Loughborough - All
Aboard The Christmas Express
w/e 15 December
2002
As the days hurtle on towards
Christmas, what better way to embrace the merriment than by joining
many families with excited children aboard a Christmas Express.
"Express" may be too grand a word for this outing as
the steam driven engine trundled gently along the railway line
between Loughborough and Rothley bringing back memories of similar
train journeys when the journey was part of the fun and today's
breakneck expectations of speed were but a dream. A Christmas
tree and carols from a barrel organ greeted passengers on the
platform.
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The paraffin lamps were trimmed
as engine no. 63601, the "Santa Special" built up a
head of steam.
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The garlands decorating the
awning added to the festive atmosphere as the passengers boarded
the train at Loughborough Station.
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Smoke (on the left of this
picture) from the engine drifted by the Rothley Cabin signal
box as the train slowed on its outward journey before reversing
a few hundred yards to come to a halt in Rothley Station.
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Here there was the chance to
disembark to get a closer look at the 63601.
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But it was soon time to climb
aboard again for the return to Loughborough and the last passenger
to take his place was that man in red with the white beard waving
to me from along the platform.
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