Part 1 (January - August)

The first 'Brush' of 2011? Well, it was for me... 47376 waits to depart from Gotherington with the late-running 1055 to Toddington via Stanton (01/01/2011)

The opportunity to sample a '47/3' on New Year's Day was just too good to turn down, so I headed along to the GWR, where services are still top-and-tailed due to the landslip west of Gotherington. The 'o' isn't really steaming - that's the 'urn' on the other end of the train (01/01/2011)

Whilst waiting for a unit up to Northallerton, I attempted this shot of 47832 'Solway Princess' in the Parcels Sidings at York station. The sun just didn't quite rise quickly enough unfortunately (03/01/2011)

For the past three years, my first 'Brush' of the year has been at Wensleydale, and the railway was once again holding a January running day. 47715 is pictured on arrival back at Leeming Bar with the late-running 1026 from Redmire (03/01/2011)

Having run round its train, 'Poseidon' waits to depart from Leeming with the 1148 to Redmire (03/01/2011)

47786 'Roy Castle OBE' rounds the curve into Morley with 5Z13 1200 Barnetby - Carnforth ECS move of the previous day's Scunthorpe - Portsmouth charter. 47851 is out of sight at the rear of the train and had worked the first leg of the journey to Doncaster (27/03/2011)

47790 'Galloway Princess' approaches Dunkirk in the Nottingham suburbs with 1Z30 1114 Northern Belle charter from Derby to Grantham. 47501+47802 are just visible at the rear of the train (02/04/2011)

47802 'Pride of Cumbria' + 47501 'Craftsman' make a spirited departure from Nottingham with 1Z30 1114 Derby - Grantham Northern Belle charter. The train had just reversed after arriving from Derby behind 47790 and was now en route to its final pick-up at Sheffield (02/04/2011)

47804 appraoches Ribblehead with Statesman Rail's 1Z58 1520 return charter from Carlisle to Milton Keynes. Whilst Whernside in the background was beautifully illuminated by the afternoon sunshine, on this occasion the train unfortunately wasn't... (02/04/2011)

47786 'Roy Castle OBE' approaches Eastwood (between Hebden Bridge and Todmorden) with 5Z34 1305 Barnetby - Carnforth ECS move off a steam-hauled charter the previous day (03/04/2011)

47804 approaches Crofton West Junction with a 5Zxx Carnforth - Barnetby empty stock move for a Cleethorpes to Hastings charter the following day (24/04/2011)

47804 rounds the curve at Kettlesbeck with a 5Zxx Carnforth - Bridlington ECS move for a charter to Great Yarmouth the following day. 47786 is just visible on the rear of the train (29/04/2011)

47727 approaches Great Hale level crossing east of Heckington with 6Z56 0602 Washwood Heath - Boston Docks steel empties (06/05/2011)

47727 accelerates away from Sleaford later that afternoon with the loaded 6Z57 1314 Boston Docks - Washwood Heath (06/05/2011)

The SF47 Group's 47580 'County of Essex' waits to depart from Carlisle with 1Z79 1520 return 'Statesman' charter (14/05/2011)

47832 'Solway Princess' approaches Ferrybridge with 1Z45 0540 Leicester - Edinburgh 'Northern Belle' (21/05/2011)

47500 climbs past the site of Goose Hill Junction at Welbeck, Normanton, with 1Z41 0535 Stevenage - Carlisle, which it would work as far as Hellifield (21/05/2021)

Later that afternoon 47500 waits to depart from Carlisle with the 1Z42 1534 return leg to Stevenage via the Tyne Valley and ECML. Alongside is 46115 'Scots Guardsman' which had brought the northbound charter over the S&C (21/05/2021)

47851 passes the site of Salt Lake Quarry south of Ribblehead with 1Z37 1522 return 'Statesman' charter from Carlisle to Newport (11/06/2011)

Kater that afternoon 47826 powers north towards Selside with SRPS Railtours' 1Z93 1715 Leeds - Glenrothes. 47804 is just visible at the rear of the train (11/06/2011)

47804 waits to depart from Rugby with Compass Tours' 1Z70 0641 charter to Cardiff Central via the Heart of Wales line. As the tour was a 'circular', '804 also worked the return leg via the 'Marches' (29/06/2011)

47117 is pictured on arrival at Leciester North station with 2A23 1300 from Loughborough Central during a running day at the Great Central Railway (03/07/2011)

A closer look at 'Sparrow Hawk' as it waits to run round at Leicester North before returning to Loughborough with the 1345 departure (03/07/2011)

History in the making as WCRC's 47851 arrives at Holt station on the North Norfolk Railway with the empty stock for a NENTA charter to Scarborough. This was believed to be the first ever Brush Type 4 along the short stretch of line between Cromer and Sheringham (09/07/2011)