© Geoff’s Rail Diaries 2012 The weekend had promised so much - the station gala at Bridgnorth on Saturday, “Coal Train Day” at Chasewater on Sunday, and the Amerton gala on both days. The rain (monsoon?) got the better of Saturday, but Sunday looked more promising. We plumped for Amerton For this year’s event, there were no fewer than six locomotives in steam. Representing the home side were Isabel (WB 1491 of 1897), Jenny (HE 3905 of 2007) and Paddy (Wilbrighton 2007). The first visitor was seasoned traveller Peter Pan (KS 4256 of 1922) - apparently the recent recipient of the NRM’s "The Most Travelled Narrow Gauge Locomotive in Britain" Award. Lastly - perhaps the main reason for choosing Amerton - two locomotives from Statfold - the “loco formerly known as Bronllwyd”, Hudswell Clarke 0-6-0 well tank 1643 of 1930, and the remarkable Corpet “Minas de Aller No 2”. Dating from 1884 (wks no. 439), this Paris-built loco had made its debut at Statfold a couple of weeks earlier. We had a ride (there are crocodiles in the swamps and snakes - bright yellow ones - out in the fields), then spent a pleasant hour or so watching and photographing the trains contra-rotating - passenger trains clockwise, freights anti-clockwise. Great fun as ever, despite the gloomy weather (and the dodgy-looking reptiles...) Eventually, rain threatened rather ominously, and we called it a day. Link: Amerton Railway official website