No anorak required

Tomorrow I will be updating some pictures and a piece on the Wolverton to Newport Pagnell branch, which closed completely in 1967. I love exploring old railways and find the history attaching to these old and often sadly forgotten lines to be one of the pleasures of being interested in the railways. An anorak is not always required! Indeed, I've never really understood why railway enthusiasts (I prefer that term) are so widely derided and dismissed as cranks and weirdos. Of course, there are some that fit well in those categories but that is just proving the stereotype and not the reality which is that by far the majority of railway enthusiasts I have met are just ordinary people, articulate, informed and passionate about their interest. I hope that I certainly fit into these latter categories!

Yesterday I bought two new railway books as I was in London for an interview and decided to visit the Ian Allan bookshop at Waterloo. I love this shop and could and do spend a lot of time in there whenever I get the chance if I am in London. The two books I bought are Blue Diesel Days and Class 47 Retrospective. I am something of a fan of the Rail blue era and the first book confirms why. It was a period of enormous change on the railways as the last remains of the steam era were lost and the railways moved forward into the modern age. It was also a time when loco-haulage of passenger trains was still very common. Many might argue that Rail blue was a drab colour and true it didn't look attractive on all classes but it was a look that endured and I guess recollects the heyday of the modern railway.

The Class 47 has long been my favourite of the diesel locos and it is pleasing to see a book like Class 47 Retrospective which captures some of the 512 members of this class through their working lives all across the UK. They were versatile locos, regularly seeing employment on both freight and passenger trains and were a familiar sight across most of the UK. One of the most attractive liveries they ever wore was that applied to the 32 examples used by Virgin Trains. I do very much miss the days of loco haulage on cross-country and while the Voyager's maybe modern and sleek, give me a Class 47 anyday! Plus a Voyager cannot beat that terrific noise and clag of a 47!