Santa by steam.

It's been a quiet few days, just meandered up the Ashby as far as Market Bosworth. A couple of days at our favourite small town and tomorrow we set off back down towards Atherstone locks which open on the twenty-first. Then it will be move on north(ish).
I think I've just about exhausted the photographic possibilities of this neck of the woods but today a chance arose.

Market Bosworth station with, in the distance,

a Santa Special, always fascinating, wondering what engine it will be.

Obviously G.W.R., just look at that tender.

Yes, it's 3803, one of the big old 2-8-0 freight engines, still on loan from the South Devon Railway.

Then she was gone, in a swirl of steam and a waft of that wonderful steam engine aroma. A mixture of steam, coal smoke and hot oil.

A relic of the time when machines still had a soul.
Jill just muttered that she knew another relic.

Watch this space..........