Weather and the First Steam Train of the Year

Settle and the area surrounding it - The Yorkshire Dales no less - is a place of contrasts and variety.

Seven days span these first two things.   We are in an Atlantic warm airstream just now and most of the snow has gone but this was on the top of Whernside a week ago :

click to enlarge

And at 1642 yesterday twilight (sound on):

https://www.facebook.com/173627899681843/videos/598279077216721/

Fireman was Settle's Martyn Soames.   Listen for his tribute to his father Derek as they pass Settle churchyard after they come into view round the bend.   They were a couple of minutes late and 'cracking on' as they say round here.   See the crowd stand back on the up platform - me included!

And then the Lord stepped in with this:

Well done station supervisor Lisa Smith.

Meanwhile in the FoSCL workshop at Settle station, more magnificent craftsmanship is in evidence - the S-E-T-T-L-E capital letters for the station running-in boards and an exterior door for the trolley kitchen are almost complete:

Now, that is competition for 10 Downing Street I reckon.