new to site

[LES GIBSON]

Thank's for the welcome Trev.
As I said in my original post, Being brought up in the heyday? of steam in the North East leaves me with memories of the dirt, and grime and ash at the sheds and stations. I will never forget the ash heaps at Gateshead shed for example. I applaud those who give their time and effort (and hard earned) to keep steam alive, I just prefer to remember them as they were, not polished and burnished, and even in some cases painted in colours which they never carried, and even when they did, it was often impossible to see any colour through the grime! As a result, I don't visit, photograph, or otherwise take much interest in 'stuffed steam'

[locojoe]

Hi Les welcome to the forum.
I agree with you about how in the days of BR many things including locos were grimy and dirty, I should know I worked on the footplate for many years. But the average visitor without whom preserved lines could not exist does not want to get filthy as a result of their visit. Also heritage does not mean to show railways just as they were in BR days, lets not forget before BR most private railways kept their locos and rolling stock and stations in clean condition.
Alan Locojoe