Lucy’s birthday present to me was a railway trip to Windsor from Ipswich, pulled by LNER Thompson Class B1 61306, given the name Mayflower in the preservation era.
The Royal Norfolkman pulls into Ipswich station
Stephen with the remains of the champagne breakfast (and Lucy’s milk)
Heading around the North London lineWindsor Castle – we have arrived!The crowds throng at Windsor & Eton Riverside station, many wanting to get close to the loco, some just trying to get out
61306 was built in 1948 by the North British Locomotive Company, Works No. 26207. Though built to an LNER design, it was delivered after nationalisation to British Railways (BR). Initially allocated to Hull Botanic Gardens Depot, in June 1959 it was transferred to nearby Hull Dairycoates Depot (53A). Its final allocation in June 1967 was to Bradford Low Moor Depot (56F), but it was quickly withdrawn in September 1967. It was later privately purchased for preservation and restoration, and began mainline running again in 2014.
We went for lunch and then a walk through Windsor and Eton, then parallel to the Thames and back along the river, doing some geocaching along the way.A little downriver of the station we reached the lock, currently undergoing some winter maintenance, before returning to the station for our trip home. A lovely day out.
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