Being a camera carrying "Train Spotter" or "Railfan" as people of My kind have come to be known as, I have always had a deep appreciation for the historic period of railroading before My time, that was known as "The Steam Era".

Although My blogsite Eddie's Railfan Page features mostly rail and transportation subjects from the city of Chicago Illinois USA, or mostly North American USA rail subjects....I have always found a certain fascination with the railroads of England and other parts of the U.K.

Great Britain, is a European Nation that has come to be known as "The Mother of Railways". Yes, trains were invented and utilized here first during the early part of the 1800's around 1829.

England, was a late user of steam locomotives, and had operated them in regular service pulling freight and passenger trains in to the 1960's era. England's railroads were "Nationalized" in 1948 a few years after World War 2 had ended.

The railroads of England, had a tendency to actually put name plates on their locomotives. The practice of famous and not so famous "Named Engines", was actually performed here in the United States and Canada during the 1800's, but was eventually stopped. Severla named 1800's era steam locomotives from the former Baltimore & Ohio Railroad, and the Virginia & Truckee Railroad, have been preserved in museums at Baltimore Maryland and Carson City Nevada USA.

The locomotive shown here is of the 2-10 -0 wheel arrangement, and were designed for pulling heavy freight trains. Locomotives of this wheel arrangement in North America, are refered to as the "Decapod" type of steam locomotive. The locomotive seen here, is the preserved Brittish Railways 2-10-0 "Evening Star."

Although 2-10-0's were generally slow and pondering beasts designed for lugging slow freight trains, for some odd reason or another, Brittish Railway's Eveniing Star was also quiete capable for fast passenger train service as well. A good and solid well built dual service railway machine.

Evening Star is also used for occasional mainline fantrips or specials in England.