Railways.

 Well this spell of wet, cold & very dreary weather continues.  It seems to have rained for the whole of winter, such a drastic change since the drought we had all last summer and into the autumn.  so I've been looking through my archive pictures and today's post is of photo's taken last October on a lovely sunny day!   Ah yes, I remember those days.

We called at the Waltham Windmill site to see how the restorations to the mill were coming along, I've been photographing it's progress.  Most of the work was completed, just the 6 sails to lift back into position.  Still waiting today, but I will get the finished pics soon.  While I was there I saw the little railway was taking folk for rides around the site so turned to that for some pics.

The railway is owned and run by members of the Grimsby & Cleethorpes Model Engineering Society and has extensive tracks around the site, giving rides to visitors when the track is open.

This lady was enjoying her knitting in the sun and answering any questions people might have.

The signal box operates all the track points and signalling.  While I was taking this photo
I realised  I was being observed by the volunteer by the door and wondered if I was ok to
take photo's.  I've done this so many times in the past so I decided not to ask!

In the station this chap was refuelling his loco with coal while people waited for their ride.

The man I said was watching me earlier came up to me and asked if I would like to go to the inside of the track to get better photo's, well I jumped at the chance as it would provide better viewpoints.

Up near the workshop was this loco on the trestle being "steamed up" for it's turn

around the tracks.  I'm reliably told it once ran around a track below the old wooden roller

coaster at the end of Cleethorpes Promenade, back in the 1950's.

A view into the cab where the controls are.

The loco I saw in the station came along, with passengers, through this wooded area
which I wouldn't have had access to from the general public area.

A different loco pulling more folk through this shady place.

Then an electric replica of an American Union Pacific loco.

The same engine, this time out on one of the loops that extends the track around the site.

Everyone enjoyed the ride, but I didn't get a wave.

I must point out that I'm not a railway " anorak" but have to own up to being a "train spotter" way back in the 1950's when the steam trains brough hundreds of visitors to Cleethorpes during the summer season.

Olympus EM10 Mk4 with 14-42mm lens.