Steamy stuff (From York Press)

Steamy stuff

2:17pm Thursday 6th September 2012 in Features

THE romance of steam has often excited the interest of photographers, few of whom can resist the rising plumes of smoke or the clouds of steam.

Today we reproduce a main photograph by Nigel Holland, a photographer on The Press. Nigel captured the Scarborough Spa Express as it took on water at Grosvenor Terrace, Bootham, in York, en route to the seaside town. Nigel notes that the locomotive was a Stanier black five class locomotive, and we do hope he was right or there will be letters.

The other photographs of the Spa Express are by reader Paul Braybrook, who includes a striking image of the train running alongside the setting run.

Families and tourists alike have been enjoying day trips to Scarborough via steam train this summer, courtesy of West Coast Railways and the Scarborough Spa Express.

Originally known as the Scarborough Flier, the train ran until 1939 before its route was cancelled during the Second World War.

The service was resumed during the summer months from 1950 to 1963, after which steam locomotives became unfashionable and were removed from British Rail lines, before being resumed in 2003 by West Coast Railways.

The service travels within the ‘golden triangle’ of York, Harrogate and Leeds before continuing to Scarborough via either a slow or fast train. It offers spectacular views along the scenic route, including the viaduct at Knaresborough and the ruins of Kirkham Priory.

Locomotives for the route are chosen carefully, with guests having travelled on famous steam trains such as the Flying Scotsman and the Union of South Africa in previous years.

The Spa Express ran from July until the end of August three days a week and is expected to resume next summer.

The trains run in the morning and evening, allowing for a spectacular day out in either Scarborough or York, before returning at sunset.