one!).

All published photographs are my own unless otherwise stated/credited.