| This collection was created because it seemed more logical to place the various charters in one place rather just just have a whole gallery with just three or four shots in it. Usually these are viewed 'en route' rather than at their departure points or destinations, and since they're usually shifting a bit when they pass by there are usually only several shots taken anyway, and this seemed like a more logical way to display any of them.
Included here are shots of the GWR Castle Class 4-6-0 no 5043 'Earl of Mount Edgcumbe' which was seen en-route from Tylsley to York, and back again on Saturday 25th of April. The shot from the return journey proved very frustrating, as the loco approached our position it was in bright sunslight, but then Sod's Law came into effect, and the Sun disappeared behind the only cloud in the sky, only to appear again the second the loco had passed by - to say the air was turned blue with profanity by the waiting enthusiasts would have been an understatement. Oh well, some you win, some you lose! 
Saturday 20th of June saw a Compass Charter (1Z19) from Carlisle to York, and this is pictured here both arriving and departing from the outskirts of York. Locos used were both Class 37s, 37670 and 37401, both in EWS livery. York must have its own micro-climate I think, it was Monsoon like rain there, but fine and sunny just about everywhere else! Scots Guardsman, 46115, was seen passing through Castelton Station in Rochdale, Lancashire on Sunday 6th of September 2009, this was with a charter from Liverpool to York that was carrying a large number of Girl Guides for a day out there. The headboard does rather give this away a bit I think!
Saturday 12th of September 2009 saw a 'Spitfire' Railtour under the title of "The Cumbrian Coaster", and this was travelling up the West Coast Main Line on its way from Birmingham to Carlisle. Since we were on our way to Preston for the Ribble Steam Railway's Steam Gala, we were able to catch this as it passed through Leyland Station both on its outward journey, and again on the return. Locos used on the outward journey were West Coast Railway Company's Class 37s: '37510' and '37229', with one of Eddie Stobart's Class 66 'Sheds' - 'James the Engine' at the rear. I believe that 37229 failed somewhere north of Preston, so on the return journey the this was replaced by 37682, with the loco on the rear yet another 'Shed', but this time '66412' from Malcolm Rail was the engine used. A lovely sight in full thrash, and in bright sunlight for a change! The next Railtour seen was a diesel hauled charter run by the Green Party, which was running as 'The Cumbrian Coast Scenic Tour', starting from Skipton and travelling to Ravenglass (and also to Whitehaven for those that didn't want to travel on the Eskdale Railway) in Cumbria on Thursday 17th of September 2009. This had various pick up points, many in West Yorkshire, but also including a number of stations on the Calder Valley line, so with Rochdale being the closest station to here it was off to Castleton Station (Castleton is a suburb of Rochdale on the Manchester side) to try and catch it as it passed through at high speed on a gloomy and cloudy morning at around 8.45am. The front loco was the appropriately green coloured '47851' 'Traction Magazine', which had a headboard showing 'The Green Express'. There was a more traditional WCRC livery on the rear loco though, which was engine number 47245. I can only apologise for the less than sharp image taken of this one, trying to get sharply focused shots of fast moving trains can be tricky enough at the best of times, but trying to get them as they move away from you in poor light is even harder. I was already shooting at ISO800 as it was, and my autofocus was struggling to get a lock, but I thought this was a rare enough sight to include it here anyway, so please excuse the quality of this one, I would normally bin all shots that look like this instantly and never dream of using them on my Fotopic site!
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47245 'Green Express' 17th September 2009 1024x699 IMGP3807.jpg |
47851 'Green Express' 17th September 2009 1024x800 IMGP3806.jpg |
'Cumbrian Coaster' 12th September 2009 1024x699 IMGP3613.jpg |
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'Cumbrian Coaster' 12th September 2009 1024x841 IMGP3612.jpg |
'Cumbrian Coaster' 12th September 2009 1024x723 IMGP3494.jpg |
'Cumbrian Coaster' 12th September 2009 1024x768 IMGP3493.jpg |
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'Cumbrian Coaster' 12th September 2009 1024x835 IMGP3492.jpg |
Scots Guardsman passing through Castelton 1024x800 ScotsGuardsman.jpg |
1Z19 - Compass Charter departs York 1024x758 IMGP0253.jpg |
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1Z19 - Compass Charter approaches York 1024x791 IMGP0204.jpg |
The Ynys Mons Express departs from Stoke drawn by 57601, this was due to be replaced by a steam loco at Crewe. 1024x769 IMGP0076.jpg |
The Ynys Mons Express departs from Stoke drawn by 57601, this was due to be replaced by a steam loco at Crewe. 1024x808 IMGP0075.jpg |
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5043 - Earl of Mount Edgcumbe 1024x711 IMGP8427.jpg |
5043 - Earl of Mount Edgcumbe 1024x708 IMGP8294.jpg |
5043 - Earl of Mount Edgcumbe 1024x714 IMGP8293.jpg |
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5043 - Earl of Mount Edgcumbe 1024x746 IMGP8292.jpg |
5043 - Earl of Mount Edgcumbe 1024x727 IMGP8291.jpg |
