A Double Dose of "Galatea"...

Afternoon all. Today we were treated to the second recent sighting of LMS Jubilee No45699 "Galatea" as she passed Northampton working homeward towards Carnforth. The Jub had been working out of WCRCs Southall depot for a couple of weeks on some London jobs and was now returning home. Hauling a singular POB (support coach), the engine sounded a treat as her driver opened up towards Mill Lane. The move was running roughly 10 minutes late at this point. Eagle eyed readers will notice that her cab side numbers are currently 45562 which is the identity of long scrapped sister "Alberta". I believe the engine carries salvaged components from "Alberta". Even more interestingly, the engine is currently carrying the nameplates and front smokebox plate of another scrapped Jubilee: No45627 "Sierra Leone". Her regular changes of identity have led to her being comically dubbed 'the Jubilee with an identity crisis'.

It was interesting to catch the 4-6-0 again this lunchtime as, whilst working in Crewe the other week, a Stanier hooter was heard before "Galatea" roared into sight on the up line. This was the working southward and was a lucky sighting for me...

Having checked the blog records to confirm, I don't think I'd seen "Galatea" in the metal until these two chance sightings in recent weeks. As all the 5XPs are, "Galatea" is lovely and, as we all know, "nothing roars like a 5X!". 45699 (as she is sometimes known) was built under Stanier at the LMS' Crewe works in April 1936. After withdrawal, she became famous among Barry wrecks for having her centre driving wheel cut through following a shunting accident at the scrapyard and her painstaking restoration required the casting of a new one. It was one of those so called impossible restorations. Having initially returned to steam in 2013, today the engine is part of the hard working Carnforth fleet and can be seen regularly working trips in the north. It was lovely to see her (both times). Roll on the next time! Cheers then, Sam...

Please note that both images were taken from positions of safety and not on NR land.