On the Footplate of a Steam Locomotive

Last year, I had visited the Leeds Middleton Railway, which claims to be the oldest working railway in the world: operating since 1758, 250 years. I had taken a few photos and posted them on Flickr. A few days ago, the traffic manager of the Middleton Railway asked for permission to use some of these pictures in their archive, and I agreed. As a thank-you, I was offered to take a ride on the footplate of a steam locomotive this Sunday.

I took my camera(s) (the picture cam, the video cam, and the head-worn video cam), set myself up with the Soundman in-ear microphones, and bought a day-rover ticket for the railway. First a ride in the "coach", then a ride on the steam engine. Very interesting, to see the operation of the mechanical levers and valves which make that steam engine move.