Rudyard Lake Steam Railway

Another Sunday with no rain! So where are the 'steppers' (little step-through motorcycles) going to go today? Many places worthy of a visit don't open until Easter, but one that does is the Rudyard Lake Steam Railway. We met at Malc's at 11:30 for another Grand Day Out!

As ever, click on the pictures for a larger image.

My C90 and Ivan's SS50 (getting attention from Ivan and Malc) at Malc's this morning

Ivan is changing the cylinder head nuts as he has a slight oil leak; a 5 minute job on these little bikes!

 

Less than an hour after leaving Malcs, we arrive at our destination. Ivan's SS50, Malcs Yamaha Townmate, Malc, and my Honda C90 at Rudyard Lake station on the Rudyard Lake Steam Railway.

There was just one locomotive in steam today; 'King Arthur' simmers at the head of her train

A rather complicated petrol electric locomotive gets a bit of TLC!

In the shed one of the locos is stripped down ready for new boiler tubes to be fitted before the boiler is pressure tested prior to being re-installed in the frames

We boarded the two o'clock train for a ride up the lake side and back. Malc and Ivan enjoy the view from the open-sided coach.

At the far end of the line, the loco runs around the train. Spring-points negate the need to manually change them to run back down the loop.

'King Arthur' runs around her train, using the loop

The day was bright at times but quite cold. Here's a rare patch of sunshine on the lake as seen form the train.

Our driver in his cab at the station half way up the lake

Back at the terminus, one of the other locos in the 'shed' (a shipping container!)

'Merlin', another of the railway's locomotives at Rudyard Lake station

Merlin's cab

Here's a couple of videos. In the first one, 'King Arthur' is returning down the lake side to Rudyard.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nt_-aK5kBdc&feature=youtu.be


Having taken water at Rudyard shed, 'King Arthur', cylinder cocks open initially to prevent hydraulicking as steam condenses to water in the cold cylinders,  runs around the train to position at the front for another run up the lake and back.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VNdO5_DeS38&feature=youtu.be


We rode home down the minor lanes over the Biddulph ridge to Congleton, then took to the lanes again past Clonter. Just after the 'Mucky Duck' pub (The Black Swan, but no-one calls it that) the road had been closed by the police, so we diverted through Hodgehill, Whisterfield, and Catchpenny Pool to Chelford before stopping at the Stag in Great Warford for a welcome pint.

Another Grand Day Out!

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